Origin and History of Father's Day
First Father’s Day
June 19, 1910, marked the first Father’s Day on record. Sonora Dodd from Washington State wanted to have a special day to show appreciation to her father William Smart, who was a Civil War veteran and a widower whose wife died during the childbirth of their sixth child. He raised his six children as a single father. The day was chosen in June, the month of Dodd’s father’s birthday.
Father's Day a National Celebration
Father’s Day was not recognized nationally on a large scale until 1966. President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday of June to be Father’s Day.
However, not until 1972 did Father’s Day become an annual permanent holiday thanks to President Richard Nixon who signed Father’s Day as a public law.
Father's Day Statistics
Statistics from the US Census Bureau
There are 64.3 million fathers in the US.
Places to buy Dads a present: according to the US Census Bureau (2006), in America there are 9,003 men’s clothing stores, 14,012 hardware stores, and 23,270 sporting good stores.
In 2008, there were about 140,000 stay-at-home-dads raising 234,000 children.
Statisitcs from A Child’s Day, 2006
53% of children 6 or under ate breakfast with their dads.
71% of children 6 or under ate dinner with their dads.
6% of children 3 to 5 had a father who read to them in a one-week period.
Father-Son Presidents
There has been two sets of father-son Presidents of the United States:
1. John Adams was the 2nd U.S. President (1797-1801). His son John Quincy Adams became the 6th US President (1825-1829).
2. George Bush was the 41st U.S. President (1989-1993). His son George W. Bush became the 43rd U.S. President (2001-2009).
Father's Day Cards
Hallmark recognizes Father’s Day as the 4th holiday for sending cards. 110 million cards are exchanged for Father’s Day. 50% of these cards are given to dads by sons and daughters. 20% are given by wives. And 30% are given by relatives and friends to anyone who is a father.
Most popular types of Father’s Day cards are “dad from daughter” cards.
Hallmark produces over 800 card designs for Father’s Day.