Father's Day by:Neill MacKenzie
History of Fathers Day and Fathers Day Gifts.
Why do we have a Father's Day? What's the point? When was it first celebrated? Are gifts given? What about personalised gifts? We hope to answer some of those questions here
We don't have to go back very far to find out the origin of fathers day or the giving of fathers Day gifts. Unlike a lot of other annual events that we celebrate, Fathers Day does not go back thousands of years; it does not have any links to Gods or deities. No, it started in a small town in America (where else!!!!!!) called Spokane in Washington. Here a woman by the name of Sonara Smart was stimulated by a Mother's Day address she was listening to. This was at only the turn of the twentieth century and so we don't go back too far. Never-the-less, Sonara thought it would be a good idea to celebrate a day for her father who was called William Jackson Smart. Why? Well William had brought up his family single handedly after the death of his wife and Sonara decided to celebrate this in the form of a "Father's Day". Sonara celebrated her first Father's Day on 19 June 1910 which was his birthday and it is certain he would have received an extra special gift. This would have been a very personalised gift and the start of many more Fathers Day gifts.
Word spread but initially the thought of Fathers Day was held in low esteem as was the notion of giving fathers day gifts. Father's Day was met with laughter. Although the idea of a holiday was getting noticed it was for all the wrong reasons. People would take the micky. It was satirised, parodied and people - including the local Spokane newspaper saw it as just the first step in filling in ones calendar with pointless celebrations. However, despite the ridicule the USA President Calvin Coolidge supported the general idea of a father's Day and like so many other major decision making processes, committee was formed in 1926.
Typical of committees, time travel slowly and it was another forty six (yes that's right forty six) years before President Richard Nixon decided that the third Sunday of June should be classed as Father's Day and fathers day gifts would be given. And this has been so ever since. It has since been accepted that Grandfathers and Uncles should be celebrated on the same date. My goodness - pop the champagne, gobble the chocolates and search the net - fathers day gifts for everyone
With the spread of the American "culture" fathers day spread around the world. The vast majority of countries, including here in the United Kingdom, now celebrate Father's Day on the same day as the Americans and give personalised fathers day gifts to fathers and other male members of the family. However, a number of other countries do celebrate father's day on a different day of the year.
Father's Day is still not celebrated the same as Mother's Day or some more traditional dates however, it is a time when dads can be given a little treat. Yours Personally has searched the internet to find all those merchants that provide for fathers day gifts - more particularly personalised father day gifts.
About the author
Neill MacKenzie is the owner operator of Yours Personally which has been selling personalised gifts online since 1999. We now compare prices of 1000s of personalised gifts such as personalised champagne, wine, teddies, mugs, calendars, CDs, chocolates and greetings cards supplied by 100s of leading UK online merchants. Visit us any time at www.yourspersonally.co.uk
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