Dad You’re Bloody Marvellous – Father’s Day at DYP

We never ‘ad Father’s Day in our day…..

Have you ever wondered where or why we even have a Father’s Day?

Here are ten things you never knew about Father’s Day:

1. Father’s Day was first invented in the USA more than 100 years ago.
2. There’s two stories about its origins, and they’re not even a marketing ploy! In 1908 360 men, 200 of them fathers, were killed in a mining accident in Fairmont, West Virginia.  Grace Golden Clayton wanted to honour her father and all the other fathers who had died, and with the help of her church, she organised a special Father’s Day.
3. A couple of years later in 1910 Sonora Louise Smart campaigned for a special holiday to celebrate her own father – who had brought up his large family single handed after being widowed – and all other fathers.
4. The idea was all rather low key though, and was ridiculed for being silly, undermining the machismo of men, and being nothing more than a commercial opportunity, until it was, ironically, taken up by the New York Associated Men’s Wear Retailers in 1938, when it started to grow legs.
5. But in 1966, President Lynton Johnson declared the third Sunday in June officially Father’s Day, and people began to take it more seriously as a way of celebrating the role of dad.
6. By the late 1970s it had started to become popular in the UK, and has been growing ever since, though it’s still not as popular as Mother’s Day.
7. Not all countries celebrate Father’s Day at the same time of year. In Australia it’s celebrated in September, on the first day of Spring.
8. In Brazil the second Sunday in August is Father’s Day, in honour of Saint Joachim, father of Mary.
9. In Germany, Father’s Day is traditionally celebrated with hiking and camping that are basically an excuse for a big piss-up.
10. In Thailand fathers are celebrated on the birthday of popular King Bhumibol Adulyadej

However, wherever and whenever it’s celebrated, it’s all about honouring fathers.  So for all the time they’ve bailed you out, driven you home, fixed your bike, mopped your tears, and paid off your debts, lets raise a glass or three to our dads!

So celebrate your pops! –  Dad You’re Bloody Marvellous – Father’s Day at DYP

Check out our rather splendid and cheeky collection of Father’s Day cards over at Do You Punctuate?  And celebrate your Dad with our cheeky and fun greetings cards!