In honor of fathers everywhere, here are 10 facts about the day we spend celebrating them:
- Father’s Day falls on every third Sunday in June.
- The first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Washington State.
- Sonora Smart Dodd, who was raised by a widower, was inspired by Mother’s Day to seek out a day to honor fathers.
- The first event honoring fathers took place on July 5, 1908, during a sermon in West Virginia.
- The idea of Father’s Day may originate in pagan sun worship. Some branches of paganism see the Sun as the father of the universe.
- Father’s Day was almost cancelled when a movement arose to establish a combined holiday known as Parents’ Day.
- The Great Depression helped Father’s Day remain intact by forcing retailers to commercialize the holiday In parts of Europe and Latin America, fathers are celebrated on St. Joseph’s Day, which falls on March 19.
- In Thailand, the king’s birthday determines Father’s Day and is celebrated by donating blood and releasing captive animals.
- According to Fortune, Americans will spend a record US$16 billion on gifts for Father’s Day this year.
READ MORE: 5 of the best fathers in film
The Canadian Press
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