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The spiritual partner to Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is a time to appreciate the male side of parenting. It is also a time to commemorate the idea of our ancestry and the idea of the forefather, which means that there are plenty of reasons to celebrate on Father’s Day. While specific celebrations will vary from family to family, there are some traditions that are widespread enough to be referred to as general Father’s Day traditions – as most dads will tell you, giving a garish neck tie has certainly become one of them. Over the years, Father’s Day has become an international holiday, celebrated at different times throughout the year in different countries, sometimes with the emphasis placed on different aspects of male parenting and fatherhood.

Father’s Day is historically understood to be an offshoot of Mother’s Day. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd is widely credited with creating the idea for a day to celebrate fathers in 1909. A native of Spokane, Washington, Dodd was struck with the inspiration for the idea while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon. Her father was the one who raised her primarily after the death of her mother, so Dodd wanted a day to appreciate everything that he had given to her. Because of the date of her father’s birthday, Dodd decided to hold the first Father’s Day celebration on the 19th of June, 1909. Over the next several years, the idea spread across the country, similar to the way that Mother’s Day originally grew from the practice of a single church to a nationwide tradition. By 1926, a National Father’s Day Committee had been created in New York City. Thirty years later, in 1956, the day was officially recognized by a Joint Resolution of Congress, and then in 1972, President Nixon made the day a permanent national observance to be held on the third Sunday of June.

As with many things, it is believed that Father’s Day is spiritually predated by several thousand years by the practices of the Babylonians. It is believed that a boy named Elmesu carved a message on a card that was to be given to his father. The card contained wishes for his father to have good health and a long life. This could be connected to some sort of ancient incarnation of Father’s Day, where the sentiment of celebrating the male parent was focused on one day. In patriarchal societies where the heads of the communities were traditionally male, there may have been celebrations of fatherhood, but these would have been spread out throughout the year, rather than on one special day devoted to them.

There are plenty of traditions associated with Father’s Day. In the United States, Father’s Day is a time to give gifts to signify the importance of the father figure, both homemade and purchased. Homemade gifts include cards, crafts, and other special objects that hold sentiment for both the maker and the father. Schools and children’s programs often encourage this, holding special events where the children can create something to give as a gift to their fathers. Many products are geared specifically toward men as gift ideas and marketed heavily near Father’s Day. For that reason, it is not uncommon to see families banding together to purchases toolkits, electronic devices, Father’s Day greeting cards, and other gifts that are traditionally designed for male usage. There are plenty of dads who go wholeheartedly for the gadgets that promise to simplify and enhance everyday life as well as sportsman dads that pine for a season ticket to enjoy their favorite sport in person all year long. Family traditions are often created over time, allowing each family to have their special imprint on the holiday.

As Father’s Day traveled around the world, many countries put their own spin on things, evolving regional varieties of the beloved holidays. Australian fathers are celebrated on the first Sunday in September, which is certainly different from the usual third Sunday of June that the majority of countries use. Otherwise, the celebrations are very similar to those in the United States, revolving around the process of giving gifts and showing gratitude and love for the fathers who have given and sacrifices so much for their wives and their children. Whether celebrated privately in the household, at a restaurant as part of a breakfast tradition, or at special programs geared towards fathers and families, the Australian incarnation of Father’s Day is a whole lot of fun.

Father’s Day in South Africa is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and places a special emphasis on pampering the father and doing something special on the holiday. Many families enjoy picnics, outdoor excursions, or meals at a restaurant to set the day apart from the rest of the year. At the end of the celebrations, fathers are lavished with gifts similar to the ones that those in the United States give: homemade cards, flowers, chocolates, neckties, or anything else that is particularly special to the dad. Father’s Day has recently caught on in India, where millions of people, especially in the metropolitan areas, celebrate everything that Dad has given to the family. Celebrated on the third Sunday of June, the Indian version of Father’s Day encouraged quality time with the family, even for the busiest fathers. Otherwise, the process of giving gifts to the father is much the same as in the previously mentioned countries, and children learn to pay respect to their fathers and forefathers as part of the holiday.

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This Father’s Day, make sure to do something special to honor the patriarch of your family. Whether it is your own father, a relative, or just a dad in your community, nothing elicits more gratitude than an appropriate gift and a loving sentiment. As for gift ideas, the best way to choose a gift is to really think about what Dad might want. Although a necktie is always nice to receive, everyone appreciates receiving a gift that shows evidence of careful thought. If Dad loves sports, get him some memorabilia for his favorite team, or even a season ticket if you happen to live nearby to the sports arena. The outdoors-loving dads can always use some kind of handy gadget that makes their camping trips that much easier or more entertaining. They may also need something replaced that got lost or damaged the last time they used it. Maybe Dad is an avid viewer of a certain television series: if so, a boxed set of DVDs for that particular series can usually be found online and is the perfect way to allow him to watch it whenever he pleases. There are so many other gift ideas for Father’s Day, but the important thing is that the gift shows love and appreciation, even if it is a handmade card with a special message.

Along with Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is one of those holidays that you do not want to forget, unless you want to explain why you were the only one to not call or give a gift to Dad. Most importantly, though, Father’s Day is a time to show somebody who has given a lot and sacrificed plenty for his family the appreciation and love that he deserves.

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