Father’s Day is Every Day!
Origins of Father’s Day
The first known celebration of Father's Day in the United States occurred in Spokane, Washington, in 1910, initiated by Sonora Smart Dodd. Dodd's father, William Jackson Smart, was a Civil War veteran and a single parent who raised six children. Inspired by Mother's Day celebrations, Dodd proposed a day to honor fathers like her own. Due to the fear of its commercialization, Father’s Day was not officially recognized as a national holiday in the United States until 1972, when U.S. President Richard Nixon signed it into law. Other celebrations honoring fathers have been occurring as far back as the Middle Ages (See Italy’s Saint Joseph’s Day below).
Father’s Day Around Our World
United States
Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. In 2024, Father’s Day will be on June 16th.
Many Americans call their fathers “Dad.” (English) #TopTenSpokenWorld
Canada
Same as the United States, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year in Canada.
Many Canadians call their fathers “Dad.” (English) #TopTenSpokenWorld
India
Same as the United States and Canada, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year in India, although it is not widely celebrated.
Many Indians call their fathers “Paapa.” [पापा] [Hindi] #TopTenSpokenWorld
Japan
Same as the United States and Canada, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year in Japan.
Many Japanese call their fathers “Otōsan.’ [お父さん] (Japanese)
Palestine
Father’s Day is not widely celebrated as a separate holiday in Palestine.
Many Palestinians call their fathers “'Ab.” [أب] (Arabic) #TopTenSpokenWorld
Portugal
Same as Italy, Father’s Day has been celebrated on March 19th, also known as Saint Joseph’s (San Giuseppe) Day each year in Portugal. It is more focused on honoring fathers within the context of the family and community rather than the gift-giving often associated with some Father’s Day holidays.
Many Portuguese call their fathers “Pai.” (Portuguese) #TopTenSpokenWorld
Tanazania
Father’s Day is not widely celebrated in Tanzania, but is observed by some in urban areas influenced by Western traditions.
Many Tanzanians call their fathers “Baba.” (Swahili)
#TopTenSpokenWorld
Australia
Father’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September each year in Australia.
Many Australians call their fathers, “Dad.” (English) #TopTenSpokenWorld
China
Same as the United States and Canada, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year in China, although it is not widely celebrated.
Many Chinese call their fathers “Bàba.” [爸爸](Mandarin) #TopTenSpokenWorld
Israel
Father’s Day is not widely celebrated as a holiday in Israel. Fathers are honored on Family Day, which takes place on the 15th day of Hebrew month of Av, typically in late July or early August.
Many Israelis call their fathers “Abba.” [אַבָּא] (Hebrew)
Mexico
Same as the United States and Canada, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year in Mexico.
Many Mexicans call their fathers “Papá.” (Spanish) #TopTenSpokenWorld
Philippines
Same as the United States and Canada, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year in the Philippines.
Many Filipinos call their fathers “Tatay.” (Tagalog) #TopTenSpokenUSA
Russia
Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of October each year in Russia.
Many Russians call their fathers “Papa.” [папа] (Russian) #TopTenSpokenWorld
United Kingdom
Same as the United States and Canada, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year in the United Kingdom.
Many British call their fathers “Dad.” (English) #TopTenSpokenWorld
Bangladesh
Father’s Day is not widely celebrated in Bangladesh.
Many Bangladeshis call their fathers “Bābā.” [বাবা] (Bengali/Bangla) #TopTenSpokenWorld
France
Same as the United States, Canada and China, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year in France.
Many French call their fathers “Papa.” (French) #TopTenSpokenWorld
Italy
Same as Portugal, Father’s Day has been celebrated on March 19th, also known as Saint Joseph’s (San Giuseppe) Day each year in Italy since the Middle Ages. It is more focused on honoring fathers within the context of the family and community rather than the gift-giving often associated with some Father’s Day holidays.
Many Italians call their fathers “Papà.” (Italian)
Pakistan
Same as the United States and Canada, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year in Pakistan.
Many Pakistanis call their fathers “Waalid.” [والد] (Urdu) #TopTenSpokenWorld
Poland
Father’s Day, also known as Dzień Ojca, is celebrated on June 23rd each year in Poland.
Many Polish call their fathers “Tata.” (Polish) #TopTenSpokenUSA
South Korea
Instead of Father’s Day, South Koreans celebrate “Parents Day” on May 8th every year in South Korea.
Many South Koreans call their fathers, “Appa.” [아빠] (Korean) #TopTenSpokenUSA
Vietnam
Same as the United States and Canada, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year in the Vietnam. Fathers are also honored as part of many other holidays in Vietnam.
Many Vietnamese call their fathers “Bố.” (Vietnamese) #TopTenSpokenUSA
Ideas to Honor Our Fathers
We queried ChatGPT about policies that best support fathers and families… a few areas to pay attention to in your village:
Paternal, Maternal and Child Healthcare Access and Quality
Paternity and Maternity Leave
Childcare Support
Gender Equality
Education Opportunities
Work-Life Balance
Or, find and support a direct mutual aid initiative in your village that supports fathers and their families.
Or, in our own homes, perhaps for each birthday, we can center our mothers and fathers in our celebrations, because, in reality, in many cases, they did the hard work that day, and each day there after…
Related Say ¿Qué? Designs: Top Spoken Languages
Dad (World)
From our first words to our first loves, Dad, Papa, Baba, Waalid, will always be special. Our Say ¿Qué? designs celebrate Dads in top languages spoken around the world.
English <♡> Mandarin <♡> Hindi <♡> Spanish <♡> French <♡> Arabic <♡> Bengali <♡> Portuguese <♡> Russian <♡> Urdu <♡> Swahili
#TopTenSpokenWorld
More translations of “DAD” based on top languages spoken in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and Canada are displayed below.
More Say ¿Qué? Designs Available on TeePublic
Thank you [Xièxiè (谢谢), Dhanyavaad (धन्यवाद), Gracias, Merci, Shkran lak (شكرًا لك), Dhan'yabāda (ধন্যবাদ), Obrigado, Spasibo (Спасибо), Shukriya (شکریہ), Asante) for reading!
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