Father’s Day, in the United States, holiday (third Sunday in June) to honour fathers. Credit for originating the holiday is generally given to Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, whose father, a Civil War veteran, raised her and her five siblings after their mother died in childbirth. She is said to have had the idea in 1909 while listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day, which at the time was becoming established as a holiday. Local religious leaders supported the idea, and the first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, the month of the birthday of Dodd’s father. In 1924 U.S. Pres. Calvin Coolidge gave his support to the observance, and in 1966 Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson issued a proclamation that recognized the day. It became a national holiday in 1972, when Pres. Richard Nixon signed legislation designating the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day. Father's Day is celebrated on Sunday, June 19, 2022, in most countries.
Although it was originally largely a religious holiday, Father’s Day has been commercialized with the sending of greeting cards and the giving of gifts. Some observe the custom of wearing a red rose to indicate that one’s father is living or a white rose to indicate that he is deceased. Other males—for example, grandfathers or uncles who have assumed parenting roles—are often also honoured on the day. Some Roman Catholics have continued to observe the feast day of St. Joseph, on March 19, as a tribute to fathers.
How is Father’s Day celebrated?
Father’s Day is celebrated commercially and involves the sending of cards and giving of gifts to fathers, grandfathers, and other father figures. Some observe the custom of wearing a red rose to indicate that their father is living or a white rose to indicate that he is deceased.
Where did Father’s Day come from?
Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, is usually credited for originating Father’s Day. She is said to have had the idea in 1909 while listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day, which was emerging as a holiday. U.S. President Calvin Coolidge gave his public support to Father’s Day in 1924, and legislation signed by U.S. President Richard Nixon established it as a national holiday in 1972.
Father's Day Quotes
- “Dad: A son’s first hero, a daughter’s first love.” —Unknown
- “The power of a dad in a child’s life is unmatched.” —Justin Ricklefs
- “It is a wise father that knows his own child.” —William Shakespeare
- “One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” —George Herbert
- “A girl’s first true love is her father.” —Marisol Santiago
- “A father’s smile has been known to light up a child’s entire day.” —Susan Gale
- “A father doesn’t tell you that he loves you. He shows you.” —Dimitri the Stoneheart
- “Fathers just have a way of putting everything together.” —Erika Cosby
- “Behind every great daughter is a truly amazing father.” —Unknown
- “To her, the name of father was another name for love.” —Fanny Fern
- “The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.” —Tim Russert
- “No music is so pleasant to my ears as that word―father.” —Lydia Maria Child
- “A father carries pictures where his money used to be.” —Steve Martin
- “When my father didn’t have my hand, he had my back.” —Linda Poindexter
- “A father is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow.” —Unknown
- “The greatest mark of a father is how he treats his children when no one is looking.” —Dan Pearce
- “Fathers, be good to your daughters. You are the god and the weight of her world.” —John Mayer
