Accra, Ghana, June 16, 2019//-Father’s Day is celebrated worldwide to recognise the contribution that fathers and father figures make to the lives of their children. The day celebrates fatherhood and male parenting.
Fatherhood is both a demanding and gratifying endeavour. Father’s Day is an occasion to thank every person who has embraced the challenging role. As President Lyndon B. Johnson puts it, “If the father’s responsibilities are many, his rewards are also great—the love, appreciation, and respect of children and spouse,”
The origin of the day is traced to a young woman named Sonora Smart Dodd who started the tradition to honour her father, a single dad who raised six children on his own.
Of course, the holiday did not gain nationwide attraction until she convinced the manufacturers of products like neckties and men’s clothing and tobacco pipes to get on board. But it’s nice to know that for once, behind the commercialisation, there is a sweet story.
Although it is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide, many countries observe this day on the third Sunday in June. In Catholic Europe, it was originally celebrated on 19 March, which is the feast day of St. Joseph. The first Father’s Day to be celebrated in June was held at a YMCA in Spokane, Washington on June 19, 1910.
On Father’s Day many people make a special effort for their fathers or father figures. Some people visit their fathers, while others give cards, flowers or other gifts, such as clothing or sporting equipment, or luxury food items. Father’s Day is a relatively modern holiday, so different families have different traditions.
These can range from a simple phone call or greetings card to large parties honoring all father figures in an extended family. Father figures can include fathers, step-fathers, fathers-in-law, grandfathers, great-grandfathers and even other male relatives.
The Father’s Day is a commercial holiday in many countries around the world. But that does not mean that Father’s Day themed marketing that works in one country will necessarily work in another.
The timing of the celebration varies, and so can the customs and language attached to it. So, your marketing and advertisements may need to follow suit. Seeking advice and assistance from experts rooted in the cultures and countries in question
In places like the USA, the day is often celebrated with food, gatherings, and gifts. This year, Americans are expected to spend $16 billion for Father’s Day, with the most popular gifts being greeting cards, special outings, and clothing, according to the National Retail Federation.
The most popular gift for Dad; and often the only one he will get is a card. By contrast, a Mother’s Day gifts tend to be more luxurious – jewels, flowers, a trip to the spa, or dinner at a restaurant.
By Oppong Baah, African Eye Report