Where Father’s Day Came From — and Why We Celebrate It in June

Where Father’s Day Came From — and Why We Celebrate It in June

Written by: Jeff Duyvesteijn

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Published on

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Time to read 3 min

Every year, in mid-June, millions of us pause — maybe not for long, but just enough — to send a message, write a card, or pick up the phone to say: Thanks, Dad.

It’s a familiar ritual. But the story behind Father’s Day is probably less well known than you think.

It started with one daughter

The first person to seriously campaign for Father’s Day wasn’t a politician or a priest — it was a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd , living in Spokane, Washington, in the early 1900s.

Her mother had died young, and her father — a Civil War veteran named William Jackson Smart — had raised Sonora and her five siblings by himself. In 1909, after hearing a sermon about Mother’s Day (which had just been introduced), Sonora had a simple question: why wasn’t there a day for dads too?

She proposed the idea at her local church, and the following year — on June 19, 1910 — Spokane held what’s widely considered the first Father’s Day celebration.

In the Netherlands, knutselen voor Vaderdag is a cherished ritual. From painted mugs to toilet roll trophies, these handmade gifts say more than any store-bought present ever could.

Why June?

Sonora had originally suggested the date of the 5th June , her father’s birthday, but the organisers needed more time to prepare. So it was moved to the third Sunday in June , and the tradition stuck.

It wasn’t official, though — not for a long time. While the idea caught on in small pockets of the U.S., many people dismissed it as too commercial, or too sentimental. Mother’s Day had been framed as a noble tribute to sacrifice and care. Father’s Day? That took a bit more convincing.

Over the years, presidents from Calvin Coolidge to Lyndon B. Johnson supported the idea. But it wasn’t until 1972 , under President Richard Nixon , that Father’s Day was finally made a national holiday in the U.S.

Why do other countries celebrate on different days?

While the American version spread to many countries, not everyone followed the U.S. calendar.

In places like Spain, Italy, and Portugal , Father’s Day is celebrated on March 19 , also known as the Feast of Saint Joseph — the husband of Mary and a symbol of fatherhood in Catholic tradition.

Australia and New Zealand observe it on the first Sunday of September , possibly because June is mid-winter in the Southern Hemisphere and September offers better weather for family gatherings and outdoor activities (though there’s no official reason — it was likely chosen for commercial or seasonal reasons).

Other countries, like Thailand , tie Father’s Day to the birthday of a royal figure (King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in this case), while Germany has its own unique version tied to Ascension Day, involving beer, hiking, and sometimes questionable decision-making.

In Germany, Father’s Day often looks more like a pub crawl than a picnic.
Think wagons of beer, countryside hikes, and a celebration of male camaraderie — not necessarily fatherhood.

Some countries take it in very unexpected directions

While many countries mark Father’s Day with heartfelt messages or family lunches, others take a more unconventional route. In Germany , Vatertag falls on Ascension Day and is often celebrated by groups of men pulling wagons full of beer into the countryside for a day of drinking and revelry — more lads’ trip than family dinner. In Nepal , it’s a deeply spiritual day called Gokarna Aunsi, where people honour their fathers with gifts or, if their fathers have passed, perform sacred rituals at a temple. Thailand links Father’s Day to the birthday of its late king, celebrated with yellow flowers and acts of public respect. And in Russia , the nearest equivalent is Defender of the Fatherland Day — a military holiday that now serves as a kind of unofficial Father’s Day, with men receiving gifts regardless of parental status. No matter where you are, the spirit is the same: a moment to reflect on what fatherhood — and masculinity — means in that culture.

More than a date

Regardless of when or where it’s celebrated, Father’s Day isn’t really about the calendar . It’s about presence. Guidance. The kind of love that doesn’t always announce itself — but is steady, and dependable, and often quietly transformative.

That’s what Sonora Smart Dodd wanted to honour. Not just her dad, but what he represented: a man who showed up, day after day, without needing praise — but deserving it all the same.

For us, it's personal

At For Youth , Father’s Day isn’t just a date on the calendar — it’s part of our origin story. Our co-founder Jeff grew up watching his dad fix things, build things, and quietly show what it meant to take responsibility. That mindset — of taking matters into your own hands, of ageing on your own terms — is what shaped this company. We wrote a personal reflection about Jeff’s father and how his legacy still drives what we do today. If you're curious, you can read it here 👇.