Father’s Day is more than a day for your dad to receive cool gifts for his barbecue grill, golf clubs, a funny t-shirt, or the perfect card. Father’s Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors fathers and their influence on our lives. You don’t solely have to honor your biological father on this holiday, though—you can celebrate grandfathers, stepfathers, adoptive fathers, and others you consider father figures.
Father’s Day was declared a national holiday in 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed it into law. It took more than 60 years from the birth of the idea to Father’s Day being recognized as a federal holiday. In addition, “Father’s Day,” or a day that recognizes the role of fathers in the family, is an ancient tradition. In history books, there is mention of a Southern European tradition dating back to 1508.
Surveys have shown that in 2023, the US population was forecasted to spend almost $4 billion on recognizing and honoring our dads. Women were more likely to spend about $50 on gifts, while the men were looking to spend around $100 for Dad. In addition, millennials tend to spend more on Father’s Day gifts than any other generation.
Fathers are seen as significant influences on children; we know from many studies what happens when a father figure is lacking. In a sense, Father’s Day helps to display the importance and value of fatherhood—and the gifts beyond material goods that a father gives his children and family. Fathers, including stepfathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other individuals who play a fatherly role in shaping the lives of their children and society as a whole.
In recent studies, Psychology Today has found that “children who have an involved father are more likely to be emotionally secure, be confident to explore their surroundings, and, as they grow older, have better social connections…Numerous studies find that an active and nurturing style of fathering is associated with better verbal skills, intellectual functioning, and academic achievement among adolescents.”
The key to a great Father’s Day is spending time together and participating in activities that entertain and bring closer relationships. Some ways to celebrate Father’s Day include:
• Host a Dad-day with his favorite foods (especially dessert)!
• Take Dad to his favorite restaurant, bar, or ball game.
• Make Father’s Day crafts for your dad, grandfather, or father figure.
• Plan a movie marathon, specifically with Father’s Day movies or his favorite movies that you can watch together.
• Share memories and great stories that remind you of great times with dear old dad. Share them with others.
• Create a memory book to give him.
• Plant a tree in his honor in a place where he can enjoy it forever.
Cool Facts about Father’s Day
1. Father seahorses are the only male animals to get pregnant. They accept around 50–1500 eggs from the female, fertilize them, and then carry the eggs until they mature.
2. Chromosomes from the father determine the sex of their offspring. Mothers always pass on an X chromosome to their children; in contrast, a father passes on either an X or Y chromosome.
3. Wrestling and roughhousing with a father can shape a child’s brain to help them deal with emotion and develop a balance between thinking and physical action.
4. The word “dad” was first recorded in 1500 but is most likely significantly older. Researchers believe it is derived from a child’s first sounds and is nearly universal.
My dad was a sentimental man and craved time with his children. If we did nothing but just be with him, hanging around the house, helping clean the barn, and playing ball and board games, he was giddy. He loved cool quotes, too. Here are a few that you can use.
· A girl’s first true love is her father.
· A father’s smile has been known to light up a child’s entire day
· Some people believe in heroes. My dad is a hero.
· Every son’s superhero is his father.
· When my dad didn’t have my hand, he had my back.
· Life doesn’t come with an instruction book. That’s why we have fathers.
· Fathers have the softest and the sweetest hearts. In other words, they’re giant marshmallows.
Speaking with a few kiddos, I want to share some local quotes with you.
“I think it’s funny that he wears his Hey Dudes everywhere. He is a good cook.” Avery
“I like that he’s encouraging, and he comes to all our games. It’s funny how he always cracks a joke in every moment he can.” Kamryn
“I like everything about my dad. His jokes are funny. I like that he plays sports with me and hangs out with me.” Peyton
“He is funny how he makes me laugh with his dad jokes. He is hardworking and nice.” Jordyn
“I like when my daddy takes me to ball games. He reads chapter books with me, like Narnia. He takes me to the golf course”. Hudson
“I like going to sports events with Dad, like the Cardinals, watching Rick and Morty together, playing basketball.” Chase
For all the fathers and father figures out there, we hope you have a wonderful Father’s Day!!
Helpful tip: Father’s Day always falls on the third Sunday in June.
Submitted by Lisa Freed