Happy Father's Day

Happy Father’s Day!!!  
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Father’s Day is celebrated in the US, the United Kingdom and many countries around the world on the 3rd Sunday in June.  
 
“It is not flesh and blood, but the heart which makes us fathers and sons or daughters.” -Johann Friedrich Von Schiller
 
On Father’s Day we honor fathers, father figures, step-fathers, fathers-in-law, grandfathers or great grand-fathers.  We celebrate any male figure that has made a significant contribution to a child’s life.  Being a father is not about biology- Love is all you need to be a good father figure! ​

Strangely enough, it’s a rather modern holiday.

Monika: Wonderful Father figures in my life. I love all these guys. Left to right My Dad, Uncle Pat, Uncle Eddie, brother Gene, Uncle Frank.

The first observed Father’s Day was in 1908. It was to commemorate fathers who lost their lives in a terrible mine collapse in West Virginia.  
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In 1919 Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington.  It was started by Sonara Smart Dodd.  Her father, Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, raised 6 children by himself.  

​His daughter believed that if there was a Mother’s Day, then there should be a Father’s Day.  She spent many years spreading the word and celebrating this holiday to commemorate her Dad. 
 
Father’s Day did not really catch on till after WWII.  People were distrustful of it and thought that it was a ploy of the gift industry to get people to spend their hard-earned money.  As years passed after the war, commemorating fathers seemed to become a more popular idea. 

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​Making it a holiday
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*1916 - President Woodrow Wilson tried to establish Father’s Day as a recurring holiday but was defeated.  

*1924 - President Calvin Coolidge tried also to make Father’s Day a national holiday.  No go.

*1966 - President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the 1st Presidential proclamation honoring fathers and designating the 3rd Sunday of June as Father’s Day. 
*1972 President Richard M. Nixon signed Father’s Day into law and made it a permanent national holiday. 
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Interesting ways to Celebrate
 
Gifts 
*Greeting cards
*Phone calls
*Sports items
*Clothing
*Electronics 
*Tools
 
Celebrations
*Barbecues or a Party
*Special Church Services
*Trips to Cemeteries
 

Monika: Dad and Mom 1980's

Interesting Facts about Father’s Day:
 
*As of 2016 there are over 70 million dads in the U.S., with over 190,000 stay-at-home Dads. That is a lot of Dads to celebrate with, not even including adoptive Dads, or Dads who have passed away.  That is really quite a lot of celebrating- the Holiday Chicks love to celebrate!!!!!
 
*1967 Frank Sinatra and his daughter, Nancy Sinatra recorded the song “Something Stupid.” They were the 1st father - daughter team to reach number one on the billboard charts.  
 

​*In 1963 before he was assassinated, President John F. Kennedy was nominated Father of the Year by the National Father’s Day Committee.  He had two children Caroline (1957) and John (1960.)

*My Hubby says Father's Day is an official day to display your U.S. Flag. Go and fly the stars and stripes. 
 
Take time to thank the men who have influenced your life in positive ways!

Happy Father's Day to All from the Holiday Chicks.  

​Happy Father's Day Pop! I'll be playing some Frank Sinatra today for your enjoyment in heaven.  I love you.  You were a wonderful Father.    

​-  Monika

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Barbara: My dad, Walter

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​Barbara here.  Thanks, Monika for this lovely post  I just want to add my Happy Father's Day wishes as well and pay tribute to my own dad, Walter, who crossed in 2018.  Here is an excerpt of something I wrote about him:
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"Dad was a kind, gentle man who valued education, taught us good sportsmanship, and took us to all kinds of events and locations that had historical merit (I based a travel show I created on going to those types of places with my family). 

Dad welcomed everyone, regardless of where they were from, what they looked like, and what they had - and if they didn’t have much, he was first to help in whatever way he could, even if it meant he would then go without. He was a generous soul who gave things to others for the joy of it, not because he ever expected (or wanted) anything in return. 

Dad had a deep love for family and animals. Everyone who knew him loved him. Once when my daughter was four, we went to Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole near Lake Placid, NY. During our chat with Santa, my father’s name somehow came up and Santa happily went on to tell me what a great guy my dad was! It turned out they had known each other in some capacity I now forget, but Santa clearly thought the world of my dad. That's the kind of man he was."

​- Barbara 🙃

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