“A father is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way.” –Author Unknown
In honor of Father’s Day, Aaron Bros. would like to take a moment to discuss the history and fun facts surrounding this national holiday.
- Father’s Day originated in the United States. It was first celebrated in Spokane, Washington (unofficially) on June 19th, 1910. It was created by Sonora Smart Dodd, who wanted to honor her single father who was raising 6 children after her mother died during childbirth. She got the idea after listening to a Mother’s Day sermon at her church. A June date was chosen because Dodd originally wanted the day honoring her father to be on his birthday, June 5th, but the pastors did not have enough time to plan so it was pushed back to the 19th.
- Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June in over 50 countries in the world, however this date is not universal.
- Due to it’s commercialism, Father’s Day was not recognized as a national holiday until 1972 when President Nixon officially passed the law. Successors before him who supported the push for a national holiday were Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Cooling, Lyndon Johnson and Senator Margaret Chase Smith.
- By the time Father’s Day was passed as a national holiday in 1972, Mother’s Day had already been a holiday for 58 years.
- Father’s Day is the fourth-largest card-sending occasion with 93 million cards given every year.
- The most popular gift is said to be a necktie or flowers while BBQs take the position of most popular Father’s Day activity.
- The rose is the official flower of Father’s Day. The color changes depending on whether Dad is living (red) or not (white).
- As of 2011 U.S. Census poll, there are 70.1 million fathers and 1.7 million single-fathers.
Happy Father’s Day from Aaron Bros. Moving System, Inc!!!
