Father’s Day 2023: Date, History, Theme, Celebration, Quotes

Like every other special day, the dads have also got a day to honor their fatherhood. A day to show wholehearted gratitude to their superhero figure, Father’s Day 2023, marked as a special day in the calendar, is celebrated all over the world. Even though there are many relationships, the father-child relationship is hard to put into words. A father is the first superhero to his child, a motivator, an inspiration, a mentor and support throughout our life. Father’s day is celebrated to commemorate the selfless love, care and affection a father has for his family. This article gives an insight into what Father’s Day actually is.

When is Father’s Day 2023: Date

A fun fact about Father’s Day is that it doesn’t have a fixed date like most other special days. However, It falls on the third Sunday of June every year. This year Father’s Day is on June 18th, 2023. Every year, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June in countries like the United States, India, United Kingdom, Canada and many other countries. On the other hand, there are some countries that celebrate this holiday at other times of the year- countries like Australia, Norway, Sweden, Finland etc. Some Catholic countries celebrate it on March 19 as St Josephs Day.

Father’s Day 2023 Date – June 18th

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How Father’s Day Came to Be- An Insight

The inspiration for Father’s Day was actually Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day, which we celebrate every year, has its origins back in the peace and reconciliation campaigns in the post- civilian war era. Although, Mother’s Day wasn’t considered a commercial holiday until 1908 when Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother by making Mother’s Day a national holiday. Mother’s Day became a national holiday in the year 1914, after American President Woodrow Wilson, approved a resolution to mark every second Sunday in May a holiday to honor “that tender, gentle army, the mothers of America.”

 Origin of Father’s Day

People did not accept the campaign to celebrate the nationwide fathers with the same enthusiasm as for mothers day, perhaps because they considered it a tribute to women and effeminate to their liking. Men viewed Father’s Day similar to Mother’s Day, as something very feminine and sentimental. Hence, they ridiculed the idea of celebrating Father’s day as opposed to their manliness and patriarchy.

The mother of Father’s Day was Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. She was inspired by Anna Jarvis’s idea of Mother’s Day and wanted to honor fathers. In other words, this idea occurred to her when she sat listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in the year 1909. A year ago, in West Virginia, on July 5, the first-ever Father’s Day occurred, after hundreds of men died in the worst mining accidents in the history of the U.S. Although, this was a one-time commemoration initiated by Grace Golden Clayton to honor all the fathers who had died in the explosions at the Fairmont Coal Company mines in Monongah.

Sonora Smart Dodd was raised, along with her 5 siblings by a single parent- her father William Smart. She tried to establish an equivalent to Mother’s Day for the father figures and proposed her idea to the Spokane Ministerial Association and YMCA that they celebrate Father’s Day on June 5, as it was her father’s birthday. After all, she was successful in her attempt to muster support and finally, the nation’s first-ever statewide Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910(the third Sunday in June) and then became an annual event there.

Slowly, the holiday spread to neighboring towns and they had their own celebrations. In spite of all the support, this holiday wasn’t considered a national holiday for many years. It was in 1913 that President Woodrow Wilson encouraged the first bill, but it did not pass. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge encouraged state governments to observe Father’s Day. Finally, in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a law declaring the celebration of Father’s Day on the third Sunday of June, annually.

Father’s Day 2023: Theme

There is no specific theme for Father’s day 2023. Meanwhile, the day is celebrated to honoring your father

Controversies, Economy and Commercialism 

During the 1920s and 1930s, a movement arose to ditch Mother’s Day and Father’s Day altogether for a single holiday marking Parent’s Day. As mothers and fathers are together a single entity, some people didn’t like the idea of celebrating different days to honor them. So, as absurd as it may seem, two events pushed Father’s Day forward, despite the raging controversies.

• The Great Depression

With so many people on the brink of poverty, the economy needed reasons and opportunities for people to spend money. Therefore, the struggling retailers and advertisers promoted Father’s Day commercially and brainwashed people into buying clothing, books, pipes and tobacco, sporting goods etc. They urged people to buy stuff for their father which otherwise he wouldn’t buy for himself.

• World War II

During World War II, the advertisers stated that as the men were on the frontline, celebrating Father’s Day was an honor, moreover, to the American troops, showing support to them.

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Ways to Celebrate Father’s Day in India

It’s the time of Monsoon, a blissfully cool climate, lots of showers and lastly, hot teas. There are quite a number of ways on how you can spend quality time with your superhero during this time. So, read on and try implementing these tips.

• Gift your dad something special

It can be something that’s personalized or handmade. For instance, made out of endless love and affection. Therefore, cut the stereotype and gift him something that you feel is right for him.

• Play indoor games

While it’s heavily raining outside, you can get your team ready for some fun-filled entertainment. Playing board games like ludo, snake & ladder, scrabble, monopoly etc. will bring out the boy in your father.

• Go for a drive

If there are compromises in the restrictions, try going for a long drive and have a father-child conversation. Talk about his life. Make him enjoy the nostalgic moments.

• Cook Together

Cook your dad’s favorite dishes together.

• Play in the rain

Playing is not limited to children alone. Even grown-ups can have their part of the fun with their not so grown-up kids. Play cricket or football or just jump in puddles and have fun.

These are just a few activities that you can do with your father to make his day special. Find and do your own innovative and creative activities to make his day memorable.

Quotes on Father’s Day 2023

Father’s Day is the perfect time of the year to acknowledge your endless love and care for the men in your life.

• “It is a wise father that knows his own child.” —William Shakespeare
• “A father doesn’t tell you that he loves you. He shows you.” —Dimitri the Stoneheart
• “The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.” —Tim Russert
• “I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.” —Sigmund Freud
• “She did not stand alone, but what stood behind her, the most potent moral force in her life, was the love of her father.” —Harper Lee
• “Every son quotes his father, in words and in deeds.” —Terri Guillemets
• “You don’t have to deserve your mother’s love. You have to deserve your father’s. He’s more particular.” —Robert Frost
• “My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived, and let me watch him do it.” – Clarence Budington Kelland

To sum it up, fathers are the epitome of kindness and affection, the backbone of the family, the superheroes in disguise, the supporter and protector. To all the fathers out there, Happy Father’s Day. You rock the world!!!