• What is Father’s day?
• The history behind Father’s day
• How is it celebrated?
• Great homemade Father’s day card
• Father’s day quote

What is Father’s day?

Father’s day is a day to celebrate fathers and father figures. It is celebrated on the third Sunday of June in the United Kingdom but falls on other dates in other countries. On father’s day, people make a special effort of contacting or visiting their dad.

The history behind Father’s day

Father’s day was created to compliment mother’s day in the twentieth century. Although it’s been suggested that the concept was thought up independently by other American citizens, the credit for the holiday is widely given to Sonora Smart Dodd from Arkansas, spokane.

Sonora was listening to a sermon in her church all about Mother’s day, which was being promoted by Anna Jarvis. After the sermon, Sonora went to her pastor and insisted that father’s should have a day to celebrate them too. She initially pushed for Father’s day to be on the 5th of June, her own father’s birthday, but the pastors didn’t have enough time to prepare their sermons so pushed back the event to the third Sunday in June. The first celebration of Father’s day took place in Spokane in 1910. In 1972, president Richard Nixon signed the day into law as a permanent national holiday.

Other people believe Father’s day originates from Pagan sun worship. Some Pagans believe the sun is the father of the universe and as the summer solstice happens at the same time of year, some people see a link between the two.

How is it celebrated?

Father’s Day is celebrated in many different ways ranging from small gestures to large parties. Some families give a card to their dad or make him breakfast in bed as a way of showing appreciation whereas others opt to buy gifts such as clothing, sporting goods, gifts for his hobby etc.

A special roast dinner is common for the whole family to enjoy on Father’s day with grown up children returning to their family home to celebrate the day with their dad. For families with small children, homemade gifts and cards from nursery or school are very common.

Great homemade Father’s day card

How about making a special shirt and tie Father’s day card with your children for the special man in your life?

You will need:

• Sheet of A4 card
• Small piece of brightly coloured card
• Scraps of coloured paper
• Glue

Instructions:

1. Fold the card in half, to make your ‘card’.
2. With the fold on your left, cut a slit about 1inch long down the middle of the card.
3. Fold the top edge of the card over on the diagonal, from the centre cut to the top corners, to make the collar.
4. Cut a tie shape from the bright card and decorate it with scraps of coloured paper. Perhaps dad would like a striped tie?
5. Glue your tie to the centre of your card using a splodge of glue at the top of the tie. If necessary, add a bit of glue to keep the collar in position.
6. If you wish, you could add a horizontal crease along the middle of the tie so that dad can flip it up to reveal a special Father’s day message!

Father’s day quote

“Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad” – Anne Geddes

Photography: Lisa Sexton @Flickr