Lesser-known facts about Father's Day

Indeed, the journey to worldwide official recognition for this day was lengthy. While many of us are familiar with the basics of Father's Day, some little-known facts are worth exploring.

Here are some surprising facts about Father's Day:

The First Father's Day stemmed from tragedy

The first modern Father's Day was rooted in tragedy, held in remembrance of the 362 men who were killed in a mining explosion at the Fairmont Coal Company in West Virginia on June 19, 1910. Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane, Washington, was inspired to honour her father and other community fathers affected by the tragedy. Dodd, whose father was the Civil War veteran and widower William Jackson Smart, single-handedly raised six children following the death of his wife at childbirth.

Father's Day was not recognised until USA presidents did in 1924

The concept of Father's Day was first endorsed by US President Calvin Coolidge in 1924. It was US President Lyndon Johnson who, in 1966, issued a proclamation designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Subsequently, President Richard Nixon enacted legislation in 1972 that granted Father's Day permanent national recognition.

Not everyone supported separate Mother's and Father's Days

During the 1920s and 1930s, there was an initiative to abolish the separate observances of Mother's Day and the emerging Father's Day in favour of combining them into a single celebration known as Parents' Day. Robert Spere who was spearheading this told the New York Times in 1931 that “We should all have love for dad and mother every day, but Parents’ Day on the second Sunday in May is a reminder that both parents should be loved and respected together.”

It is the fourth most popular holiday for greeting cards

Father's Day is a significant occasion for the greeting card industry, ranking as the fourth most popular card-giving day. Annually, around 72 million cards are sold for this holiday. Hallmark, a company that has been crafting Father's Day cards since the 1920s, offers over 800 unique designs for fathers, with humorous cards making up about a quarter of their sales.

The tradition of rose sharing

The maiden Father's Day celebration featured a church service during which daughters presented red roses to their fathers. Additionally, children adorned their garments with roses to pay tribute to their fathers, with red roses symbolising a living father and white roses commemorating those who had passed away. Dodd also extended this gesture by delivering roses and presents to fathers in the community who could not attend the service.