Show Your Love for Dad This Father's Day!

At The Happiness Box, we celebrate all holidays throughout the year. We love to take the opportunity to show our love at any time in the year. The next big holiday is Father's Day. We love dad's and love to show our appreciation, so why not purchase them a gift for Father's Day?

Father's Day is a great opportunity to show our love and appreciation for our dad's, or those that we see as dads. There is no better way to show your love and appreciation, than getting them a gift for Father's Day. Whatever the gift, we believe a gift for Father's Day perfectly shows how thankful we are for the dads in our life.

This year, Father's Day is on the 19th of June, so don't forget!

To purchase a gift for Father's Day, or to find another giftbox for you, explore our website or contact us on contact@thehappinessbox.co.uk.

The History of Father's Day

Like some other holidays, such as Mother's Day, Father's Day changes its date, and many people may not know why.

Father's Day is a celebration that is held in many countries around the world. It is a day where sons and daughters, as well as husbands and wives, express their love and appreciation for their fathers. In some countries, Father's Day is a national holiday, while in others it is a more minor observance.

The UK actually followed the USA in celebrating Father's Day. There are a couple of origins behind why it is now a mainstream holiday.

Sonora Smart Dodd

The first Father's Day was a more sombre affair, as it was a response to a mining accident that had killed 362 men in 1909. In West Virginia, a church service held in honour of the fathers was organised by a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, whose father had raised her and her five siblings after her mother died. She wanted to do something to honour all the fathers who had sacrificed their lives.

However, the church did not celebrate Father's Day after this, so it seems to have a stronger link to the incident itself, rather than striving for a national holiday.

So, Dodd decided to make it her mission to establish a Father's Day. Dodd petitioned her local community and government to change this. Originally, she wanted Father's Day to be on June 5th, which was her own father's birthday, as a way of honouring him. However, this date did not gain much traction.

Washington State celebrated Father's Day in June 1910. It then slowly started to spread around the US, but struggled to gain traction as outdated ideals suggested men did not care about recognition and presents like mothers did.

World War 2

That all seemed to change in World War II, when advertisers grabbed an opportunity to use Father’s Day to promote the troops out on the field. The holiday became a way to show support for fathers who were fighting overseas, and it slowly gained more traction as a result. People would send loved ones a care package or a gift for Father’s Day to show their love and support. Unsurprisingly, this was also part of propaganda towards the war effort and swaying the American population in supporting their fight against the Axis powers. Hence, by the time the war was over, Father's Day was very popular nationwide as people wanted to show support for their fathers and country.

President Richard Nixon

Father's Day wasn't always a national holiday. It started out as a more localised event, celebrated in a few states in the US. However, it slowly gained more traction and popularity. President Richard Nixon finally declared Father's Day a national holiday in 1972 when he signed it into law during his re-election campaign. It is hard not to see this as propaganda for Nixon's race for re-election, however it provided the American population with the opportunity to celebrate their fathers.

Mother's and Father's Day?

In the 1930s, there was a campaign in America to join Mother's Day and Father's Day together for one day of celebration. However, this was quickly dismissed as local economies saw a large boost from people buying gifts and cards on two separate occasions rather than one.

We believe that this is a relief as it allows us to show our appreciation to each parent separately!

Father's Day in the UK

Father's Day officially became a national holiday in the UK after Nixon's announcement, though it was celebrated unofficially for many years before that. It is always held on the third Sunday of June. This is because, back in the Victorian era, children would often have to work on Sundays. So, Mothering Sunday (which is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent) became a day when children could visit their mothers and take them a small gift.

Therefore, to replicate Mother's Day, Father's Day is celebrated on a Sunday as it is now a time when many families are together.

Father's Day Around the World

Father's Day is a far newer phenomenon than Mother's Day. Therefore, there tends to be variations on when it is celebrated. The majority of countries celebrate Father's Day on the third Sunday in June, but a number of countries have their own special days for dads

Other countries have different days throughout the year. For example, Australia celebrates it on the first Sunday of September, while New Zealand marks the occasion on the first Sunday of November. Additionally, a number of countries, including Argentina, Italy, Spain, Portugal and France, have a day for fathers but it isn't considered a national holiday

In Thailand Father's Day is always celebrated on the 5th of December. This is in memorial of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who's birthday was on the 5th of December. King Bhumibol was considered the Father of Thailand and was idolised among many from the country. Father's Day is now celebrated as part of a memorial to King Bhumibol, showing Father figures across Thailand appreciation by presenting a Canna flower as a gift for Father's Day.

Father's Day with The Happiness Box

At The Happiness Box, we love to celebrate our dads. By purchasing a gift for Father's Day, we believe that we can show our appreciation on such a special occasion. However, this does not necessarily have to be your dad. We believe a 'Dad' is anyone that we believe has shown the qualities you believe to be important to you. Whether it is your dad, step-dad, mother, or anyone else, we believe that surprising them with a gift for Father's Day is the perfect way to show your love and appreciation.

To find a gift for Father's Day, explore our website or contact us on contact@thehappinessbox.co.uk.