The History of Father's Day

The first celebration of Father's Day took place on july 5, 1908. Although there are a very, very few people who are still living who was born on that date, I doubt very much they were old enough to remember this occasion in their young lives. This celebration took place in West Virginia. This very first celebration took place at William Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church in West Virginia. This church is now known as Central United Methodist Church. Grace Golden Claytonis the lady who suggested it to her pastor after a deadly explosion in nearby Monongah in December killed over 300 men. We can thank this lovely lady for allowing us to remember Father's Day as we do Mother's Day.

There is another lady during this era who also recognized that there should be a Father's Day in the same way as we celebrate Mother's Day. This lady is Sonora Smart Dodd. After the death of her mother, Sonora and her siblings were raised by their father, William Jackson Smart, who was a Civil War Veteran. Sonora wanted to show how thankful she was to her father, and because he was born in June, she wanted to have the first Father's Day celebrated on June 19, 1910.

In 1924, President Coolidge recommended that Father's Day become a national holiday. President johnson desgnated the third Sunday of June to be Father's Day as a national observance. I wonder how many people know what the official flower is for Father's Day. Roses are the official flower on Father's Day as a national observance. The red rose stood for fathers who were still living and the white rose represented the fathers who had passed away.

Although we do not have a difficult time trying to find a Mother's Day gift, it is sometimes difficult to think of a Father's Day gift. Here are some ideas you can get at Sears at discount prices. Craftsman gloves and tool bags make a good gift. On the personal side, you can get 50% off the following items at Sears: Covington's pocket tee shirts, or Men's Covingyon Twill shorts also 50% off the regular price of $26.00. Whatever you decide to do, enjoy a wonderful day with your dad or husband on Father's Day.