Honoring Fathers

                                    

This upcoming weekend, most of us will be celebrating Father’s Day. In 1909, after attending a Mother’s Day Sermon, Ms. Sonora Dodd had the idea of celebrating fathers with a special day. Her own father, William Jackson Smart, single-handedly raised Sonora and five of her siblings after her mother died during childbirth. She thought that if there is a day to honor mothers, then there should be one to honor fathers, too.

She set out to make her idea a reality. Her determination resulted in the Mayor of Spokane, Washington, proclaiming the first Father’s Day as June 19, 1910—exactly 112 years to the day the forthcoming Father’s Day will be celebrated.

However, it wasn’t until 1972 that President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day on the third Sunday of June. It’s been celebrated annually ever since.

How will you celebrate Father’s Day this year? I recently read that instead of giving the gift of something, like a tie, the gift of experience is more meaningful. So if you’re stumped for ideas, here are some suggestions:

Celebrate around food—take Dad to brunch, go on a picnic at a favorite location or have a backyard barbecue.

Celebrate with an activity. Take Dad to a ballgame or comedy club. Go for a bike ride or take a hike. Pack up your fishing gear, wet a line, and enjoy an afternoon of togetherness.

If your Father enjoys helping others, it could be nice to celebrate Father’s Day by contributing to or volunteering as a family for a charity that means a lot to him.

And if none of these appeals to you, there’s always rest and relaxation. Some families are just too busy; they never take time to relax. The perfect activity can actually be no activity. Spend a day just relaxing and doing nothing. Get take-out food for lunch or dinner. Watch movies on television. Just enjoy the day and celebrate the wonderful father you have in your life!