May 12 2008
The story behind Father’s Day
The story behind Father's Day
(NC)—Hunter, gatherer, man of the family, father figure—however they are perceived, fathers have long played an important role in nurturing and supporting their children. The story behind the first Father’s Day and celebrations that followed are testament to the high regard and appreciation held for fathers around the world.
“For centuries, fathers everywhere have been strong role models,” says Jennifer Kinnon of Hallmark Canada. “These days, as fathers get even more involved in family life, it’s important to put them in the spotlight on Father’s Day and show how much you care.”
The first Father’s Day tribute dates back nearly 4,000 years ago. A Babylonian youth named Elmesu carved the first known Father’s Day card in clay with a special message that wished his father good health and a long life.
Father’s Day as we know it today, was first created by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. While listening to a Mother’s Day sermon, she was compelled to establish a celebration for fathers as well. Dodd’s father, a widower and Civil War veteran, raised her and five siblings for 21 years after their mother died.
Dodd encouraged local churches to institute a day of observance for fathers and chose June 19, 1910 as the first celebration since her father was born in June. Even though it was widely celebrated for decades, Father’s Day wasn’t officially recognized as a national day of observance until 1972.
From early on, many countries, including Canada, chose to adopt Father’s Day as a national celebration and with few exceptions, most celebrate on the third Sunday in June.
Around the world, families recognize fathers by spending the day together and showering them with cards and gifts as expressions of love and appreciation. Hallmark has been making Father’s Day cards since the 1920s and now offers close to 800 different kinds of cards that not only recognize biological fathers, but other father figures including stepfathers, grandfathers, brothers, sons-in-law and uncles. What’s more, new technology has led to a variety of greeting card innovations, including a song card that lets you record a personal message for your father.
You can find more about Father’s Day online at www.hallmark.ca or toll-free at 1-800-268-3230.
-News Canada
As busy as the school year is, it’s still no time to let kids forget the importance of making a difference. There are plenty of simple ways to involve kids in the community when they’re not in class.
“School months are all about learning, socializing, sports and after-school activities,” says Liz Scott of Wynnewood, Pa. “But [...]
Enhancing the image of the United States abroad goes a long way toward improving and strengthening our relationships with other countries. People like Laurie and Martin Scott of Nevada are doing their part to create and promote a positive impression of America around the world.
The couple has joined forces with the nonprofit EF Foundation for [...]
As teens head back to the classroom this fall, they’ll be assigned a lot of homework in the three “Rs”: reading, writing, and arithmetic. Important to students’ success will be the homework parents do in teaching two other “Rs”: role modeling and responsibility.
“A parent’s words and actions provide powerful role modeling,” explains Lonnie Carton, PhD, [...]
Hannah Keeley
(ARA) - That last school bell has rung and the kids are back home, enjoying all the pleasures that summer vacation offers. But there’s got to be more to life than sleeping until noon and sipping lemonade by the pool. Here are some more ideas to make sure your kids stay happy and healthy [...]
(NC)—Spring and summer mean more than flowers, rain showers, vacation and relaxation. The warm weather also brings a little known fact and an unwelcome reality: more child-pedestrian injuries and deaths than any other time of year. Walking is a child’s first means of independent transportation and often the most accessible, yet child-pedestrian incidents are a [...]