How Father’s Day Originated

Even though the origin of Father’s Day is not clear, Mrs. Dodd of Spokane, Washington, was the person who put forth the most effort into making this day a holiday for dads across the country. Mrs. Dodd’s mother died during the birth of her sixth child and Mrs. Dodd’s father, a Civil War veteran, raised all six children by himself.

As she got older, Mrs. Dodd realized what an outstanding job her father had done in bringing up all of the children without any help. She also recognized that her father had made many sacrifices and endured hardships in raising six children. Mrs. Dodd talked to her minister and other members of her community about dedicating a special day for fathers.

Because of Mrs. Dodd’s efforts, Father’s Day was celebrated by many people, although it was not until 1972 that the holiday was officially made the third Sunday of June. President Richard Nixon made the date permanent.

Although Father’s Day was originally intended for dads only, nowadays, many people also honor their stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, brothers, and other adult male friends in their life. Take some time on Father’s Day and do something special for them!

According to IBISWorld, a publisher of business research, Americans are expected to spend $11 billion on gifts for Father’s Day in 2008. This is about $7 billion less than the amount spent on Moms for Mother’s Day, which is more steeped in traditional gifts, some of which tend to be more expensive than Father’s Day gifts. In economic terms, the average per capita spending on Father’s Day is expected to be in the range of $27.60 in 2008, down slightly from $28.97 in 2007, which is indicative of consumer spending while the US is in the midst of a sluggish and unpredictable economy.