Father’s Day
By Sharon Schweitzer
We hold an incredibly special place in our hearts for our fabulous fathers and we observe with intrigue as cultures worldwide celebrate father figures. U.S. Americans prepare to honor fathers, father-figures, and male role-models on Sunday, June 16th, 2024, and we share the unique traditions of ten countries celebrating in different months:
Czech Republic: Father’s Day is a newer celebration in this nation, with the holiday’s growing popularity over the last decade credited to beer company Pilsner Urquell. Since 2011, this “fore-father” of Pilsner style beers has commemorated Father’s Day with special 1-liter bottles annually.
Finland: Finnish fathers have been honored on the second Sunday of November since the1950s. An official flag-raising holiday, families participate in dad’s favorite activities, offering himhome-made cards and gifts, and sharing messages of love and appreciation.
France: La Fête des Pèresis observed on the third Sunday of June and gained popularity after an advertising campaign marketed lighters as the perfect gift. Today, the briquets are replaced by drawings or small gifts, and children spend the day showing dad they love him.
Germany: Father’s Day is observed on Ascension Day, the 40th day of Easter. Children offerspecial cards and gifts to their fathers. One unique German tradition includes family hikes, andpicnics with dad’s favorite food and drink.
Italy: Italy celebrates St. Joseph’s Day, orSan Giuseppeon March 19th. Celebrations include street parades, feasts of zeppole,frittelle, and bonfires with friends and family. In parts of Italy,towns hold donkey races as a symbol of Joseph leading Mary to Bethlehem on this creature.
Luxembourg: In this tiny country, fathers are important. While Father’s Day is not an official public holiday, that does not stop school children from making presents in class and learning the‘Pappendag Song’: “Haut ass den daug /wou mir eise Pappen /alles Guddes wenschen /Geneisst et / a loostteich feieren!” (Today is the day / where we are our fathers / wish you all the best / Enjoy it / and let me celebrate!)
Mexico: El Dia del Padreis celebrated on June’s third Sunday. Children honor their fathers by spending time doing dad’s favorite hobbies, gifting handwritten letters, or cooking meals. ManyMexicans walk or run the 21-kilometer race in Mexico City, the“Carrera Día del Padre 21KBosque de Tlalpan” for unique bonding.
South Africa: Father’s Day is accompanied by a delectable indigenous feast of bobotie(a rich meat pie),biltong(salted, curated meat), and boerewors(grilled sausage). Families participate in street performances, games, sports tournaments, and concerts countrywide.
Spain: Celebrated on March 19, St. Joseph’s Day, honoring the saint’s fatherhood example.Children wake dad with homemade breakfast and spend a family day enjoying dad’s favorite activities. Kids or spouses give a toast or short speech about their beloved father figures.
Thailand: Fathers are worshiped on December 5, the birthday of belovedKing BhumibolAdulyadej. The Thai King annually addresses his citizens. Fathers and grandfathers are honored with Canna flowers.
Father’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate to your father figures that they are appreciated and cherished. To all grandfathers, dads, uncles, and brothers who guide us andshow us unconditional love, Happy Father’s Day!
Here are some fun facts about Father’s Day for the United States.
- Father’s Day was founded on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington at the YMCA by Sonora Smart Dodd to honor her father, Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, for all his efforts as a single parent raising his six children.
- It wasn’t until 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed into law a permanent recognition of Father’s Day.
- According to Hallmark, Father’s Day is the fourth-largest card-sending occasion with 72 million cards given every year.
- Census data shows there are more than 70.1 million dads in the U.S.
- Two million fathers are single.
- More than 214,000 men are stay-at-home dads. In the 1970s, only 6 men identified as stay-at-home fathers.
- Today’s fathers spend double the amount of time they spent with their kids in 1989, and almost triple the amount of time with their kids as fathers did back in 1965.
Photo by wesleychoice.org/12-interesting-facts-about-fathers-day/
Sharon Schweitzer JD, is a diversity and inclusion consultant, cross-cultural trainer, etiquette expert, and the founder of Access to Culture. In addition to her accreditation in intercultural management from the HOFSTEDE Centre, she is an attorney and mediator. Sharon served as a Chinese Ceremonial Dining Etiquette Specialist in the documentary series Confucius was a Foodie, on Nat Geo People. Her Amazon #1 Best Selling book in International Business, Access to Asia: Your Multicultural Business Guide, won a coveted Kirkus Star, and was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books. She’s a winner of numerous awards, including the British Airways International Trade Award at the Greater Austin Business Awards.
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