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====Early History====It is purported that the earliest celebration of a father dates to about 4,000 years ago, to ancient Babylon, where a boy, named Elmesu, created a type of card for his father out of clay that wished his father good health and a long life. While this might not relate to any special day celebrating fathers, it could suggest occasions may have been selected, perhaps without a specific calendar date, where fathers would be given well wishes from their children.<ref>For more on the card from Elmesu, see: Colo, Alfred. (2012). <i>American Holidays</i>. Xlibris Corporation, pg. 50. </ref>

It In early Christian tradition, Saint Joseph, Jesus' father, was celebrated on March 19th (Figure 1). Some have speculated that the date was selected because it falls near March 20th, which is purported that the earliest celebration equinox. The Sun may have been celebrated in parts of a father dates to about 4,000 years agoEurope around that time, prior to ancient Babylonthe arrival of Christianity, where and a boy, named Elmesu, created a type fatherly figure was equated with the sun. Joseph may have replaced the importance of card for his father out the sun during the conversion of clay that wished him good health and a long lifeEuropeans. While However, this might connection is not relate to clear or agreed upon. In any special day celebrating fatherscase, it could suggest occasions may have been selectedthe celebration of Joseph, perhaps without a specific calendar dateboth in European Catholic tradition, where fathers would be given well wishes from their children.<ref>For more on and that in the card from ElmesuMiddle East, see: Colosuch as through the Coptic and Orthodox churches, Alfredequated fatherhood with that of Joseph. (2012)Saint Joseph was celebrated for nurturing Jesus in his youth. <i>American Holidays</i>. Xlibris CorporationThus, fatherhood was seen as an important role to celebrate for its nourishment, spiritually and in sustenance, pg. 50for children raised. </ref>

In early Christian tradition, Saint Joseph, Jesus' father, was celebrated on March 19th (Figure 1). Some have speculated that the date was selected because it falls near March 20th, which is the equinox. The Sun may have been celebrated in parts of Europe around that time, prior to the arrival of Christianity, and a fatherly figure was equated with the sun. Joseph may have replaced the importance of the sun during the conversion of Europeans. However, this connection is not clear or agreed upon. In any case, the celebration of Joseph, both in European Catholic tradition, and that in the Middle East, such as through the Coptic and Orthodox churches, equated fatherhood with that of Joseph. Saint Joseph was celebrated for nurturing Jesus in his youth. Thus, fatherhood was seen as an important role to celebrate for its nourishment, spiritually and in sustenance, for children raised. The tradition of celebrating Saint Joseph was spread throughout areas Spanish explorers went, particularly the New World. Some Catholic countries today have now made the celebration of Father's Day on March 19th, where the date is seen as being inspired by Saint Joseph. The Coptic church celebrates Saint Joseph on July 20th; for Egyptian Christians, July 20th is still a significant day and often is associated with celebrating fathers and fatherhood. This might date from the 5th century and could be among the earliest recorded celebrations in relation to officially celebrating fatherhood.<ref>For more on Joseph and his feast day in relation to Father's Day, see: Raman, V. (2005). <i>Variety in Religion and Science: Daily Reflections</i>. iUniverse. New Yor., pg. 234. </ref>

====Early Development in the United States====[[File:Saint Joseph with the Infant Jesus by Guido ReniFather's Day Telegram, c 1635circa 1941 (15900671863).jpg|thumbnail|left|Figure 12. Father's Day card from 1941.]]Father's Day origins in the United States derive from 1908, soon after Mother's Day was initiated by Anne Jarvis. Similar to Mother's Day, the origin relate to mourning of a loss of a father. Saint Joseph This time, it was Grace Golden Clayton, from Fairmont, West Virginia, who was associated with morning her father. However, she lost her father in a very tragic mining accident in December 1907, where 361 men died in a major incident in Monogah, West Virginia. She had asked the local pastor in Fairmont to celebrate not just her father but all fatherslost on July 5, 1908 in the mining accident. Unlike Jarvis, where he Clayton was seen as an example far less vocal and the tradition did not spread far outside of fatherhood Fairmont for some time.<ref>For more on the earliest modern Father's Day in the United States, see: Hawes, J. M., & Shores, E. F. (2001). <i>The family in bringing up JesusAmerica: an encyclopedia</i>. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO.]]</ref>

==Early Development In 1910, another woman, Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane Washington, was listening to a Mother's Day sermon when she wanted to have a Father's Day celebration. Mostly she felt mothers were getting more attention than fathers who had also sacrificed a lot or sometimes dealt with adversity in raising their children. In fact, her father was a war veteran who raised six children by himself after the death of his wife. He often worked long hours to provide for his family on his meager farm. Initially, she wanted to celebrate the day on June 5th, which was her father's birthday, but the Methodist Church she asked to preach about fathers and celebrate her father decided to make it the third Sunday of June for the official sermon and celebration on fatherhood. This created this date as the tradition in the United States==.<ref>For more on Dodd's efforts, see: Colo 2012: 49 </ref>

In the first few years after 1910, the idea of Father's Day origins in spread throughout the United States derive from 1908, soon after Mothercountry and prominent politicians such as William Jennings Bryant and members of congress proposed a bill to celebrate Father's Day in 1913. The bill was initiated slow to come to the floor and Woodrow Wilson made a new push to celebrate it officially in 1916 by Anne Jarviswanting it declared as a federal holiday. Similar to By then, however, it became evident that Mother's Day, the origin relate to mourning of had become increasingly commercialized. Congress feared it was simply making a loss of commercial holiday or benefit rather than a fatherreal holiday to celebrate fathers. This time, Members of Congress killed the proposal and the idea faded again until President Coolidge proposed it was Grace Golden Clayton, from Fairmont, West Virginia, was morning her fatherbeing celebrated by Americans in 1924. However, she lost her father Recognizing the problems with commercialism in a very tragic mining accident in December 1907Mother's Day, where 361 men died in a major incident he simply recommended people celebrate Father's Day in Monogah, West Virginiatheir own private way or with their communities. She had asked <ref>For more on the local pastor efforts in Fairmont trying to celebrate not just her father but all fathers lost on July 5make Father's Day an official holiday, see: LaRossa, 1908Ralph. (1997). Unlike Jarvis, Clayton was far less vocal <i>The Modernization of Fatherhood: A Social and the tradition did not spread far outside Political History</i>. University of Fairmont for some timeChicago. Chicago. </ref>

In 1910Meanwhile, another woman, Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane Washingtoncontinued promoting the idea of Father's Day, was listening where the third Sunday of June had become the holiday people celebrated. Similar to a Mother's Day sermon when she wanted to have , many businesses that saw a potential benefit from Father's Day celebration. Mostly she felt mothers were getting more attention than fathers who had also sacrificed a lot or sometimes dealt with adversity did begin to help Dodd in promoting Fathers Day in raising their childrenthe 1930s. In fact, her father was a war veteran who raised six children by himself after An association of businesses even formed to promote the death of his wifeholiday. He often worked long hours to provide Perhaps the Great Depression helped create incentive for his family on his meager farm. Initially, she wanted them to celebrate replicate the day on June 5thsuccess of Mother's Day by this time promoting male-oriented gifts such as pipes. However, which this was her fatherprobably off-putting to Americans who were not impressed with how Mother's birthdayDay became so commercialized or simply became fatigued. Thus, but Father's Day did not gain in much popularity in the Methodist Church she asked to preach about fathers decided to make 1930s-1940s, although it was celebrated and promoted throughout the third sunday of June for country (Figure 2).<ref>For more on the official sermon and celebration on fatherhoodearly commercialization efforts in relation to Father's Day, see: Cross, Gary. (2000). <i>An All-consuming Century: Why Commercialism Won in Modern America</i>. Columbia University Press. New York, pp.52 </ref>

In the first few years after 1910, the idea of ====Today's Father's Day spread throughout in the country and prominent politicians such as William Jennings Bryant and members of congress proposed United States====In 1957, Main Senator Margaret Smith reintroduced a bill proposal to celebrate officially celebrating Father's Day in 1913through a bill from Congress. The bill was slow to come Once again, other priorities and lack of clear benefit led to the floor and Woodrow Wilson made a new push to celebrate it officially bill being stalled. Lyndon Johnson, in 1916 by wanting it declared as a federal holiday. By then1966, however, it became evident that Motherre-energized the Father's Day had become very commercialized. Congress feared it was simply making a commercial holiday or benefit rather than a real holiday movement by proclaiming the third Sunday of June the 'official' day to celebrate fathersfatherhood in the United States. Members This time, this helped to put the issue on the agenda of Congress killed the proposal and the idea faded again until , although it still took another six years before finally President Coolidge proposed it being celebrated by Americans Nixon signed in 1924. Recognizing 1972 the problems with commercialism in Motherbill that made Father's Day, he simply recommended people celebrate a national holiday.<ref>For more on Margaret Smith's efforts and the passing of Father's Dayby Congress, see: Coleman, M. & Ganong, L.H. (2014).<i> The Social History of the American Family: An Encyclopedia</i>. SAGE Publications. </ref>

MeanwhileInterestingly, while consumers and even Congress were always wary that Father's Day would become another commercial excuse for consumerism, Dodd continued promoting , one of the idea key promoters of Father's Day, where the third Sunday of June never had become the holiday people celebrateda problem with this. Similar Unlike Jarvis, she saw that she had to use strong allies such as industry to Motherpromote her idea of Father's Day, many business otherwise it stood little chance. In effect, she felt that saw a potential benefit from it was simply realistic to expect industry to do something that benefits itself if she was going to get what she wanted and have the day she started as the official Father's Day did begin to help Dodd in promoting Fathers Day in the 1930s. Perhaps the Great Depression helped create incentive for them to replicate Although, unlike Jarvis, there was no active movement fighting the success commercialization of Father's Day, ironically it is Father's Day that is arguably today not as commercialized as Mother's Day by . There might be a few reasons for this time promoting male-oriented gifts such as pipes. HoweverPerhaps one of the biggest reasons is simply that people are fatigued with all the May spending, this was probably off-putting to Americans who were not impressed with how particularly Mother's Day became so commercializedday. ThusNevertheless, it still has developed into something of a holiday with a lot commercialism. <ref>For more on the modern economics of Father's Day did not gain in much popularity in the 1930s-1940s, although it was celebrated and promoted throughout the country (Figure 2).see: LaRossa 1997: 185 </ref>

[[File:Father's Day Telegram, circa 1941 (15900671863).jpg|thumbnail|Figure 2. Father's Day card from 1941.]] ==Today's Father's Day in the United States==Summary==== In 1957, Main Senator Margaret Smith reintroduced a proposal to officially celebrating Father's Day through a bill from Congress. Once again, other priorities Celebration and lack appreciation of clear benefit led to the bill being stalledfatherhood can be seen from records as early as 2000 BC. Lyndon Johnson, More official celebrations become evident in 1966early Christianity, however re-energized the Father's Day movement by proclaiming when Joseph was seen as the third Sunday example of June fatherhood throughout Catholic Europe and the 'official' day to celebrate fatherhood Orthodox Middle East and North Africa. Later, in the United States. This time, this helped to put the issue on the agenda new traditions formed that have since influenced most of congress, although it still took another six years before finally President Nixon signed in 1972 the bill that made Fatherworld's Day a national holiday.  Interestingly, while consumers and even Congress were always wary that Father's Day would become another commercial excuse for consumerism, Dodd, one of the key promoters celebrations of Father's Day, never had a problem with this. Unlike Jarvis, she saw that she had to use strong allies such as industry to promote her idea of Fatheralthough like Mother's Day, otherwise it stood little chancemany different dates are used. In effectthe United States, she felt that it was simply realistic to expect industry to do something the fear of commercialization that benefits itself if she was going to get what she wanted limited its early influence. It took commercial promotion and have a reawakening in the day she started as the official 1950s and 1960s that eventually put Father's Day. Today, Father's Day is arguably not in a more official path as commercialized as Mother's Day. There might be a few reasons for this. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons is simply that people are fatigued with all the May spending, particularly Mother's day. Nevertheless, it still has developed into something of a holiday with a lot commercialism.

==Summary==References==== Celebration and appreciation of fatherhood can be seen from records as early as 2000 BC. More official celebrations become evident in early Christianity, when Joseph was seen as the example of fatherhood throughout Catholic Europe and the Orthodox Middle East and North Africa. Later, in the United States, new traditions formed that have since influenced most of the world's celebrations of Father's Day, although like Mother's Day many different dates are used. In the United States, it was the fear of commercialization that limited its early influence. It took commercial promotion and a reawakening in the 1950s and 1960s that eventually put Father's Day in a more official path as a holiday.<references/>