Father's Day around the world

CEBU, Philippines - In 1909, a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd decided to create an official Father’s Day after listening to Anna Jarvis, an American woman who created Mother’s Day, giving a Mother’s Day sermon at church.

Dodd was a true believer in Father’s Day because she loved her father, William Jackson Smart, who raised his six children by himself. She first suggested that the date of Father’s Day could be on her father’s birthday, June5. However, the first ever Father’s Day was celebrated on the third Sunday of June – on June 19, 1910.

Makers of ties, socks, hats, golf clubs and other gifts used Father’s Day to sell their product as the perfect Father’s Day gifts, as it is still so today. Different countries around the world celebrate Father’s Day on different days of the year. Some countries celebrate the day in June, while others celebrate it in March or September.

Germany

In Germany, Father’s Day is the same day as Ascension Day, which is a public holiday on the Thursday, 40 days after Easter. For this reason, the day is sometimes also known as Vatertag meaning “Father’s Day” or Maennertag or Herrentag meaning “Men’s Day.” Traditionally, on this day men go on walks through fields, pulling wagons and praying for a good harvest.

Italy

In Italy, Roman Catholics celebrate fathers on Saint Joseph’s Day, which is on March19. The day is celebrated with a traditional feast of bread, soup, macaroni, stuffed artichokes and a Saint Joseph’s Sfinge, a cream puff filled with ricotta, topped with fruits such as cherries and orange.

Thailand

In Thailand, Father’s Day is the same day as the King’s birthday. On this day, the Thai people give a Canna flower (“Dok put ta ruk sa” in Thai) to their fathers or grandfathers and wear yellow, the King’s color. There are religious ceremonies all over Thailand and at night there are fireworks and celebrations in the street.

Australia

In Australia, Father’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September. On this day Australians celebrate the love and dedication of fathers, stepfathers, guardians, fathers-in-law, uncles and grandfathers and thank them for being their teachers, carers, friends and role models.

Father’s Day Fast Facts

The word “father” in various languages: Father is “père” in French, “ojciec” in Polish, “vader” in Dutch, “vater” in German and “padre” in both Italian and Spanish.

The traditional flower of Father’s Day is a rose. Red roses are for living fathers and white roses are for fathers who have already passed away.

Father’s Day became a popular celebration during World War II, when many fathers were away at war.

During the 1920s and 1930s it was suggested that Mother’s Day and Father’s Day should be celebrated together as Parent’s Day.

People who no longer have their fathers may still celebrate Father’s Day to honor the special men in their lives. It could be a relative, family friend, teacher or coach.

With seahorses, it is the father seahorse that carries the eggs and gives birth to the babies.

(wwww.forteachersforstudents.com.au)