Happy Day, Fathers!

Every year on the third Sunday of June the United States celebrates Father’s Day. It is the day for honoring fathers and the work they do for their families.

Father’s Day appeared later than Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day was actually an inspiration for Sonora Smart Dodd, who first presented the idea of Father's Day to the local clergy in Washington in 1910. Sonora Smart Dodd was one of the 14 children of a twice-widowed Civil War veteran, and to honor everything her father did for her and her siblings, she petitioned the celebration.

The woman wanted Father’s Day to be celebrated on June 5th, her father’s birthday, but the clergy wasn’t able to put anything together in the short period of time they had left before June 5th, so instead they moved the holiday to the third Sunday of June. Since then, the date has stayed unchanged.

More than a hundred years later we still celebrate Father’s Day. There are many great ways to do it! For example, playing your dad’s favorite sports with him, having a nice barbeque in the backyard, going to a nice restaurant, or preparing dinner with all of your dad’s favorite dishes - all of it will do. The important thing is to spend time together with your father.

Gifts have also become a big part of Father’s Day. Stores all over the country advertise their present ideas for potential customers, and the cards for Father’s Day appear on the shelves months before the celebration.

Even though Father’s Day may be considered a smaller celebration for some people than Mother’s Day, it is definitely not less important. Every father, even if not saying so, would love to hear the words of appreciation for the hard work they do every day, and, what’s even more important, spend time with their children.

By Mary Zakharova