It is easy to forget that Father’s Day facts, gifts, movies, and so on are as fascinating as Mother’s Day-related ones. With their corny and sometimes facepalm-worthy jokes, our dads are always there to support us with kind words and strict actions. So one should learn some facts about Father’s Day to show dads our appreciation for their hard work. Some may pull on some emotional strings, while others might show you just how special Father’s Day truly is.
You might be wondering — what is Father’s Day? It’s the only holiday that celebrates fathers around the world. In the United States, at least, it was created by a daughter who suggested the celebrations after she noticed how people celebrated mothers more than fathers. When it became an official holiday, the day picked up a lot of speed. These days, it is interesting to look at Father’s Day fun facts and notice the differences around the world. Some people celebrate it with gifts, others with creative cards. Since it is celebrated in around 111 countries, traditions vary on when it occurs and how much is spent on the celebrations.
Don’t know what day is Father’s Day in the United States or Thailand? Well, it is about time you learn about it. In the list below, we have compiled a list of the best facts about the day for celebrating fathers for you to read up on. With so many to choose from, be sure to upvote the ones you like and find most informative. On the other hand, if you have an interesting fact to share about this day, do so in the comments below. And if you are a father yourself — Happy Father’s Day!
#1 Fathers Spend More Time With Their Kids Today Than They Did In Previous Decades
Spending time with your kid is always important as this is the best way to teach them the harsh truths of life. It is beneficial for both parties, as the children learn a thing or two while the fathers relax. These days, fathers spend twice more time with their kids than other dads did in 1989 and three times the amount of time dads spent with their kids in 1965.
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25points
#2 A Coal Mining Accident Contributed To The First Modern Father’s Day
Holidays are created to celebrate something wonderful and exciting, but for Father’s Day, its origin is rooted in a tragic accident. The first modern celebration of fathers came in 1908, on July 5th. It was created to grieve the fallen miners, mostly fathers, who passed away during a coal mining accident in 1907 in Monongah, West Virginia.
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24points
#3 Father’s Day In Europe Is Rooted In The Middle Ages
While Americans date back their Father’s Day celebrations to the 1910s, in Europe, it’s another story. Europeans have been celebrating St. Joseph’s Day since the Middle Ages. Also, if one were to look even further, hints of Father’s Day celebrations date back to 4,000 years ago in Babylon.
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20points
#4 The Number Of Stay-At-Home Dads Nearly Doubled With Millennials
The idea of staying at home while the mother of the child works wasn’t an accepted one until the millennials came and changed it all. Only 4% of American men in 1989 would be viable for the label of being stay-at-home dads. This number grew to 7% as the millennial generation became parents.
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20points
#5 Around 2 Million Fathers In The USA Are Actually Single
It is important to have both a mother and father figure in your life, as to learn from them the things that come from the good and bad things of family. However, in the USA there are 2 million fathers who take care of their children alone. This number accounts for 17% of families with one of the parents present.
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19points
#6 Around 111 Countries Celebrate Father’s Day
While it might not compete with Christmas for the number of countries that celebrate it, Father’s Day is still observed by over 111 nations in the world. However, dates vary from place to place. Americans do it on the third Sunday of June, and Lithuanians do it on the first one. While the dates are different, the meaning stays the same.
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19points
#7 Lighters Influenced The Celebrations Of Father’s Day In France
France has a tradition of doing something unique with every holiday. French people have been celebrating the day(March 19th) since the 19th century, but only in the 1940s did they start to observe the day in a new way — with lighters. As a way of marketing their lighters, the company Flaminaire founded Father’s Day in France.
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18points
#8 The US Presidency Had Two Sets Of Sons And Fathers — Bush And Adams
The US presidency is the highest office any American can dream to be in, so it is not an everyday thing to have a father and a son elected into it. John Adams, the 2nd president, saw his son, John Quincy Adams, becoming the 6th president. George Bush, the 41st president, saw his son, George W. Bush, being elected as the 43rd one.
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17points
#9 The Third Sunday Of June Was Picked Accidently For Father’s Day Celebrations
Originally, Sonora Smart Dodd, a resident of Washington State, picked June 5th for the celebrations. As luck would have it, the pastors of the Spokane Ministerial Alliance weren’t prepared, so it got postponed to the third Sunday of the month.
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15points
#10 There Were Some Serious Discussions On Making Mother’s Day And Father’s Day Separate Holidays
It’s important to celebrate both of our parents. However, some people raised the suggestion of making both Father’s Day and Mother’s Day a single holiday, with one day of celebrations. Luckily, the majority were unhappy, as a single day wouldn’t celebrate the diverse family structures some of us have.
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15points
#11 More Money Is Spent On Mother’s Day Than On Father’s Day
While we might love both parents the same, it is a fact that children are willing to spend more money on their mothers than their fathers. After all, it is like a tradition to buy something nice for your mom on her day, but something simple, yet symbolic, for your father on his holiday. In 2021, people spent $28.1 billion on Mother’s Day and $20.1 billion on Father's day.
15points
#12 Greeting Cards Are One Of The Most Common Gifts On Father’s Day
The greeting card industry goes into full production before and during Father’s Day. After all, with so many gift choices, a simple greeting card with the writing “I love you” is one of the best ways to show how much you care about your dad. According to sources, 72 million cards from Hallmark get exchanged on this day.
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15points
#13 There Are Around 214,000 Men Who Are Stay-At-Home Dads In The US
Usually, the role of stay-at-home parent falls on the mother. At least, that is what television and movies like to say. However, in the US, 214,000 men stay home, taking care of the household and kids while their wives and loved ones work. This number was much smaller in the 1970s when only six men were doing it.
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#14 Father’s Day Was Officially Recognized As A Holiday In 1972
Gears in government move slowly, so it’s no wonder Father’s Day only became a commercial holiday in the United States of America six decades after it was first celebrated. In 1966, Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday of June to be Father’s Day. In 1972, this proclamation became permanent.
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14points
#15 $20 Billion Was Expected To Be Spent On Father’s Day Gifts By Americans In 2022
Money makes the world go round, so it’s no wonder Americans are willing to spend a lot of it on gifts for Father’s Day. While Americans were willing to spend $20.1 billion in 2021 for the celebrations, in 2022, Americans were expected to spend $20 billion on gifts to help their fathers celebrate Father’s Day.
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14points
#16 Roses Play A Part In Father’s Day Celebrations
Roses aren’t something we would associate fathers with these days. However, they do play a vital role in the celebrations in some places of the world. For example, the red rose, a symbol of love and passion, when worn, shows that the father is still alive. The white rose, on the other hand, symbolizes that the father has passed away.
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13points
#17 The Necktie Is Another Common Gift On Father’s Day
Greeting cards will usually end up sitting on a shelf, collecting dust over time, but a necktie, worn around the neck, will always be visible and used. For this reason, neckties are some of the most common gifts that fathers get, according to the United States Census Bureau.
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#18 Father’s Day In Thailand Is A Celebration Of Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Birthday
Having a holiday made from your birthday is quite a legendary thing. Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was Thailand’s king from 1946 to 2016, was born on December 5th, 1927. December 5th was made into Father’s Day and a national holiday to celebrate the king’s birth. It is also celebrated as Soil Day by the United Nations.
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13points
#19 Australians Celebrate Father’s Day In September
While Mother’s Day usually lines up on the same day in every nation (usually the first Sunday of May), Father’s Day takes place on a different day. In Australia, for example, Father’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September. It seems like the place down under does not fall with the rest of the English-speaking world.
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12points
#20 US Presidents Were First To Recognize The Holiday, Before The Federal Government Overall Did
As with any celebrations, when Father’s Day in Washington influenced other states to celebrate it too, US presidents observed the holiday sooner than Congress did. For example, in 1916, Woodrow Wilson, who signed Mother’s Day into law, approved of the Father’s Day idea and celebrated it in Washington, D.C.
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11points