Father’s Day is a special occasion that brings families together to honour and celebrate the incredible men who have played a significant role in their lives.
Whether they are fathers, grandfathers, step-dads, or father figures, father’s day is dedicated to recognising their love, support, and guidance.
The significance of a father is beyond words as he is the person who works tirelessly to fulfil the requirements of his family. To honour the contribution of all such fathers and fatherly figures and to celebrate the paternal bonding, a special day is observed every year as Father’s Day.
Father’s Day for the year 2024 falls on June 16th, and it’s an excellent opportunity to show appreciation to the fathers who have been our mentors, protectors, and role models.
*THE ORIGIN OF FATHER’S DAY*
The present celebration of the Father’s Day goes back to the time of middle ages when the celebration of fatherhood was done with a customary day in the Catholic Europe that was observed on 19th March.
The day was celebrated as the feast day of Saint Joseph who is known as the fatherly Nutritor Domini or the “Nourisher of the Lord” in the Catholic Community and is “the putative father of Jesus” in the southern European tradition. The festival was later brought to Americans by the Spanish and Portuguese whereas in Latin American countries, the occasion is still celebrated on 19th March.
Father’s Day was not celebrated in the US and other countries outside the Catholic traditions until the beginning of the 20th century. It began to be celebrated in the USA as a compliment to Mother’s Day in order to celebrate the male parenting and to honour fathers through father’s day gifts during the early 20th century.
The first attempt to celebrate the Father’s Day was done on 5th July, 1908 in the Fairmont, West Virginia, in the Central United Methodist Church due to the efforts of Grace Golden Clayton in the memory of her father and other fathers who died in the Monongah Mining Disaster in December, 1907.
However, her efforts did not transform into a national movement and the celebration was later disbanded in the subsequent years. Another attempt in this regard was done by Jane Addams in the year 1911 when her request for a city wide celebration of Father’s Day was turned down by the authorities but today it has become a global event, aimed at realising and honouring the contribution of fathers in the society.
It is a day which celebrates fatherhood, paternal bonds and the efforts of male parents towards their family and society. The day is meant to recall, recognise and remember the endless efforts, initiatives and contributions of all the fathers around us.
Father’s Day is an occasion to honour all the fatherly figures like Stepfathers, grandfathers, uncles or even big brothers.
Here are 3 Unique ways to celebrate fathers:
1. *Plan a Special Outing*: You can arrange a day trip to a place your dad loves or a family picnic to a park. It has to be a place he will love and can create memories.
2. *Cook His Favorite Meal*: Men love food and preparing a homemade breakfast, lunch, or dinner that he loves is a good way to celebrate with him.
3. *Give a Personalized Gift*: Consider a customized gift like a monogrammed item, a piece of artwork, or a heartfelt letter expressing your appreciation. Nothing is too small, what matters is the thought behind the giving.
