Hyderabad: Fathers are the first heroes for their children. The young minds admire fathers for their strength and capabilities.
Acknowledging their love and concern, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June every year in 70 countries across the world. Father’s Day is dedicated not just to fathers but to grandfathers and even father figures who shape our minds and lives. This year, Father's Day will be celebrated on June 18, 2023.
History
Father’s Day originated in the US when Sonora Smart Dodd, the daughter of a civil war veteran wanted to memorialise the love of all fathers across the globe. Dodd wanted to honour her father William Jackson Smart, a single father to six children. She decided to honour him and chose his birth anniversary, June 5, 1982, to celebrate Father's Day.
Presumably, Sonora drew inspiration from Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother's Day. However, she had to face a lot of opposition as her church did not support her petition. Eventually, she had to rally several other local churches for support and the date got pushed from June 5 to the third Sunday of June. The first Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington.
Over the years, it gained popularity. At the initiative of President Lyndon Johnson, starting in 1966, Father's Day was celebrated on the third Sunday of June. In 1972, President Richard Nixon officially established Father's Day as a national holiday to be observed on the third Sunday of June.
Sonora was a well-known poet, scribe and sculptor but was more popular for her role in establishing Father's Day as a recognised holiday in the US.
She was born on February 18, 1882. Her mother died when she was 16. One day while listening to a sermon in church about Mother’s Day, it struck Sonora that no one celebrates Father's Day and submitted her petition in the church.
Significance
Appreciating fathers and fatherly figures for their love and contribution, a small act of gratitude like surprise gifts, handmade cards, preparing favourite meals or baking cakes and more from your side can please them beyond comparison.
Father's Day is all about conveying respect to the Father, his love sacrifices. It is to celebrate a father's contribution to the upbringing of a child, which is often overlooked.
Father’s Day Quotes and Messages
“Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father.” --- Lydia Maria Child
“The best fathers have the softest, sweetest hearts. In other words, great dads are real marshmallows.” --- Richelle E. Goodrich
“There's something beautiful about a mother’s embrace. And there's something magical about a father’s affirmations.” – Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr.
“Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.” -- Anne Geddes
