When did Father’s Day begin to be celebrated?
When did Father’s Day begin to be celebrated?
Father’s Day or Fathers’ Day, is a traditional celebration of fathers within the family, widely spread globally, which complements Mother’s Day. The date varies according to the customs and traditions of each country and continent.
In America, it is celebrated on the third Sunday of June, this year on June 19th.
In the American continent, the “Father’s Day” had its historical origin on June 19, 1909 in the City of Washington in the United States, under the initiative of a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, who, inspired by Mother’s Day, which had only been two years old, she wanted to pay homage to her father, a Civil War veteran by the name of Henry Jackson Smart, who took care of her children when his wife died in childbirth, she wanted to highlight the important role of men in society, especially those who, like their father, fulfilled the dual role of father and mother.
The idea spread successfully, and in 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of establishing a National Father’s Day, and in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday in June as such in the United States.
Given the proximity and influence of the United States on our country, it began to be celebrated in Mexico in the 1950s under the initiative of lagunera (nickname for a person from Torreón, Coahuila) Carmelita Tostado, to remember her husband and father of her children.
Nowadays, it is mainly dedicated to the paternity and the raising of their offspring by men in the family and although unfortunately, it has become a consumer party, sponsored by large commercial chains and the media for profit, like most Mexican holidays, it is also an excellent opportunity to learn and reflect on fatherhood as a social construct in transition.
Whatever the case, definitely our father is a main role-model and not only on this day, but also the rest of the year, he deserves to be celebrated and spoiled by us.
Happy Father’s Day! How do you celebrate it?
