On the third Sunday of June, dads all across the world are showered with love and gifts. Though Father’s Day is one such holiday that everyone counts on celebrating every time, it always didn’t have the support and encouragement it has today. Here are some 10 Unique Facts about Fathers day More Special!. 

Did you know that Father’s Day was dismissed in the past as an unnecessary celebration? This happy and love-filled holiday has tragic origins and a sad backstory. Read on to find out more about the origins of Father’s Day along with facts about Father’s Day!

10 Unique Facts about Father's day

Below are the facts about father's day:

1. The first Father’s Day event was rooted in tragedy

One of the unusual Father’s Day facts is that on 5th July 1908 (also, the same year that Mother’s Day was recognized as a celebration), a small community church in West Virginia held the first Father’s Day event to honor the fathers of their community. The day was held in remembrance of the 362 men who were brutally killed in December in an unfortunate mining explosion incident at the Fairmont Coal Company. 

Even though initially this celebration did not transform into an annual event, it set a precedent for reserving a special day for dads everywhere. 

2. Washington was the first U.S. State to celebrate Father’s Day

In 1909, a resident from Spokane, Sonora Smart Dodd was listening to a Mother’s Day sermon at her local church when she conceived the idea of reserving a similar holiday for fathers. She tried to establish a day to honor the hard-working fathers of her community. She contacted local groups, YMCAs, government officials, etc., hoping to gather community support to recognize the fathers of Washington. 

Dodd was the daughter of a widower and Civil War Veteran, Jackson Smart who raised six children on his own after his wife died during labor. The campaign that Sonora Dodd embarked on in 1910, eventually led to the first statewide Father’s Day celebration event. 

3. The first American president to recognize Father’s Day was President Calvin Coolidge

One of the most unusual Father’s Day facts is that Calvin Coolidge was the first American president who acknowledged and supported the concept of Father’s Day in 1924. However, it wasn’t until 40 years later, when President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation that manifested in the official declaration of the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day. This took place in 1966. 

4. The official Father’s Day date wasn’t supposed to be on the third Sunday of June

A weird Father’s Day fact is that it was never originally meant to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June. While Father’s Day always takes place on the third Sunday of June now, the date is actually a compromise. 

Sonora Dodd’s goal was to celebrate Father’s Day on June 5th which was her father’s birthdate. However, the mayor of Spokane asked for more time to prepare for the Father’s Day festivities, and so it was moved to the third Sunday of June. The first official Father’s Day celebration took place in Spokane on June 19th, 1910. 

5. Roses were a big part of Father’s Day traditions

The first Father’s Day celebration included a church service where daughters handed over red roses to their dads during the procession. Roses were pinned on children’s clothes to honor their father. The colour of the roses was segregated based on: Red roses for a still-living father and white roses for the deceased. This gave birth to the tradition of roses as the customary Father’s Day ritual. 

6. German Father’s Day celebrations

In Germany, the Father’s Day celebration is quite different from what it is in America or other parts of the world. Germans celebrate Maennertag, or Men’s Day to honor fathers for their love and devotion. Mannertag is celebrated by getting drunk with wagons of beer and indulging in authentic regional food. 

The festivities can become so wild that the police and emergency services have to stay on high alert during the day. 

7. Father’s Day was officially recognized as a National Holiday in 1972

Another weird father’s day fact is that even though President Calvin Coolidge and President Lyndon Johnson endorsed Father’s Day celebrations across the country, it never stuck as a ritual and didn’t manifest into a National Holiday. It wasn’t until 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed Public Law 92-728 that Father’s Day was to be permanently recognized by the federal government as a national holiday across the country. 

8. Father’s Day is the fifth-largest card-sending holiday

One of the most interesting facts about Father’s day is that according to greeting’s card company Hallmark, Father’s Day has become the fifth-largest card-sending holiday across America and the world.

9. Thailand Father’s Day traditions

Thailand sets their annual Father’s Day celebrations on the same day as the king’s birthday. The current king, Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)’s birthday is on December 5th. Therefore, presently Father’s Day is celebrated in Thailand on December 5th. Thai people celebrate this day by giving their fathers and grandfathers a Canna (Dok put ta ruk sa) flower which is seen as the flower of masculinity. 

10. Father’s Day is still not as big as Mother’s Day

Last but not least, one of the most interesting facts about Father’s day is that, even though it has been celebrated for over 100 years now, it isn’t still as big a deal as Mother’s Day. Father’s Day is a big business in the commercial marketplace, but it still exists in the shadow of the annual mom event. 

In 2021, the National Retail Federation predicted that Americans would spend about $28.1 million on Mother’s Day gifts including cards, flowers, chocolates, fancy dinners, and spa day. 

Also read: 14 Best Father’s Day Gifts That Will Make Your Father Feel Special

These were some of the most unusual Father’s Day facts and trivia.