Skip to main content

10 things you never knew about Father's Day

fathers-day.jpg 1) Father’s Daywas invented by American Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd who wanted to honour her father, a veteran who had, as a single parent raised his six children. The first Father's Daywas celebrated on June 19, 1910. 2)Unlike Mother’s Day, Father’s day was originally met with laughter. It was the target of much satire, parody and derision with a local newspaper complaining that it would lead to mindless promotions such as ‘National Clean Your Desk Day’. 3)The first American president to support the concept of Father's day was President Calvin Coolidge, who did so in 1924… but it wasn’t until in the year 1966 that President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation that resulted in the declaration of the third Sunday of June as Father's Day. 4)According to greetings card makers Hallmark, Father’s Day is the fifth-largest card-sending holiday. 5)In Germany Father's Day is celebrated differently from other parts of the world. Männertag (Men’s day) is celebrated by getting drunk with wagons of beer and indulging in regional food. Police and emergency services are in high alert during the day, and some right-wing and feminist groups have asked for the banning of the holiday. 6)Going for a floral gift? Traditionally fathers should be given the gift of white or red roses. The rose is the official flower for Father's Day. Wearing a red rose signifies a living father, while a white one represents deceased father. 7)Surprisingly, the trusty slipper gift isn’t the most popular Father's Day present – it’s actually a tie. 8)The world record for having the most number of children officially recorded is 69 by the first wife of Feodor Vassilyev (1707-1782), a peasant from Moscow. His first wife gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets. Dinnertimes must have been hectic! 9)Although there is no evidence of its origin, it is believed that the word "Dad" dates back to as early as the sixteenth century. It is said to come from the first syllables uttered by babies ‘pa’ plus the kinship suffix ‘ter’ - accounting for the latin ‘Pater’, the Spanish ‘Padre’ and the French ‘Pere’. Takes ‘baby talk’ to a new meaning. 10) In Thailand, Father's Day is set as the birthday of the king. December 5 is the birthday of current king, Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). Thais celebrate by giving their father or grandfather a Canna flower (Dok put ta ruk sa) which is considered to be a masculine flower.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Take care of yourself__"The first wealth is health".

By Strive Masiyiwa  A few weeks ago I went to the doctor. I will tell you what he said about my health at the end, but first read this: Twenty years ago, I arranged to meet a well-known British international businessman who invested a lot in Africa at the time. We agreed to meet for dinner at a leading hotel in London.  After a good meeting, we started to walk out of the restaurant when he suddenly collapsed in the lobby. There was total pandemonium as they rushed to get medical assistance. Being London, an ambulance arrived in minutes. I jumped in the back with him as paramedics wrestled to keep him alive. He had had a heart attack and had to have triple bypass heart surgery. Sadly he died a few weeks later. He hadn't been sick and his sudden death surprised everyone. And yet as I reflected on it, and later discussed it with a doctor friend who knew him, I realized he was very laid back about his health despite having a hectic business life. Even during our dinner...

The 4 Focuses of History-Makers

kenyabittertruth has given you 200 MB Data. To claim click here https://refer.airtel.africa/KE/F7VT3NZG and download the MyAirtel App using this code: F7VT3NZG “The life given us, by nature is short, but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal.” —Cicero The sunrise was dazzling as the entrepreneur and the artist walked hand-in-hand along the seashore to meet the billionaire at the designated meeting spot for the next morning’s mentoring class. Mr. Riley was already there when they arrived, sitting on the sand, eyes closed in a deep meditation. He was shirtless, wearing camouflage-patterned shorts similar to the ones The Spellbinder styled the day he appeared on the beach and a pair of rubber diving booties with smiley face emojis scattered over them. You would have been more than amused if you saw him in them. An assistant rushed out of the billionaire’s home the instant he raised a hand toward the heavens, displaying the universal victory sign. Three crisp pages of paper were effic...

THE CROWN YOU CARRY: A Letter to My LOVELY Daughter FROM THE HEART OF A MOTHER

My Dearest Daughter, As the sun rises over the hills of Limuru, casting golden rays upon the dew-kissed tea leaves, my heart swells with pride, hope, and the wisdom only a mother can carry. You, my beautiful girl, are in school, and while the world sees a student in uniform, I see a queen in the making. I see the grace of your grandmother, the fire of your ancestors, and the promise of a bright African dawn glowing in your eyes. This Easter, God granted me the sweet joy of bonding with you—not just as a mother—but as a woman who has walked a little further on this winding road of life. You may not know it yet, but in those laughter-filled mornings and quiet evening chats, a legacy was passed on: not of gold or silver, but of values, vision, and virtue. Let me speak to your soul now, daughter of mine. Listen with your spirit. In this life, my sweet child, “a child who does not listen to the mother’s advice will sleep with the flies” — a Ghanaian proverb as old as wisdom itself. The worl...