It will soon be Father’s Day, which falls on the third Sunday of every June in the UK. Dedicated dads throughout the land will be celebrated with gifts and cards. Here’s a look at the origins of Father’s Day and some suggestions for how to make it a meaningful occasion for the special father figure in your life.
In ancient Christianity, the second Sunday before Nativity was known as the Sunday of the Forefathers. It was a day of feasting and festivities to celebrate the ancestors of Christ and the patriarchal figures of the Bible. Other branches of Christianity celebrated St. Joseph’s Day during the 15th century, particularly in southern Europe.
However, there remained no universally accepted day for the celebration of fathers until the early 20th century. The initiative for the modern Father’s Day is thought to have begun in West Virginia, USA, in 1908. A woman named Grace Clayton proposed that a church service should be held in honour of the victims of the 1907 Monogah Mining Disaster.
367 men, including 250 fathers, died when an accidental explosion occurred. Most of them were from the same town, causing devastation to families in the local community that would last for generations to come.
Although this was a one-off event, the following year a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd from Washington began a campaign to instate an official Father’s Day. Her mother had died when she was 16, leaving her to raise five younger siblings with her father.
This led her to believe that fathers should be recognised with a special day, just as mothers were on Mothering Sunday. The first official Father’s Day service was held in 1910 in Spokane, Washington.
The idea slowly spread to other parts of the country, although it took until 1972 for President Nixon to establish a national observance of Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June each year. This is now the official date of celebration throughout much of Europe.
However, many predominantly Catholic countries continue to celebrate their fathers on St Joseph’s Day, which occurs on 19 March. In Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific countries, the day is marked on 1st September.
How is Father’s Day celebrated?
Besides official church services, many people use the day to spend some quality time with the father figure in their lives. This could be planning an activity together such as hiking, cycling, or just watching a film or going out for a nice meal.
Finding a unique gift for the occasion can be a challenge. Dads can be notoriously difficult to buy presents for! If you are looking for something special that will stand the test of time, you may like to consider a Welsh love spoon. These traditional decorative spoons are carved from limewood, sycamore or walnut and have a symbolic meaning.
For example, the heart represents steadfast love, while an angel historically symbolises love and protection. These are surely very apt and touching ways to celebrate a parent figure in our lives.