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Gifts
With Mother’s Day been and gone for one year, fathers everywhere may be wondering when they get the day off. Father’s Day 2022 takes place on Sunday 19th June – so not long to wait dads!
Whilst Mother’s Day in the UK has a long history, going back as far as the Middle Ages, the history of Father’s Day is a tad more modern. Here we delve deeper into the origins of Father’s Day and explore how the big day is celebrated all over the planet.
Whilst Mother’s Day was celebrated in the UK hundreds of years ago thanks to its roots in religion, in the US, it became an official holiday in 1914 thanks to the efforts of one woman, Anna Jarvis.
Father’s Day has a very similar story, but it wasn’t until much later that it became an official holiday. The origins of Father’s Day however go back to the time when Anna was tirelessly campaigning to make Mother’s Day the real deal. Washington native Sonora Louise Smart was actually inspired by a speech she heard about Mother’s Day at church in 1909 and thought fathers deserved the same admiration.
Shortly after, Sonora began campaigning for a holiday to honour her father – who took care of her and five other siblings after her mother died during childbirth - and fathers everywhere.
Sonora’s progress was swift, with her campaign taking just a year to become recognised in her home city. The first (unofficial) Father’s Day was celebrated on 19th June 1910. But it wasn’t until half a century later that the holiday became official.
US President Lyndon B. Johnson started the ball rolling in 1966 declaring that the third Sunday of June should be Father’s Day. This became law under President Richard Nixon in 1972.
Each country has its own customs when celebrating Father’s Day. In Thailand for example, everyone wears yellow on Father’s Day and gifts a Canna flower to their father and grandfathers. Mexican fathers and their children take part in a traditional Father’s Day race to mark the occasion. In Germany, fathers get the day to themselves and head off in groups to hike.
Whilst people down under celebrate Father’s Day in much the same way as we do in the UK, Father’s Day falls on the first Sunday of September in Australia and New Zealand.
Say “I love you Dad” by shopping with us. From outdoor gifts to kitchen and dining essentials, and everything in-between, we’re your one stop shop for the perfect Father’s Day gift.