12 Amazing Father’s Day Facts

Every third Sunday in June, people around the world honor fathers, paternal bonds, father figures, and fatherhood in general. Traditionally symbolized by neckties and backyard cookouts, the holiday has evolved in many regions. Here are some Father’s Day facts you (probably) didn’t know:

1. Some Countries Recognize Father’s Day as a Public Holiday
   While many countries celebrate Father’s Day informally, it is a public holiday in Lithuania, Estonia, Samoa, and parts of Spain. In South Korea, it is celebrated as Parents’ Day.

2. First Celebrated (Outside Religion) in 1910
   Father’s Day was first celebrated on June 19, 1910, thanks to Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane, Washington. She wanted to honor her father, a Civil War veteran who raised six children as a widower.

3. Catholics Celebrated Father’s Day Long Before it Became Popular
   Catholic countries in Europe have celebrated Father’s Day as Saint Joseph’s Day on March 19 since the Middle Ages.

4. No Specific Reason for Celebrating on the Third Sunday of June
   Although most celebrate Father’s Day on the third Sunday of June, there’s no specific reason for this date. Sonora Smart Dodd originally wanted it on June 5, her father's birthday, but preparations delayed it to June 17, the third Sunday that year.

5. Rodney King’s Death on Father’s Day Marked a Strange Coincidence
   Rodney King, known for his infamous beating by LAPD officers, died by drowning on Father’s Day in 2012. His father, Ronald King, also drowned on Father’s Day in 1984.

6. J.K. Rowling Gifted Her Father the First Edition of Harry Potter on Father’s Day
   In 2000, J.K. Rowling gave her father the first edition of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” signed with “Lots of love from your firstborn.” He later sold it for £27,500.

7. Empire State Building Sends Annual Father’s Day Cards to Reynolds Building
   The Empire State Building, which drew design inspiration from the Reynolds Building, is said to send annual Father’s Day cards to acknowledge its “father.” Some sources claim this was a one-time event.

8. Roses Were Initially a Big Part of Father’s Day Celebrations
   Handing roses to fathers during church services was once a tradition. Children whose fathers were alive pinned red roses, while those whose fathers had passed away wore white roses.

9. Father’s Day is Celebrated on December 5 in Thailand
   In Thailand, Father’s Day is celebrated on December 5, the king’s birthday. Traditionally, people perform good deeds, including blood donations, and modern celebrations include fireworks.

10. Father’s Day is Called “Mannertag” in Germany
    In Germany, fathers celebrate “Mannertag” by pulling wagons filled with beer through streets and parks, often leading to a spike in alcohol-related traffic incidents.

11. President Richard Nixon Recognized Father’s Day in the U.S.
    Father’s Day became a national holiday in the United States in 1972, when President Richard Nixon signed it into legislation, designating the third Sunday of June for the celebration.

12. Children Might Have Coined the Word “Dad”
    The word “dad” is believed to have been coined by children. “Dada” is one of the first words children can say, leading scholars to believe it became the universally accepted term for father.