Father’s Day is a chance to thank dads, stepdads and father figures with cards, gifts and days out. In the UK it is held on the third Sunday in June, but around the world it falls on many different dates. Here are 12 facts about Father’s Day.
1In the UK it is the third Sunday in June.
Britain, the US, Canada and many other countries celebrate Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June. In 2027 it falls on 20 June.
2A daughter started it.
Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, wanted to honour her father, a widower who raised six children. Thanks to her campaign, the first Father’s Day was held in Spokane on 19 June 1910.
3It took 62 years to become official in the US.
Mother’s Day was made a national holiday in the US in 1914, but Father’s Day did not become one until President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.
4It is newer than Mothering Sunday.
Mothering Sunday in the UK dates back centuries, but Father’s Day only became popular in Britain after the Second World War, influenced by American customs.
5Many Catholic countries celebrate on 19 March.
In Spain, Italy and Portugal, Father’s Day is held on 19 March, St Joseph’s Day, honouring the earthly father of Jesus.
6Germans go hiking with beer.
In Germany, Father’s Day, or Vatertag, falls on Ascension Day in May or June. Groups of men traditionally go on walks pulling wagons loaded with beer and food.
7Australia and New Zealand celebrate in September.
In Australia and New Zealand, Father’s Day falls on the first Sunday in September, in early spring.
8Thailand celebrates its king.
Thailand’s Father’s Day has traditionally been held on the birthday of the king, honouring him as father of the nation.
9Roses were the first Father’s Day flowers.
Sonora Smart Dodd suggested wearing a red rose if your father was alive and a white one if he had died.
10Ties are the classic gift.
Ties have long been one of the most popular Father’s Day presents, alongside cards, gadgets and days out. In recent years, experiences and food have become more popular.
11Some countries have a Father’s Day in other months.
Russia celebrates fathers in October, and Brazil holds Father’s Day on the second Sunday in August.
12It is not a bank holiday.
Because it always falls on a Sunday in the UK, Father’s Day does not need a bank holiday, and many families mark it with a meal or a day out.
FAQs about Father’s Day
When is Father’s Day in the UK?
The third Sunday in June. In 2027 it is on Sunday 20 June.
Who invented Father’s Day?
Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, who organised the first Father’s Day in 1910 to honour her father.
Sources and further reading
Explore more: facts about Sunday.
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