When Is Father's Day?

Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June, so the numerical date differs from year to year. However, since Father's Day is an official U.S. holiday, the date is usually listed on calendars. The date is also prominently featured on commercials and in-store advertising to remind consumers to buy presents for the father in their life.

Father's Day in Other Countries

Not every country has an officially recognized day to honor fathers, but many do. Fifty countries other than the U.S. celebrate Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June, including:

Argentina
France
Greece
Japan
Zimbabwe

That makes the third Sunday in June the most popular date for Father's Day around the world; but, it is by no means the only date.

Many Middle Eastern countries celebrate on the fixed date of June 21st.
On the Scandinavian Peninsula, Father's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of November.
Much of Oceania observes the holiday on the first Sunday of September.

History of Father's Day

In 1909, just a few years after Anna Jarvis originated the holiday celebrating mothers, a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd decided that fathers needed recognition as well.

Dodd's mother died giving birth to her sixth child, so her father raised her and her five siblings by himself. June was chosen because Dodd's father had his birthday during that month, and June 19, 1910 was the first Father's Day, supported mainly by local religious leaders.

Observance of the holiday spread across the country, and President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed it a national holiday in 1966. The timing was fixed in 1972, making the third Sunday in June Father's Day.

Although the holiday was originally championed by religious leaders, it has become commercialized, and it is now traditional to give fathers cards and gifts on Father's Day.

Ideas for Father's Day Gifts

Fathers can be difficult to shop for, particularly as they get older and have had a long life in which to accumulate lots of stuff. Chances are good that your father does not need another tie.

Golf and Fishing Gifts

Gift stores often suggest golf- and fishing-themed items, such as monogrammed golf balls or an electronic fish finder. If your father is a golfer or recreational fisherman, then those are good presents indeed. But the rest of us may need to look a little harder.

New Fathers

A good gift for a new father is music that both he and the baby will enjoy. They Might Be Giants has a whole series of children's music, or choose a children's artist with a rocking sensibility, like Justin Roberts or Dan Zanes.

Career-Oriented Fathers

For fathers at the height of their careers, electronics and office accessories can make good gifts.

If you have a very big budget, get him an iPad or an iPod.
For a more reasonable budget, get him a cool accessory for the electronics he already has, such as a charging station or an indestructible keyboard.
For a tiny budget, get him an app from the App store.

Humerous-themed office supplies, such as file folders labeled "Wasted Paper" and "Dead Trees" are great if your dad has a sense of humor about his work.

If none of these ideas are appealing, set aside a day from your busy schedule to do something with your dad that he will enjoy. Take him to a sporting event or a trade show, to the beach or to an amusement park.

Memories of good times spent together will be worth more in the long run than yet another pair of cuff links or slippers.

Plan Ahead to Celebrate Dad

Don't wait until June to start planning your Father's Day. Start thinking about what to do for your dad right after Mother's Day, and you'll be all set come the third Sunday in June.