Father’s Day is just around the corner and a lot of families are preparing special ways to pamper their fathers on this holiday. Some may serve him breakfast in bed; others may give him a gift and his favorite dessert at dinner. No matter how a family celebrates this day, each and every one goes above and beyond to make Dad feel great. Father’s Day is celebrated all around the world each year on different days in a variety of different customs and traditions. How do you celebrate this holiday? Do you do anything special? We want to know.
Father’s Day in Mexico
How does Mexico celebrate Father’s Day? Mexico celebrates this holiday in much the same way that Americans do, but on a grander, more festive scale. Mexican holidays are always special events, rich with culture and tradition. Father’s Day, known in Mexico as “Día del Padre,” is no exception. Mexicans express gratitude and appreciation not only for their fathers, but also for the father figures in their lives—grandfathers, stepfathers, uncles, big brothers and other men who have been like a father to them. Mexicans celebrate their dads in a variety of ways, including the giving of gifts, flowers, and greeting cards. Many Mexicans also celebrate Father’s Day with “Carrera Día del Padre 21K Bosque de Tlalpan,” an annual runner’s race that takes place in Mexico City.
Father’s Day usually includes a huge early morning feast of traditional homemade food, including all of the father’s favorite dishes. The meal is often finished with traditional Mexican chocolates or pan dulce, Mexican sweet bread iced with colorful, decorative toppings. Although Father’s Day is not a national holiday in Mexico, the public observes the special occasion with various parties and festivities that vary from region to region. “Día del Padre” honors all fathers throughout Mexico, and Mexicans commemorate the day with food, gifts, music and dancing, love and appreciation for the special men who impact their lives the most.
Father’s Day in India
Father’s Day is a rather new trend in India. Father’s day is really gaining ground in the cities of Indai, where people are more receptive towards western culture, and have been celebrating it for about ten years. The idea of honoring dads on this particular day is appreciated by millions of Indians, who observe it on the third Sunday of June every year. On this day, children celebrate their fathers and give them various gifts. They also express love to people whom they consider father figures. Though Father’s Day celebrations are more pronounced in urban centers of India, many people in smaller towns and remote areas are also slowly catching up with the concept.
Children in India also make it a point to spoil their fathers with various tokens of love during the holiday. Gifts ranging from expensive accessories to flowers can be found in Indian markets. Popular gifts include cards, bouquets, watches, and bottles of wine. Indian families also give their dads neckties! Most Indian families generally prefer celebrating by dining in restaurants or going out for a family picnic or a movie. Cultural shows are also organized in various schools and clubs to honor dads on this special day.
Father’s Day in Germany
Father’s Day in Germany is celebrated on May 9th and is different from other parts of the world. It is always celebrated on Ascension Day (the Thursday forty days after Easter), which is a federal holiday. Originally, during the middle Ages, Father’s Day was a religious celebration to honor God the Father. While in many countries the Father’s Day ritual involves cards and small gifts like a new pair of socks — with breakfast in bed if the father is especially lucky — the Germans have turned it into a true holiday for the country’s men.
Regionally, it is also called men’s day, Männertag, or gentlemen’s day, Herrentag. It is tradition to do a males-only hiking tour with one or more smaller wagons, Bollerwagen, pulled by manpower. In the wagons are wine, beer, or schnapps and traditional regional food, Hausmannskost. For most, the day is just a good excuse to get together with friends. These traditions are probably rooted in Christian Ascension Day’s processions to the farmlands, some of which reportedly started as early as the 17th century.
Father’s Day in the United States
The idea of Father’s Day was created by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June was chosen for the first Father’s Day celebration, June 17, 1910. The first presidential proclamation honoring fathers was issued in 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Father’s Day has been celebrated annually since 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed the public law that made it permanent.
Statistically it is shown that more calls are made during Mother’s Day than Father’s Day each year in the United States, but that does not mean we value our dads any less! Rather than the bigger gestures we make for our mothers every May in the U.S., a typical gift for fathers on this day includes things like power tools, gift cards, or small articles of clothing like ties or socks. Along with these little gifts families usually treat their fathers to dinner or spend the day doing his favorite activities. There is no limit on what you can do! Whether the gesture is big or small, Americans take time out of their day to make the holiday special.
Sources: Wikipedia, Father’s Day, Made Man, Living in Germany
