This may come as a surprise to many, but Father's Day - that one specific day of the year we all agree should be spent on honoring our fathers - is actually the result of one woman's decades-long struggle to get fathers the recognition they deserve. And it wasn't easy.
Efforts to acknowledge fathers' role in our lives with a special day were attempted over the decades. For example, in 1907, a mining disaster killed 362 men and left more than a thousand children fatherless. One of those fatherless daughters wanted to commemorate these fathers and enlisted the help of a local Methodist minister to do it. The intention was to birth a movement honoring fathers that would, hopefully, catch fire across the country. But unfortunately, this dream was not realized then.
Then, a woman named Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington reenergized the movement after she heard a Mother's Day sermon by Reverend Dr. Henry Rasmussen. It became clear to her that fathers deserved as much honor as mothers and should therefore have their own day of celebration. Since her father was a Civil War veteran who raised her and her five brothers and sisters as a single parent, she felt confident she could lead the way.
Through a series of meetings with the Spokane YMCA and a petition calling for an annual celebration, Spokane, Washington, had its first Father's Day celebration on Sunday, June 19, 1910 thanks to Dodd. And it is because of this date, which was the third Sunday in June, we continue to celebrate Father's Day on the third Sunday in June each year. Still, it wasn't a national movement.
Woodrow Wilson, who had made Mother's Day a national celebration, liked the Father's Day idea too but couldn't get Congress to pass it for fear it would steal the fire from Mothers, and cause more harm than good.
Unrelenting, Dodd took her idea on the road and spoke to father's groups across America, only to be told, "A national fishing day would be better." Other attempts were made to combine the two days into a single "Parent's Day" but couldn't sustain support. As many times as it was presented before Congress, it was shot down.
It wasn't until 50 years later in 1966, when Lyndon Johnson came into office, that the third Sunday in June was recognized as Father's Day by Executive Order. And it wasn't until Richard Nixon signed an official proclamation that it became widely celebrated.
So, apparently, we've had struggled to give fathers their due. But here at Arriving in Style Gifts, we never had that problem. Instead, we have Dads on our minds, especially during this time of year, and have designed Dad-worthy gift baskets to show the father or father figure in your life that he is the center of your attention; not just every third Sunday in June, but every day of the year.
Here are a few of our gift boxes that will make Dad feel special on his special day:
Cocktails Anyone
Supreme Snacker
Wine and Cheese Lovers Box
Thanks A Million
Taking Care of Business
Chocolate Bliss
So show Dad you love him with something he's guaranteed to love, too! And make this Father's Day the best day ever, with Stepping Out In Style Gifts!