Father’s Day 2026: 8 Fascinating Facts About The Day You Need To Know

Sonora Smart Dodd raised the idea of Father’s Day in 1909. She wanted to honour her single father, a Civil War veteran who dedicatedly raised her and her five siblings all by himself. (Image: X)

The first statewide Father’s Day celebration occurred on June 19, 1910, in Washington State. Reportedly, Sonora Dodd’s tireless campaigning successfully convinced local churches, the YMCA, and government officials to officially recognize and celebrate the vital role of fathers. (Representative Image: Pexels)

Before the statewide holiday, an independent church service was held in West Virginia on July 5, 1908. It specifically honored 361 men—most of them doting fathers—who tragically perished in the Monongah mining disaster a few months prior. (Representative Image: Pexels)

While Mother’s Day was quickly approved, Father’s Day faced decades of resistance. Critics mocked it as a commercial gimmick. Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge supported it, but Congress repeatedly refused to make it an official national holiday. (Representative Image: Pexels)

It took over sixty years from the inaugural celebration for the day to become an official US federal holiday. President Richard Nixon finally signed it into permanent law in 1972, legally establishing it on the third Sunday of June. (Representative Image: Pexels)

Wearing a rose is a beautiful, traditional way to celebrate the holiday. Sonora Dodd championed wearing a red rose to honour a father who is living, or a white rose to fondly remember a father who has passed away. (Representative Image: Pexels)

Global Date Variations: While India, the US, and many countries observe it on the third Sunday of June, dates vary globally. Russia celebrates it on Defender of the Fatherland Day in February, while Thailand honours fathers on the late King’s birthday in December. (Representative Image: Pexels)

Father’s Day has evolved into a massive retail event. According to the Greeting Card Association, it ranks as the fourth-largest holiday for card-giving globally, proving that millions still love sharing heartfelt, handwritten messages with their dads. (Representative Image: Pexels)