This Sunday is the special day to raise a toast for your special hero, Your Dad! Many families plan a special get-together on Father’s Day to celebrate dads across the nation. While some like to exchange gifts and cards, others may spend a day out, cheering the father(s) in a family.

Some people, however, dismiss this day as a commercialized event; the origin of Father’s Day may come as a surprise to you.

Origin of Father’s Day

The origin of Father’s Day remains disputed but may say that it started in the US. One version states that it began in Fairmount, West Virginia, by a woman named Grace Gordon Clayton.

In 1908, she organized an event to honour all dads, following the worst Monongah mining disaster in US history, which took the lives of around 363 men in 1907.

According to another tale, US Civil War veteran Sonora Smart Dodd is referred to as the champion of Father’s Day. His daughter wanted to honour him for raising six children alone after his wife died during childbirth. Ms. Dodd staged the first Father’s Day celebration in 1910 in Spokane, Washington.

Official Father’s Day

Soon after the two major Father’s Day celebrations paying tribute to the two champions, the US government designated in 1913 that the third Sunday of June will be celebrated as Father’s Day. But this special dad’s day was not recognised until 1972 when it was officially designated by President Richard Nixon.

Where is it celebrated?

Father’s Day is wholeheartedly celebrated throughout the world but not necessarily on this very day. While many countries like India, the UK, Japan and the US celebrate Father’s day on the third Sunday of June, many countries celebrate daddy’s day on different days.

In Spain and Italy, Día del Padre and Festa del Papà are commemorated on March 19. On the other hand, Brazil marks this celebration on the second Sunday of August, and New Zealand and Australia enjoy Father’s Day on the first Sunday of September.

No matter what day you celebrate Father’s Day, how do you celebrate this particular day?