It is almost Father’s Day! I actually never knew the history of Father’s Day, so once I found it I figured I should share!
No matter how you choose to celebrate Father’s Day, you can thank a woman named Sonora Louise Smart Dodd for the tradition. Father’s Day history begins with this resident of Spokane, Washington. She was the oldest of six children who were raised by their father, Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, after their mother died during childbirth. Listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909, Sonora made up her mind to establish a day to honor fathers.
With support from the Spokane Ministerial Association and the YMCA, the first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane on June 19, 1910 — a couple of weeks after Sonora’s father’s birthday. On that day, young members of the YMCA went to church wearing roses: a red rose to honor a living father, and a white rose to honor a deceased one.
Although the holiday continued to be celebrated, it would be another 62 years before it was officially recognized. Father’s Day history was bumpy, with some people resisting the idea, making fun of it, or fearing that it would become too commercialized. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended that the third Sunday in June be set aside for a national holiday. President Lyndon Johnson signed a similar proclamation in 1966, but Father’s Day become an official national holiday until President Richard Nixon’s proclamation in 1972. Sonora Dodd, the driving force behind the holiday, died March 22, 1978. Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20121031064637/http://familyfun.go.com/fathers-day/about-fathers-day-898938/
Help your little ones make the perfect gift with these fabulous resources, then take advantage of one of the great deals listed below to buy your favorite Dad something special.
21 Cute & Easy Father’s Day Gifts from Disney Family Fun. Here are a few examples:
For Father’s Day this year, update Dad’s wardrobe with a fashionable new tie and recycle an outmoded one into a stylish sunglass sling.
Dad will appreciate the thriftiness behind this Father’s Day gift — a wallet crafted out of duct tape. Simply follow the steps below, then, before presenting it to him, fill Dad’s gift with extras: pretend money, a fun identification card, or coupons he can redeem later.
With this clever collection in hand, Dad can always travel first class. A sturdy, expandable plastic envelope, available at office supply stores, is small enough to stash in a glove compartment and neatly holds on-the-road essentials such as gum, sticky notes, a pen, lip balm, and, of course, a family photo.
Pair this cute poem with some construction paper and a photo and you’ve created a fun family keepsake that Dad will cherish.
Is your dad worthy of an award? Of course he is! Make him this shiny, gold trophy for Father’s Day.
More great resources!
- Father’s Day Thematic Unit from EdHelpers
- Kid-Made Father’s Day Toolbox Card – From Kiboomu
- Father’s Day Baseball Pencil Holder Craft – From Kiboomu
- Tons of Lesson Plans and Activities from AtoZ Teacher Stuff
- Lots of Great Craft Ideas from Enchanted Learning
- Father’s Day Printables from Disney Family Fun
- Fun Father’s Day Kids’ Recipes from Disney Family Fun
- Printable Cards from Kaboose
- Lots of Great Card Ideas
- Printable Coupons for Dad
- Printable Reward Certificates
Make Father’s Day extra special with one of these great offers!
Related articles
- Free Ways to Celebrate Father’s Day (wisebread.com)
- Father’s Day 2011 (socyberty.com)
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