Father’s Day play an important part in many people’s lives and the role of the father today is a lot more hands-on and involved than it may have been 50 years ago.
Your dad can be your role model, emotional support, primary caregiver, best friend, and confidante. Not to mention they usually pay for a good portion of your childhood.
So, it makes sense that at least once a year we give them an extra nod of appreciation.
Father’s Day is a day to celebrate the father figure in your life, whether that’s a dad, uncle, grandad or an honourary dad who has been there for you doing the things that dads do.
Here in Australia, we celebrate on the first Sunday in September. We shower our dads with presents, treats and, of course, our favourite: Father’s Day chocolates.
But do you know the origins of Father’s Day?
We’re going to take a little look back in time at how Dad came to have a day all his own and how different countries around the world honour dads in unique ways.
What are the origins of Father’s Day?
Well, as with many holidays and observances, there are a few versions and few figures that have jostled over the credit for inventing and establishing the day.
One of the earlier celebrations of fathers happened in 10th C Rome, where the Feast of St Joseph was (and still is) celebrated on the 19th of March. Joseph was the non-biological father of Jesus Christ and today, predominantly Catholic countries like Portugal, Spain and Italy still celebrate Father’s Day on this day.
But that doesn’t explain how Father’s Day came to be celebrated around the world. For that, we need to jump in time and space to the US.
The place is West Virginia. The year is 1908. Last December, a tragic accident in the mines at Monongah killed 382 men. A young girl named Grace Golden Clayton suggested to her pastor to take one Sunday to honour those men killed, many of whom were fathers.
On July 8th, 1908, the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South, now known as Central United Methodist Church, holds a memorial service for the late miners.
A year later, on the other side of the country in Spokane Washington, Sonora Smart Dodd conceived the idea of having an annual day for fathers.
Her father was a Civil War veteran and a single parent of six children. Although she would have liked the day to be celebrated on the 5th of June, her father’s birthday, there wasn’t enough time for her church to prepare, so the celebration was held on June 19th at the YMCA Spokane.
Father’s Day didn’t get much traction for a few decades after this but in the 1930s, Dodd started pushing for an annual celebration again and this time, she cleverly enlisted the help of trade groups that stood to benefit from the day, such as tobacco pipe and tie manufacturers.
In 1938, a Father’s Day Council was formed and in 1972, President Richard Nixon made it a national holiday.
Much like Anna Jarvis’s Mother’s Day tradition involving wearing carnations to honour mothers, on Father’s Day, it’s customary to wear a red rose if your father is still living and a white one if he’s passed away.
So why do we celebrate Father’s Day in September in Australia?
Here in Australia, we celebrate Father’s Day on the first Sunday of September.
According to an article published in the Western Herald in 1964, this is because it was the date designated for the celebration by the Commonwealth.
It’s thought that this was for commercial reasons, so that it wasn’t too close to either Mother’s Day or Christmas.
How is Father’s Day celebrated around the world?
There are many traditions to celebrate Father’s Day – most involving a feast and gifts of some sort but here are a few more unique ones.
Germany
In Germany, Father’s Day is called Vaterstag, Mannentag or Herrentag, depending on what region you’re in.
Men (not only fathers) get dressed up, take a wagon loaded with beer, wine and snacks and do a hike through the woods. By the time the hike is done, more often than not, the beer is too, and the merriment continues.
This tradition comes from an 18th C Ascension Day celebration where men would be carted (literally in carts) to the town centre and the man who’d fathered the most children would receive a prize from the mayor.
Since Father’s Day falls on a Thursday, many men will take Friday off and have the weekend to recover from their celebrations.
Thailand
In Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej is regarded as the symbolic father of the country and although he passed away in 2016, Father’s Day is still celebrated on the late king’s birthday. People wear yellow and gift canna flowers to their fathers.
Russia
What was initially a celebration of the fourth anniversary of the Red Army became Defender of the Fatherland Day.
On February 23rd, people pay tribute to the armed forces and men in general, as most have to do compulsory military service, with parades and gifts.
Mexico
While most dads are sitting back with their feet up on Father’s Day, Mexican dads who live in the capital are putting on their running shoes and getting ready for Carrera del Dia del Padre.
This is a race held in Mexico City in June and fathers and their children or family members run the 21km route together.
They get their reward after the race with a hearty Mexican feast with loved ones.
Taiwan
Father’s Day falls on August 8th in Taiwan. This is because the Chinese word for 8 is ‘baba’, so the 8th day of the 8th month would be ‘baba’, which is also an informal word for ‘father’.
Brazil
Brazilian Father’s Day falls on the second Sunday in August. This is to honour St Joachim – Mary’s father and the patron saint of fathering. The actual date was put forward by the journalist Sylvio Behring, who ran an influential newspaper and thought he could capitalise on the day.
Brazilians are just as keen on BBQs as Australians and on Father’s Day, many families spend the day outside with loads of meat on the grill.
Australia
Here in Australia, Father’s Day is a time to spoil your dad or father figure and show your appreciation for all he does for you.
But we don’t stop there. We also have the annual Australian Father of the Year Awards.
Since 1957, the Father’s Day Council, along with its partners, have been paying tribute to outstanding fathers in the community.
Awards are given in the following categories:
- Australian Father of The Year
- Australian Community Father of The Year
- Australian Sporting Father of the Year
- Australia’s Best Workplace for Fathers
So now you have a bit more insight into Father’s Day.
If you’re looking for the perfect gift that will bring a smile to your dad/uncle/grandad/father figure, why not treat him to a box of delicious, handcrafted Father’s Day chocolates?
Made from ethically sourced cocoa and completely gluten- and palm oil-free, there’s a Davies chocolate to suit any taste.