When is Fathers Day 2024 in the UK? Origins and last minute gift ideas
10.06.2024 - 15:13
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Father's day is just around the corner, and while some people may have gifts sorted, others might still be on the hunt for something special.
In less than a week's time on June 16, which occurs on a Sunday, Father's Day 2024 will take place - the same as the US. And if you want to know next year's date to be extra prepared, it will happen on June 15, 2025.
According to Time, the origins of Father’s Day was proposed around the same time as Mother's Day in the early 20th century. It was initiated by Sonora Louise Smart Dodd, who sought to honour her father, William Smart, a Civil War veteran who single-handedly raised six children following his wife's death during childbirth.
The National Father's Day Committee notes the inaugural Father's Day celebration took place in Dodd's hometown of Spokane, Washington, in 1910. The reason for it taking place in June is because Smart's birthday was on June 5.
The tradition of celebrating this day spread to other countries, including the United Kingdom. However, it wasn't officially recognised as a holiday in the UK until much later. In fact, official recognition of Father's Day in the UK did not occur until 1972.
Postboxed says: "Even before it became an official holiday, however, Father's Day was celebrated in the UK. The day was first observed in the UK in the early 20th century, and it was initially celebrated on June 5, which is the feast day of St. Boniface, the patron saint of father."
In the UK, Mother's Day is traditionally observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent, as it was historically the day Christians visited their 'mother church', which is why it's also known as Mothering Sunday.
However, in the US and other countries, they don't necessarily associate it with religion. Many