Father’s Day is celebrated on third Sunday in the month of June. The idea of Father’s day celebration was first given in 1909 by Ms Sonora Louise Smart Dodd, a loving daughter from Spokane USA. Sonora, who was very much attached to her father Mr William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran. She felt that if there is a day to honor mother then there should also be a day to honor father. Sonora struggled relentlessly to make the idea a reality. Finally, in 1972, President Richard Nixon made Father’s Day a national observance. Today, Father’s Day is celebrated in several countries across the globe. Though the date and manner of celebration differ, every where people take opportunity of the day to honor their father and express love for them.
History of Father’s Day
History of Father’s Day Festival as seen today is not even a hundred years old. Thanks to the hard work and struggle of Ms Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Washington that just as we have set aside Mother’s Day to honor mothers we have a day to acknowledge the important role played by the father. However, some scholars opine that Father’s Day history is much older than we actually believe it to be. They say that the custom of honoring dad’s on a special day is over 4,000 years old.
Earliest History of Father’s Day
Scholars believe that the origin of Father’s Day is not a latest phenomenon, as many believe it to be. Rather they claim that the tradition of Father’s Day can be traced in the ruins of Babylon. They have recorded that a young boy called Elmesu carved a Father’s Day message on a card made out of clay nearly 4,000 years ago. Elmesu wished his Babylonian father good health and a long life.
Though there is no record of what happened to Elmesu and his father but the tradition of celebrating Father’s Day remained in several countries all over the world.
Importance
Father’s Day festival is considered extremely important as it help acknowledge the contribution of fathers to individual families and to societies as large. Besides observance of Father’s Day provide children an opportunity to express love and respect for their fathers. The sentiment goes a long way in strengthening father-child relationship and consequently in the emotional development of a child.
Significance
Father’s Day festival give us the opportunity to express thanks to our Daddy for all their unconditional love and affection. Observance of Father’s Day makes fathers feel that their contributions are acknowledged in the society and also by their children. They feel proud of themselves !Besides by celebrating Father’s Day, children come closer to their father. For, most often children take love of their parents for granted. Celebration of Father’s Day makes them ponder for a while on the important role their father play in their life. This helps them appreciate the selfless care and protection provided by their father and hence they come emotionally closer to their dad.
Children must therefore take full opportunity of the day and express their gratitude for fathers with all their heart. The best way to do so is to do small things that daddy appreciates and by saying “I love you, Papa” with a gift of beautiful flower.
Tribute to Father
“Honor your father and mother.” This is the first of the Ten Commandments that ends with a promise. And this is the promise: If you honor your father and mother, “you will live a long life, full of blessing.” And now a word to you fathers. Don’t make your children angry by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord. Ephesians Chapter 6 verses 2 – 4.
Fathers are the biggest source of strength for a child. The innocent eyes of a child perceive father as the all-powerful, most knowledge, truly affectionate and the most important person in the family. For daughters, fathers are the first men they adore and fall in love with. While for sons their fathers are the strongest person they know and someone they aspire to emulate. Even for the grownups fathers are someone whom they look up to for the most experienced and honest advice that is always in the best of our interest. For this great figure in our life that we know as father – it becomes our utmost duty to pay our humblest tribute on the occasion of Father’s Day.
Say Thanks to Dad
Children blessed with a loving father should consider themselves fortunate. For, they have someone to take care of their needs and interests. Someone to stop them when they are diverting to a wrong path and guide them on a road to success and virtue. For many of us fathers have always been there to solve our innumerous mathematics and science problems and explain the same formula hundredth time or better still until it is understood by us. Fathers would never ever give a smallest of hint to let us know how hard they work to take care of our needs and fulfill even the most whimsical of demands… For all their adorable scolding and affectionate punishments we all owe a big thanks to our Dads.
Apologize to Dad
Father’s Day also brings with it the wonderful opportunity to apologize for all our rude and insensitive behavior. We as children often take the love and affection of our parents for granted and treat them with outright contempt. We need to apologize. We must feel great to have the presence of loving father in our lives and do not disrespect the blessing of God on us. On Father’s Day we must says “Sorry” to our Dad and seek their forgiveness for our wrong behavior.
Celebrate the day
We must make all efforts to celebrate Father’s Day with our Dad. Children staying away from father must especially strive to spend the day with father and show gratitude for all their support and love. We must pamper father by spending the day in a manner he likes most. It could be going out for a picnic or indulging him with a gourmet meal. We can also express love with thoughtful gifts accompanied by a bouquet of his favorite flowers. The idea is to show our affection and tell Daddy how much he is loved and appreciated not just on Father’s Day but every single day of our lives.