A holiday that would would “establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children” and “impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations.” That’s how Calvin Coolidge described in 1924 what would become the national holiday known as Father’s Day. But the history of Father’s Day actually begins several years before then, in Spokane, Washington. This article from International Business Times fills us in on the details.
Father’s Day officially began in 1910 when 27-year-old Sonora Dodd of Spokane proposed it as a way to honor the man who raised her when her mom died in childbirth.
The holiday gained traction during World War II, and in 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday of June to be Father’s Day. President Richard Nixon made it a federal holiday six years later.
Today, Father’s Day has a passionate following, with about three-quarters of Americans telling the National Retail Federation they plan to celebrate on Sunday.
Spending on Father’s Day will reach about $12.7 billion this year, with the average person spending about $115.57 on presents. That’s about $2 more than last year’s average.
And Father’s Day is the fourth-biggest day for sending greeting cards, after Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, according to the Greeting Card Association.
