Father's Day

Father's Day
A father holding a necktie cookie
Observed by	Many countries
Type	Commercial, sometimes associated with religious Saint Joseph's Day
Significance	Honors fathers and fatherhood
Date	Varies per country
Frequency	Annual
Related to	Mother's Day, Parent's Day, Children's Day, Grandparent's Day

Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June, though it is also celebrated widely on other days by many other countries.

International history and traditions

Father's Day was inaugurated in the United States in the early 20th century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fathers and male parenting.

First observance

Grace Golden Clayton may have been inspired by Anna Jarvis' work to establish Mother's Day; two months prior, Jarvis had held a celebration for her dead mother in Grafton, West Virginia, a town about 15 miles (24 km) away from Fairmont.

After the success obtained by Anna Jarvis with the promotion of Mother's Day in Grafton, West Virginia, the first observance of a "Father's Day" was held on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia, in the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South, now known as Central United Methodist Church.^[1] Grace Golden Clayton was mourning the loss of her father when, on December 1907, the Monongah Mining Disaster in nearby Monongah killed 361 men, 250 of them fathers, leaving around a thousand fatherless children. Clayton suggested her pastor Robert Thomas Webb to honor all those fathers.^[2][3][4][5]

Clayton's event did not have repercussions outside of Fairmont for several reasons, among them: the city was overwhelmed by other events, the celebration was never promoted outside of the town itself and no proclamation was made in the city council. Also two events overshadowed this event: the celebration of Independence Day July 4, 1908, with 12,000 attendants and several shows including a hot air balloon event, which took over the headlines in the following days, and the death of a 16-year-old girl on July 4. The local church and council were overwhelmed and they did not even think of promoting the event, and it was not celebrated again for many years. The original sermon was not reproduced in press and it was lost. Finally, Clayton was a quiet person, who never promoted the event or even talked to other persons about it.^[3][4][5]

Establishment of holiday

In 1910, a Father's Day celebration was held in Spokane, Washington, at the YMCA by Sonora Smart Dodd, who was born in Arkansas.^[6] Its first celebration was in the Spokane YMCA on June 19, 1910.^[6][7] Her father, the civil war veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised his six children there.^[6] After hearing a sermon about Jarvis' Mother's Day in 1909 at Central Methodist Episcopal Church, she told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday honoring them.^[6] Although she initially suggested June 5, her father's birthday, the pastors did not have enough time to prepare their sermons, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June.^[1][8] Several local clergymen accepted the idea, and on June 19, 1910, the first Father's Day, "sermons honoring fathers were presented throughout the city."^[9]

However, in the 1920s, Dodd stopped promoting the celebration because she was studying in the Art Institute of Chicago, and it faded into relative obscurity, even in Spokane.^[10] In the 1930s, Dodd returned to Spokane and started promoting the celebration again, raising awareness at a national level.^[11] She had the help of those trade groups that would benefit most from the holiday, for example the manufacturers of ties, tobacco pipes, and any traditional present to fathers.^[12] By 1938 she had the help of the Father's Day Council, founded by the New York Associated Men's Wear Retailers to consolidate and systematize the commercial promotion.^[13] Americans resisted the holiday for its first few decades, viewing it as nothing more than an attempt by merchants to replicate the commercial success of Mother's Day, and newspapers frequently featured cynical and sarcastic attacks and jokes.^[14] However, said merchants remained resilient and even incorporated these attacks into their advertisements.^[15] By the mid-1980s, the Father's Council wrote that "(...) [Father's Day] has become a Second Christmas for all the men's gift-oriented industries."^[16]

A bill to accord national recognition of the holiday was introduced in Congress in 1913.^[17] In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak in a Father's Day celebration^[18] and wanted to make it official, but Congress resisted, fearing that it would become commercialized.^[19] US President Calvin Coolidge recommended in 1924 that the day be observed by the nation, but stopped short of issuing a national proclamation.^[18] Two earlier attempts to formally recognize the holiday had been defeated by Congress.^[18][20] In 1957, Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith wrote a proposal accusing Congress of ignoring fathers for 40 years while honoring mothers, thus "[singling] out just one of our two parents".^[20] In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day.^[19] Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.^{[18][19][20][21]}

In addition to Father's Day, International Men's Day is celebrated in many countries on November 19 for men and boys who are not fathers.

Failed attempts at establishing a Father's Day

In 1911, Jane Addams proposed a city-wide Father's Day in Chicago, but she was turned down.^[8]

In 1912, there was a Father's Day celebration in Vancouver, Washington, suggested by Methodist pastor J. J. Berringer of the Irvingtom Methodist Church. They believed mistakenly that they had been the first to celebrate such a day.^[1] They followed a 1911 suggestion by the Portland Oregonian.^[8]

Harry C. Meek, member of Lions Clubs International, claimed that he had first the idea for Father's Day in 1915.^[1][8] Meek said that the third Sunday of June was chosen because it was his birthday.^[8] The Lions Club has named him "Originator of Father's Day".^[1] Meek made many efforts to promote Father's Day and make it an official holiday.^[1][8]

Spelling

In the United States, Dodd used the "Fathers' Day" spelling on her original petition for the holiday,^[6] but the spelling "Father's Day" was already used in 1913 when a bill was introduced to the U.S. Congress as the first attempt to establish the holiday,^[17] and it was still spelled the same way when its creator was commended in 2008 by the U.S. Congress.^[22]

Dates around the world

The officially recognized date of Father's Day varies from country to country. This section lists some significant examples, in order of date of observance.

Gregorian calendar
Occurrence	Dates	Country
In 2015 it was July 25. But it's not an official celebration day.		Russia (Defender of the Fatherland Day[23])*
March 19		Andorra (Dia del Pare) Belgium (Antwerp) Bolivia Croatia[24] Honduras[25] Italy (Festa del papà)	Liechtenstein Mozambique (Dia do Pai) Portugal (Dia do Pai) Spain (Día del Padre) Switzerland (Canton Ticino)
May 8		Korea (Parents' Day)
Second Sunday of May	May 10, 2015 May 8, 2016 May 14, 2017	Romania[26] (Ziua Tatălui)
Third Sunday of May	May 17, 2015 May 15, 2016 May 21, 2017	Tonga
Ascension Day	May 14, 2015 May 5, 2016 May 25, 2017	Germany
First Sunday of June	Jun 7, 2015 Jun 5, 2016 Jun 4, 2017	Lithuania (Tėvo diena) Switzerland
June 5		Denmark[27] (also Constitution Day)
Second Sunday of June	Jun 14, 2015 Jun 12, 2016 Jun 11, 2017	Austria Belgium
Third Sunday of June	Jun 21, 2015 Jun 19, 2016 Jun 18, 2017 Jun 17, 2018	Afghanistan Albania Antigua and Barbuda Argentina[28] Aruba Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belize Bermuda Brunei Darussalam Canada Cambodia Chile[29] China** Colombia Costa Rica[30]	Cuba[31] Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Dominica Ecuador Ethiopia France Ghana Greece Guyana Hong Kong Hungary India Ireland Jamaica Japan Kenya Kosovo Kuwait	Laos Macao Madagascar Malaysia Maldives Malta Mauritius Mexico[32] Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Netherlands Nigeria Oman Pakistan Panama[33] Paraguay Peru[34] Philippines[35] Puerto Rico	Qatar Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saudi Arabia Singapore Slovakia South Africa Sri Lanka Suriname Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom United States Venezuela Vietnam Zambia Zimbabwe[36]
June 17		El Salvador[37]	Guatemala[38]
June 21		Lebanon[39] Egypt Jordan Palestinian Territory Syria Uganda United Arab Emirates
June 22		Guernsey Isle of Man Jersey
June 23		Nicaragua	Poland
Last Sunday of June	Jun 28, 2015 Jun 26, 2016 Jun 25, 2017	Haiti
Second Sunday of July	Jul 12, 2015 Jul 10, 2016 Jul 9, 2017	Uruguay
Last Sunday of July	Jul 26, 2015 Jul 31, 2016 Jul 30, 2017	Dominican Republic
August 8		Taiwan Mongolia
Second Sunday of August	Aug 9, 2015 Aug 14, 2016 Aug 13, 2017	Brazil Samoa
Last Monday of August	Aug 31, 2015 Aug 29, 2016 Aug 28, 2017	South Sudan
First Sunday of September	Sep 6, 2015 Sep 4, 2016 Sep 3, 2017	Australia Fiji	New Zealand Papua New Guinea
Second Sunday of September	Sep 13, 2015 Sep 11, 2016 Sep 10, 2017	Latvia
First Sunday of October	Oct 4, 2015 Oct 2, 2016 Oct 1, 2017	Luxembourg
Second Sunday of November	Nov 8, 2015 Nov 13, 2016 Nov 12, 2017	Estonia (Isadepäev) Finland (Isänpäivä) Iceland	Norway Sweden
November 12		Indonesia
December 5		Thailand (The birthday of King Bhumibol)[40]
December 26		Bulgaria
Hindu calendar
Definition	Sample dates	Country/territory
Bhadrapada Amavasya (Gokarna Aunsi)	Between August 30 and September 30	Nepal[41]
Islamic calendar
Occurrence	Sample dates	Country/territory
13 Rajab	April 21, 2016	Iran Somalia Sudan Mauritania

*Officially, as the name suggests, the holiday celebrates people who are serving or were serving the Russian Armed Forces (both men and women). But the congratulations are traditionally, nationally accepted by all fathers, other adult men and male children as well.
**In China during the Republican period prior to 1949, Father's Day on August 8 was first held in Shanghai in 1945.

International history and traditions

Argentina

Father's Day in Argentina is celebrated on the third Sunday of June, but there have been several attempts to change the date to August 24, to commemorate the day on which the "Father of the Nation" José de San Martín became a father.^[28]

In 1953, the proposal to celebrate Father's Day in all educational establishments on August 24, in honor of José de San Martín, was raised to the General Direction of Schools of Mendoza Province. The day was celebrated for the first time in 1958, on the third Sunday of June, but it was not included in the school calendars due to pressure from several groups.^[42]

Schools in the Mendoza Province continued to celebrate Father's Day on August 24, and, in 1982, the provincial governor passed a law declaring Father's Day in the province to be celebrated on that day.^[42]

In 2004, several proposals to change the date to August 24 were presented to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies as a single, unified project.^[42] After being approved, the project was passed to the Senate of Argentina for final review and approval. The Senate changed the proposed new date to the third Sunday of August, and scheduled the project for approval. However, the project was never addressed during the Senate's planned session, which caused its ultimate failure.^[43]

Aruba

In Aruba, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.

Australia

In Australia, Father's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September, which is the first Sunday of Spring in Australia, and is not a public holiday.

YMCA Victoria continues the tradition of honoring the role fathers and father figures play in parenting through the annual awarding of Local Community Father of the Year in 32 municipalities in Victoria. The Father's Day Council of Victoria annually recognizes fathers in the Father of the Year Award.^[44]

Austria

In Austria, Father's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of June and it is not a public holiday.

Belgium

In Belgium, Father's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of June and it is not a public holiday.

Brazil

In Brazil Father's Day (Dia dos Pais, in Portuguese) celebrated three months after Mother's Day, on the second Sunday of August. A publicist Sylvio Bhering in the mid-1950s selected the date in honor of Saint Joachim, patriarch of family (as well as the Catholic day of godfathers). It is not an official holiday (see Public holidays in Brazil), but it is widely observed and typically involves spending time with and giving gifts to one's father.

Canada

In Canada, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday. Father's Day typically involves spending time with one's father or the father figures in one's life. Small family gatherings and the giving of gifts may be part of the festivities organized for Father's Day.

China

In People's Republic of China, the official Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday. This date was set according to international norms.

Prior to the People's Republic, when the Republic of China (1912-1949) governed from Nanjing, Father's Day was celebrated on August 8. This was determined by the fact that the eighth (ba) day of the eighth (ba) month makes two "eights" (八八, ba-ba), which sounds similar to the colloquial word for "daddy" (ba-ba，爸爸). It is still celebrated on this date in areas still under the control of the Republic of China, including in Taiwan.

Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, the Unidad Social Cristiana party presented a bill to change the celebration of Father's Day from the third Sunday of June to March 19, the day of Saint Joseph.^[45] That was in order to give tribute to this saint, who gave his name to the capital of the country San José, Costa Rica, and so family heads will be able to celebrate the Father's Day at the same time as the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker.^[30] The official date is still the third Sunday of June.

Croatia

In Croatia, according to the Roman Catholic tradition, fathers are celebrated on Saint Joseph's Day (Dan svetog Josipa), March 19. It is not a public holiday.

Denmark

In Denmark, Father's Day is celebrated on June 5.^[27] It coincides with Constitution Day.

Estonia

In Estonia, Father's day ("Isadepäev") is celebrated on the second Sunday of November. It is an established flag day and a national holiday.

Finland

In Finland, Father's Day (Isänpäivä) is celebrated on the second Sunday of November. It is an established flag day.

Germany

In Germany, Father's Day (Vatertag) is celebrated differently from other parts of the world.^[46] It is always celebrated on Ascension Day (the Thursday forty days after Easter), which is a federal holiday. Regionally, it is also called men's day, Männertag, or gentlemen's day, Herrentag. It is tradition for groups of males (young and old but usually excluding pre-teenage boys) to do a hiking tour with one or more smaller wagons, Bollerwagen, pulled by manpower. In the wagons are wine or beer (according to region) and traditional regional food, Hausmannskost. Many men use this holiday as an opportunity to get drunk.^[46] According to the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, alcohol-related traffic accidents multiply by three on this day.^[47] The tradition of getting drunk is especially prevalent in Eastern Germany.^[46]

These traditions are probably rooted in Christian Ascension Day's processions to the farmlands, which has been celebrated since the 18th century.^[48][49] Men would be seated in a wooden cart and carried to the village's plaza, and the mayor would award a prize to the father who had the most children, usually a big piece of ham.^[48] In the late 19th century the religious component was progressively lost, especially in urban areas such as Berlin, and groups of men organized walking excursions with beer and ham.^[48] By the 20th century, alcohol consumption had become a major part of the tradition.^[48][50] Many people will take the following Friday off at work, and some schools are closed on that Friday as well; many people then use the resulting four-day-long weekend for a short vacation.

Haiti

In Haiti, Father's Day (Fête des peres) is celebrated on the last Sunday of June and is not a public holiday. Fathers are recognized and celebrated on this day with cards, gifts, breakfast, lunch brunch or early Sunday dinner; whether enjoying the day at the beach or mountains, spending family time or doing favourite activities .

Children exclaim "bonne fête papa", while everyone wishes all fathers "bonne Fête des Pères". (Happy Father's Day)

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday (Sunday in Hong Kong is a public holiday).

Hungary

In Hungary, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.

India

Father's Day is not a public holiday in India. In recent years, retailers have adapted to the holiday by promoting greeting cards and traditionally masculine gifts such as electronics and tools on third Sunday of June. Some schools and other children's programs commonly have activities to make Father's Day gifts in some large cities. A father is meant to be the first ideal person for every child, so image of father for a child is very respectful from the beginning in India.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, Father's Day is celebrated on November 12. Father's day in Indonesia was first declared in 2006 in Solo City Hall attended by hundreds of people from various community groups, including people from community of inter-religion communication. Because of its recent declaration, there is not very much hype about the celebration, compared to the celebration of Mother's Day in December 22.^[51]

Ireland

In Ireland, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.

Iran

Father's Day in Iran is celebrated on the 13th Rajab, which is Imam Ali's birthday. Imam Ali is the first Shia Imam. This day is also an occasion to celebrate manhood.

Israel

In Israel, Father's day is called "Yom ha-av" and is usually celebrated on May 1 together with Workers' Day or Labour Day.

Italy

In Italy, according to the Roman Catholic tradition, fathers are celebrated on Saint Joseph's Day, commonly called Feast of Saint Joseph (Festa di San Giuseppe), March 19. It was a public holiday until 1977.

Japan

In Japan, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.

Kenya

In Kenya, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.

Korea

In South Korea, Parents' day is celebrated on May 8 and is not a public holiday.

Latvia

In Latvia, Father's Day (Tēvu diena) is celebrated on the second Sunday of September and is not a public holiday. In Latvia people did not always celebrate this day because of the USSR's influence with its own holidays. This day in Latvia was 'officially born' in 2008 when it was celebrated and marked in the calendar for the first time on September 14 (second September Sunday) to promote the idea that man as the father must be satisfied and proud of his family and children, also, the father is important to gratitude and loving words from his family for devoted to continuous altruistic concerns. Because this day is new to the country it does not have established unique traditions, but people borrow ideas from other country's Father's Day traditions to congratulate fathers in Latvia.

Lithuania

In Lithuania, Father's Day (Tėvo diena) is celebrated on the first Sunday of June and is a public holiday.

Macao

In Macau, Father's Day (Dia do Pai) is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, Father's Day falls on the third Sunday of June.

Mexico

In Mexico, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.

Nepal

The Newar population (natives of Kathmandu valley) in Nepal honors fathers on the day of Gokarna Aunsi, which occurs in late August or early September, depending on the year, since it depends on the lunar calendar. The Western-inspired celebration of Father's Day that was imported into the country is always celebrated on the same day as Gokarna Aunsi.

The rest of the population has also begun to celebrate the Gokarna Aunsi day^[52] It is commonly known as Abu ya Khwa Swoyegu in Nepal Bhasa or Buwaako mukh herne din (बुवाको मुख हेर्ने दिन) in Nepali (literally "day for looking at father's face").^[41][53] On the new moon day (Amavasya) it is traditional to pay respect to one's deceased father; Hindus go to the Shiva temple of Gokarneswor Mahadev, in Gokarna, a suburb of Kathmandu^[54] while Buddhists go to Jan Bahal (Seto Machhendranath or white Tara) temple in Kathmandu.

Traditionally, in the Kathmandu Valley, the south-western corner is reserved for women and women-related rituals, and the north-eastern is for men and men-related rituals. The worship place for Mata Tirtha Aunsi ("Mother Pilgrimage New Moon") is located in Mata Tirtha in the south-western half of the valley, while the worship place for Gokarna Aunsi is located in the north-eastern half. This division is reflected in many aspects of the life in the Kathmandu Valley.^[55]

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, Father's Day (Vaderdag) is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday. Traditionally, as on Mother's Day, fathers get breakfast in bed made by their children and families gather together and have dinner, usually at the grandparents' house. In recent years, families also started having dinner out, and as on Mother's Day, it is one of the busiest days for restaurants. At school, children handcraft their present for their fathers. Consumer goods companies have all sorts of special offers for fathers: socks, ties, electronics, suits, and men's healthcare products.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, Father's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September and is not a public holiday.

Norway

In Norway, Father's day (Farsdag), is celebrated on the second Sunday of November. It is not a public holiday.

Pakistan

Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. The Rutgers WPF launched a campaign titled 'Greening Pakistan-Promoting Responsible Fatherhood' on Father's Day (Sunday June 15, 2014) across Pakistan to promote active fatherhood and responsibility for the care and upbringing of children.^[56][57] Father's Day is not a public holiday in Pakistan.

The 2015 Father Day celebration date is June 21, 2015

Peru

In Peru, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday. People usually give a present to their fathers and spend time with him mostly during a family meal.

Philippines

In the Philippines, Father's Day is officially celebrated every third Sunday of June, but it is not a public holiday.^[58] It is more widely observed by the public on the 3rd Sunday of June perhaps due to American influence.

Poland

In Poland, Father's Day is celebrated on June 23.

Portugal

Father's Day is celebrated on March 19 (see Roman Catholic tradition below) in Portugal. Father's Day is not a bank holiday.

35px Roman Catholic tradition

In the Roman Catholic tradition, Fathers are celebrated on Saint Joseph's Day, commonly called the Feast of Saint Joseph, March 19, though in certain countries Father's Day has become a secular celebration.^[59] It is also common for Catholics to honor their "spiritual father," their parish priest, on Father's Day.^[60]

Romania

Beginning with 2010, in Romania, Father's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May and it is recognized officially by the state. Out of the 27 states in the European Union, it was the only one without an official Father's Day. Law 319/2009 made both Mother's Day and Father's Day official in Romania, and it was passed thanks to the campaigning from the Alliance Fighting Discrimination Against Fathers (TATA)^[26] Romanian Father's day for 2012 was celebrated on May 13.

Russia

Russia continues the Soviet Union's tradition of celebrating Defender of the Fatherland Day instead of Father's Day. It is usually called "Men's Day" and it is considered the Russian equivalent of Father's Day.^[23]

American Samoa

In Samoa, Father's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in August, and as a recognised national holiday on the Monday following.

Seychelles

In Seychelles, Father's Day is celebrated on June 16 and is not a public holiday.

Singapore

In Singapore, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June but is not a public holiday, to celebrate all fathers for their numerous contributions.

South Africa

In South Africa, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June.

South Sudan

In South Sudan, Father's Day is celebrated on the last Monday of August. The president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, proclaimed it before August 27, 2012. First celebrated on August 27, 2012, Father's Day was not celebrated in South Sudan in 2011 due to the country's independence.

Spain

Father's Day, El Día del Padre, is observed on the feast day of Saint Joseph, which is March 19.^[61] It is celebrated as a public holiday in some regions of Spain.^[62]

Sri Lanka

Father's Day (In sinhala : Piyawarunge dhinaya, පියවරුන්ගේ දිනය & in Tamil: Thanthaiyar Thinam, தந்தையர் தினம்), is observed on the third Sunday of June. It is not a public holiday. Many schools keep special events to honor fathers.

Sudan

In Sudan, Father's Day (عيد الأب), is celebrated on the twenty-first of June.

Sweden

In Sweden, Father's day (Fars dag), is celebrated on the second Sunday of November, but is not a public holiday.

Taiwan

In Taiwan, Father's Day is not an official holiday, but is widely observed on August 8, the eighth day of the eighth month of the year. In Mandarin Chinese, the pronunciation of the number eight is bā, and the pronunciation is very similar to the character "爸" "bà", which means "Pa" or "dad". The eight-day of the eight-month (bā-bā) is a pun for dad (爸爸 or "bàba"). The Taiwanese, therefore, sometimes refer to August 8 as "Bābā Holiday" as a pun for "Dad's Holiday" (爸爸節) or the more formal "Father's Day" (父親節).

Thailand

In Thailand, the birthday of the king, is set as Father's Day.^[40] December 5 is the birthday of the current king, Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). Traditionally, Thais celebrate by giving their father or grandfather a canna flower (ดอกพุทธรักษา Dok Buddha Ruksa), which is considered a masculine flower; however, this is not as commonly practiced today. Thai people will wear yellow on this day to show respect for the king, because yellow is the color of the day for Monday, the day King Bhumibol Adulyadej was born. Thais flood the Sanam Luang, a massive park in front of the palace, to watch the king give his annual speech, and often stay until the evening, when there is a national ceremony. Thais will light candles and show respect to the king by declaring their faith. This ceremony happens in almost every village in Thailand, and even overseas at Thai organizations.

It first gained nationwide popularity in the 1980s as part of a campaign by Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda to promote Thailand's royal family.^[40] Mother's Day is celebrated on the birthday of Queen Sirikit,^[40] August 12.

Trinidad and Tobago

In Trinidad and Tobago, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June and is not a public holiday.

Turkey

In Turkey, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June and is not a public holiday.

United Arab Emirates

In United Arab Emirates, Father's Day is celebrated on June 21, generally coinciding with midsummer's day.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Father's Day, celebrated on the third Sunday of June, is not a public holiday.

United States

Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. Typically, families gather to celebrate the father figures in their lives. In recent years, retailers have adapted to the holiday by promoting greeting cards and traditionally masculine gifts such as electronics and tools. Schools (if in session) and other children's programs commonly have activities to make Father's Day gifts. The US Open golf tournament is scheduled to finish on Father's Day.

Ukraine

In Ukraine, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of September.

Venezuela

In Venezuela, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday. Traditionally, as on Mother's Day, families gather together and have lunch, usually at the grandparents' house. In recent years, families also started having lunch out, and as on Mother's Day, it is one of the busiest days for restaurants. At school, children handcraft their present for their fathers. Consumer goods companies have all sorts of special offers for fathers: electronics, suits, and men's healthcare products.

See also

• Mother's Day
• National Grandparents Day

References

Bibliography

• Myers, Robert J.; the editors of Hallmark Cards (1972). Celebrations: The Complete Book of American Holidays. Doubleday & Company. pp. 184–187. ISBN 0-385-07677-0. 
• Schmidt, Leigh Eric (1997). Consumer Rites: The Buying and Selling of American Holidays. Princeton University Press. pp. 275–292. ISBN 0-691-01721-2. 
• Larossa, Ralph (1997). The Modernization of Fatherhood: A Social and Political History. University of Chicago Press. pp. 90, 170–192. ISBN 0-226-46904-2. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Father's Day.

• Father's Day at DMOZ
• Proclamations by US Presidents on Father's Day, from George W. Bush and Bill Clinton

Public holidays in the United States January New Year's Day (federal) Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (federal) Confederate Heroes Day (TX) Idaho Human Rights Day (ID) Lee–Jackson Day (formerly Lee–Jackson–King Day) (VA) Robert E. Lee Day (FL, GA) Stephen Foster Memorial Day (36) Kansas Day (KS) The Eighth (LA,former federal) January-February Super Bowl Sunday February Black History Month American Heart Month Valentine's Day Mardi Gras Washington's Birthday (federal, also known as "Presidents' Day") Georgia Day (GA) Lincoln's Birthday (CA, CT, IL, IN, MO, NJ, NY, WV) Primary Election Day (WI) Ronald Reagan Day (CA) Rosa Parks Day (CA, MO, OH, OR) Susan B. Anthony Day (CA, FL, NY, WI, WV,proposed federal) National Freedom Day (36) Ash Wednesday (religious) Courir de Mardi Gras (religious) Groundhog Day March Women's History Month St. Patrick's Day (religious) Spring break (week) Harvey Milk Day (CA) Casimir Pulaski Day (IL) Cesar Chavez Day (CA, CO, TX, proposed federal) Evacuation Day (MA) Holi (NY, religious) Mardi Gras (AL (in two counties), LA) Maryland Day (MD) Passover (religious, sometimes in April) Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day (HI) Seward's Day (AK) Texas Independence Day (TX) Town Meeting Day (VT) Ash Wednesday (religious) Courir de Mardi Gras (religious) Easter Monday (religious) Palm Sunday (religious, week, sometimes in April) Saint Joseph's Day (religious) National Poison Prevention Week (week) Super Tuesday March-April Easter (religious) Good Friday (CT, NC, PR, religious) April Confederate History Month April Fool's Day Arbor Day Confederate Memorial Day (AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC) Emancipation Day (DC) Thomas Jefferson's Birthday (AL) Patriots' Day (MA, ME) San Jacinto Day (TX) Mahavir Jayanti (religious) 420 Day Earth Day Walpurgis Night (religious) Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust (week) May Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Jewish American Heritage Month Memorial Day (federal) Mother's Day (36) Cinco de Mayo Harvey Milk Day (CA) Truman Day (MO) Malcolm X Day (CA,IL,proposed federal) Law Day (36) Loyalty Day (36) National Day of Prayer (36) National Defense Transportation Day (36) National Maritime Day (36) Peace Officers Memorial Day (36) Military Spouse Day May Day June Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month Father's Day (36) Flag Day (36,proposed federal) Odunde Festival (Philadelphia, PA) Emancipation Day In Texas / Juneteenth (TX) Helen Keller Day (PA) Jefferson Davis Day (AL, FL) Kamehameha Day (HI) West Virginia Day (WV) Honor America Days (week) Senior Week (week) Carolina Day (SC) July Independence Day (federal) Pioneer Day (UT) Parents' Day (36) Honor America Days (week) July-August Summer vacation August Bennington Battle Day (VT) Hawaii Admission Day / Statehood Day (HI) Lyndon Baines Johnson Day (TX) Service Reduction Day (MD) Victory over Japan Day (RI, former federal) National Aviation Day (36) Women's Equality Day (36) American Family Day (AZ) September National Hispanic Heritage Month National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Labor Day (federal) Native American Day (CA,proposed federal) Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day (36) Constitution Day (36) Gold Star Mothers Day (36) National Grandparents Day (36) Patriot Day (36) Constitution Week (week) National Payroll Week (week) September-October Oktoberfest Rosh Hashanah (religious) Yom Kippur (religious) October Filipino American History Month LGBT History Month National Breast Cancer Awareness Month National Disability Employment Awareness Month National Hispanic Heritage Month Halloween Columbus Day (federal) Alaska Day (AK) Diwali (religious) Missouri Day (MO) Native American Day (SD) Nevada Day (NV) Child Health Day (36) Leif Erikson Day (36) White Cane Safety Day (36) International Day of Non-Violence German-American Day General Pulaski Memorial Day Sweetest Day National School Lunch Week October-November Diwali (religious) November Native American Indian Heritage Month Thanksgiving (federal) Day after Thanksgiving (23) Veterans Day (federal) Election Day (CA, DE, HI, KY, MT, NJ, NY, OH, PR, WV, proposed federal) Democracy Day (proposed federal) Family Day (NV) Native American Heritage Day (MD, WA) Obama Day (Perry County, AL) Hanukkah (religious) December Christmas (religious, federal) Kwanzaa (religious, week) Christmas Eve (KY, NC) Day after Christmas (SC) New Year's Eve Hanukkah (religious, week) Alabama Day (AL) Indiana Day (IN) Rosa Parks Day (CA, MO, OH, OR) National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (36) Pan American Aviation Day (36) Wright Brothers Day (36) Festivus Varies (year round) Eid al-Adha (religious) Ramadan (religious, month) Eid al-Fitr (religious,NY,MI) Legend: (federal) = federal holidays, (state) = state holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (week) = weeklong holidays, (month) = monthlong holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies Bolded text indicates major holidays that are commonly celebrated by Americans, which often represent the major celebrations of the month. See also: Lists of holidays, Hallmark holidays, public holidays in the United States, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands, New Jersey and New York.

Public holidays in Mexico Statutory holidays Año Nuevo Día de la Constitución Natalicio de Benito Juárez Día del Trabajo Día de Independencia Día de la Revolución Transmisión del Poder Ejecutivo Federal Navidad Civic holidays Día del Ejército Día de la Bandera Aniversario de la Expropiación petrolera Heroica Defensa de Veracruz Cinco de Mayo Natalicio de Miguel Hidalgo Día de la Marina Grito de Dolores Día de los Niños Héroes Consumación de la Independencia Natalicio de José Ma. Morelos y Pavón Descubrimiento de América Festivities Día de los Santos Reyes Día de San Valentín Día del Niño Día de las Madres Día del Maestro Día del estudiante Día del Padre Día de Todos los Santos Día de los Fieles Difuntos Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe Las Posadas Nochebuena Dia de los Santos Inocentes

Authority control LCCN: sh85047457 GND: 4417078-6