Spring has sprung and so have the spring and early summer holidays. In May alone we’ve had May day, National Teachers Day, Star Wars Day, Cinco de Mayo, Kentucky Derby Day, VE Day for World War II, Mother’s Day of course, Lilacs Sunday, Armed Forces Day, and we have Memorial day coming up on Monday the 29th.
The holidays continue in June including National Donut Day (yes, that’s a thing!) The Belmont Stakes, World Bicycle Day, National Egg Day, National Cheese Day, National Gingerbread Day, (what’s with all the food?) D-Day, National Best Friends Day, National Bourbon Day (for those that like a little something to go with their cheese and donuts) National Iced Tea Day (for those that aren’t into Bourbon) and of course Father’s Day.
Now, while we may not know how some of these holidays came about, (egad, do we really want to?) Father’s Day has an
interesting history. Back in the early 20th century of the United States it was created, like Mother’s Day, to celebrate father’s and fatherhood. History says Father’s Day was founded in Spokane, Washington at a YMCA in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd whose dad was a Civil War vet named William Smart. Poor William had to raise his six children by himself after the war which back then, couldn’t have been easy. So his daughter Sonora, after hearing a sermon all about Mother’s Day at church in 1909, mentioned to her pastor something like, “You know what, fathers really should have their own holiday to honor them. After all, is just as hard to be a single father left with six children to raise as it would a mother. And hey, she was right! She even suggested her father William’s birthday of June 5th to become Father’s Day.
Unfortunately, the pastors considering her idea, couldn’t throw together things in time to present this to their congregation on June 5th, and needed a couple more weeks to prepare. So that’s how Father’s Day became the third Sunday of June. They preached, presented, and were stared at with a lot of blank looks as the idea didn’t go over as well as Sonora thought. For one, men didn’t want to be associated with any role mothers had and a lot of them looked at Father’s Day as another word for mother. Maybe it was a blow to their manhood, but they definitely weren’t keen on it.
But Sonora never gave up and kept promoting it until she skipped off to the Art Institute of Chicago, after which her Father’s Day campaigning drifted into the sunset for a while. But when the 1930s rolled around she returned to Spokane and started raising awareness. This time, however, she did it at a national level. Sonora got involved with whatever trade groups would benefit the most from Father’s Day. There were companies that made razors, ties, slippers, robes, basically anything dear old dad might purchase or be given as a gift. Naturally these companies thought it was a great idea. It would make them sales and raise their profits. And so, the New York Associated Menswear Retailers decided to commercialize it and the rest is history.
Americans as a whole weren’t hot for the holiday at the onset either. To them it was just a bunch of merchants getting together and trying to part them with their money. Newspapers and magazines joined the ranks with sarcastic remarks, jokes, and put downs. But the retailers didn’t give up and even went so far as to incorporate jokes about it in their own advertisements!
In time, they succeeded in winning over the general populance. In fact, Woodrow Wilson, decided to go to Spokane and make Father’s Day official. But then wouldn’t you know, Congress said, “are you kidding?” They were in the camp that thought the retailers were just trying to make another commercialized holiday. Not even Calvin Coolidge, who recommended back in 1924 that Father’s Day be observed, had any effect on them. The past was the past and it could stay there. And everyone’s money could stay in their wallets.
Then Margaret Smith, a senator from Maine wrote a scathing proposal that accused Congress of ignoring fathers for over forty years while honoring only mothers. Why shouldn’t both parents be honored? Margaret’s efforts were made in 1957 and had some affect. Lyndon B. Johnson’s own efforts were in 1966, when he issued the first presidential proclamation to honor dad’s. And he picked the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day just like the pastors from Spokane. It took another six years for the day to finally be made a permanent national holiday when President Nixon signed it into law in 1972. Whew!
But did you know, we don’t just have Father’s Day? There’s an international men’s day celebrated in a lot of countries on November 19. This holiday is for men and boys and not just dads. So though Father’s Day wasn’t fully accepted until 1972, there has been some sort of day for dads throughout history dating as far back as the 16th century.
So the next time you think of purchasing a tie for dad or grandpa, or maybe a new golf club, think of how much work went into getting Father’s Day the national recognition it deserved. It’s been over 50 years since it was signed into law, and six years afterwards, William’s daughter Sonora passed at the age of 96. I’m sure she was proud to see that her father and fathers everywhere were finally, and fully honored.
Fathers play a large role in fiction too. Who doesn’t love the single dad next door romance? Or a secret baby? Or the single dad who needs help raising the kiddos, and so creates a marriage of convenience where he falls in love with the woman helping with his kids? We love these tropes and many of us also have our own Father’s Day traditions.
What’s your favorite romance trope involving dads, and/or what’s a Father’s Day tradition in your family that you do or used to do? For our family, as we lost our mother back in 1980, so our dad got Father’s Day and Mother’s day! We gathered on both holidays and pampered Pops. A tradition that lasted until he passed in June of 2009.
USA Today bestselling author Kit Morgan is the author of over 140 books of historical and contemporary western romance! Her stories are fun, sweet stories full of love, laughter, and just a little bit of mayhem! Kit creates her stories in her little log cabin in the woods in the Pacific Northwest. An avid reader and knitter, when not writing, she can be found with either a book or a pair of knitting needles in her hands! Oh, and the occasional smidge of chocolate!
What a great summary. It is interesting how various holidays developed. I always liked the tie as the classic gift.
Ties are classic! I’d still like to know where National Gingerbread day came from!
Also, National Gingerbread house day and National Gingerbread cookie Day. I cannot seem to find who started them.
On the bright side, International Left-Handers Day was started by a left-handed group in Topeka, KS. The group is gone but the day lives on.
Wow! I didn’t realise Father’s Day was so recent or how much resistance there was to it! I like the single Dad trope, however they get together.
I’ve always like that trope too, Jeanette!
Fascinating! I thought Father’s Day was much older!
So did I, Linda. Then on a whim I googled it as I thought it would be fun to see how it was celebrated back in the day and found all the origin stuff and thought, hey, this is interesting!
For May, you forgot the middle of the Triple Crown, Preakness–it was this past weekend. You mentioned teachers, but not the day honoring Nurses–they overlap a little.
Single dad trope is a good one.
Yes, I just listed a few. You should see all the different holidays there are in a single month! My goodness, Denise! I’ve never seen so many!
There’s actually a few calendars online which have all the little-known holidays for each month.
Holy cow! That took a while! We celebrated Father’s Day the usual way, we are a card family. So, everyone either made a card or purchased one. I laugh at the time I painted my father a picture of the river with oaks and greenery with a few azaleas at the water’s edge. He just held it and finally asked,”What do I do with this?”LOL Dad was use to getting gifts that he uses. Ties, socks, set of screw drivers, etc. I laughed and said you just look at it Daddy! So, my mother had him hang it in his office. I sure miss my father. He was the rock of our family.
Thanks for the history Kit! And I also love the stories of man who becomes a ready made father. Whether he is a guardian of some or he ends up with a crew!
That’s hilarious about your dad’s reaction to your gift! I wonder how many other men would say the same thing!
This was very interesting!
Yeah, who knew?
Thanks for the history concerning Father’s Day.
You’re welcome! I happen to stumble across it and was surprised so many folks put up such a fuss over it for so many years.
Your commentary on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day was very informative. Yes, there are lots of dads who do have to raise their children when his wife passes early on in their marriage. He deserves to be recognized for all the efforts he has to put forth from then on as well as all his contributions to the family – always the bread winner primarily. They both should be honored as the Ten Commandants say. “Honor thy father and their mother that all may be well with thee -” My mother died at 41 and left 2 brothers and 1 sister for him to raise as well as continue to be the only bread winner. It is not an easy job and he deserved all the appreciation he got. I tend to forget the details he had to face since it has been many years, since 1967, when this occurred. My fervent prayer is for every one to revere their parents, equally.
Well said, Judy!
Thank you! I found the information on Fathers Day very interesting, & was surprised to see how “young” the holiday really is! For Father’s Day around here, we make a special dinner &/or treat just for dad, & make sure to give him some extra down time! I also make sure to reminisce with my siblings about our dad, who is no longer with us.
Yes, it’s hard after they’re gone. Sometimes we still do a little Father’s day dinner even though Pops is no longer with us.
That was very interesting. I think we should always honor our parents and grandparents.
Most definitely, Linda!
Thank you so much for this post. I had no idea Father’s Day was so recent an addition to our holidays. Since it became official the year we got married, it has always been part of our family traditions. We usually have a special meal, grilled steaks (which he usually is in charge of) and have the family over celebrating our daughter’s husbands also. We rarely go out to eat on holidays. It is overly crowded, rushed, and really not enjoyable. If just the two of us are celebrating, we will pick another day to go out and celebrate. We were an Air Force family for 24 years and learned the first year of our marriage that holidays and special days are celebrations of a person or event not a date. They can be celebrated whenever you can. We have delayed Christmas several time for up to 3 weeks
We were never ones for going out either. It’s so much more fun to celebrate at home.
Well, it may not have been official til after I graduated from high school… but it was celebrated at my house, but my dad had a sweet tooth beyond compare which might have been a consideration!!
Yes, I had no idea it took so long to make it official!
Cool post. I enjoyed it 🙂
Glad you liked it, Cathy!
The single dad trope is the best . Thank you for all this very informative and very interesting info. I enjoyed reading it. Have a great rest of the day and a great week.
Thanks, Alicia. You have a great week too!
Since we always celebrated Father’s Day throughout the 50’s and 60’s I didn’t realize it wasn’t an official holiday. My maternal grandfather’s birthday was June 20 so we had a family picnic at my aunt and uncle’s farm on Father’s Day and celebrated his birthday as well. Since three of my uncles were poultry farmers we would have barbecued chicken and lots of salads and deserts. If it was warm enough we 20 plus cousins got to go swimming in the farm pond. Always a special day!
For my husbands family my mother-in-law always made divinity. It was a tradition that began during WWII when sugar was rationed. She would make the candy on Friday or Saturday and then hide it from my father-in-law until Sunday. He was known to search for it and sneak a piece or two :). I have often made “Father’s Day” as the family called it for my husband and brother-in-law.
That was a neat history lesson. I’d pick the “marriage of convenience” trope, especially books written in a historical setting.