Today is universally celebrated as Father's Day. Which translated means that the US or rather US companies such as Hallmark decided to call it Father's Day so that they could sell a zillion cards. A couple of decades later, no one buys or sends cards, but the tradition continues and the Amazons of the world benefit.
Or so I thought. Until I looked it up and like all other things, there's an interesting story behind the origin of Father's day. Which as it turns out was inspired by Mother's Day.
"The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. However, it was not until 1972–58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official–that the day honoring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States."
"... a Spokane, Washington, woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials to drum up support for her idea, and she was successful: Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on June 19, 1910.
Slowly, the holiday spread. In 1916, President Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane when he pressed a button in Washington, D.C. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father’s Day.
Today, the day honoring fathers is celebrated in the United States on the third Sunday of June."
http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/fathers-day
Reia, my younger daughter after spending a few years in the US has perfected the art of re-messaging and so sends me a variation of this message every year. And it never fails to bring a smile, especially since its largely untrue, yet feels good. Who of us does not like to be praised.
Freia is a little like me. Not great at saying the right things. And so she tweeted asking for help with choosing the right thing to say. As printed on a mug. And managed not to get any of the brilliant mugs, all of which came pretty close to the truth, I think. Or to say any of them. Instead she treated me to a glass of healthy juice. Which didn't seem very appetizing because of the green color, which I relate to healthy and therefore untasty, if that's a word. And after that low expectation it turned to be pretty tasty.
The message I liked most was a tweet by ex-President Obama. Especially since it expresses my feelings. Perfectly. Just replace Sasha and Malia with Reia and Freia.
So to all of you father's here's to a Happy Father's Day, the one day of the year when you are appreciated for all you do. And to everybody else, we father's would really appreciate appreciation on a few other days too. How about once a month? :-)
Or so I thought. Until I looked it up and like all other things, there's an interesting story behind the origin of Father's day. Which as it turns out was inspired by Mother's Day.
"The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. However, it was not until 1972–58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official–that the day honoring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States."
"... a Spokane, Washington, woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials to drum up support for her idea, and she was successful: Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on June 19, 1910.
Slowly, the holiday spread. In 1916, President Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane when he pressed a button in Washington, D.C. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father’s Day.
Today, the day honoring fathers is celebrated in the United States on the third Sunday of June."
http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/fathers-day
Reia, my younger daughter after spending a few years in the US has perfected the art of re-messaging and so sends me a variation of this message every year. And it never fails to bring a smile, especially since its largely untrue, yet feels good. Who of us does not like to be praised.
Freia is a little like me. Not great at saying the right things. And so she tweeted asking for help with choosing the right thing to say. As printed on a mug. And managed not to get any of the brilliant mugs, all of which came pretty close to the truth, I think. Or to say any of them. Instead she treated me to a glass of healthy juice. Which didn't seem very appetizing because of the green color, which I relate to healthy and therefore untasty, if that's a word. And after that low expectation it turned to be pretty tasty.
The message I liked most was a tweet by ex-President Obama. Especially since it expresses my feelings. Perfectly. Just replace Sasha and Malia with Reia and Freia.
So to all of you father's here's to a Happy Father's Day, the one day of the year when you are appreciated for all you do. And to everybody else, we father's would really appreciate appreciation on a few other days too. How about once a month? :-)
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