Father’s Day By: KC Nañola

“A father carries pictures, where his money used to be.”  Author unknown~

Hey friends! Last month we celebrated Mother’s day in honour, of our dear mothers. For June it is our Father’s turn. On June 15, we will celebrate Father’s day in their honour by rewarding them with great thoughts and gifts that they so deserving of.

So, is it really necessary to celebrate Father’s Day, or is it just another marketing strategy that greeting cards and novelty shops use to increase their sales? Let’s go back a little bit to explore the history of Father’s Day.

Historians have records of Father's Day celebrations that have taken place several millennia ago. One record dating back 4,000 years tell of a young Babylonian boy named Elmesu who carved a Father's Day greeting on a clay card. On it he wrote a message wishing his father a long and healthy life. There is no knowledge as to what happened to this father son duo but it is believed that several countries retained the custom of celebrating Father's Day.

The genesis of it, however, says that Father's Day is a secular celebration inaugurated in the early twentieth century to complement Mother’s Day in celebrating fatherhood. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving to fathers and family-oriented activities. All the same, it is the spirit of fatherhood that is the main focus of these celebrations. (Wikipedia Online Encyclopaedia).

Some countries like Germany, do not recognize Father’s Day. However, the Germans have something similar which they call “Männertag”, and which is also known as Men’s day or Gentleman’s day regionally.

Everywhere, people take the opportunity of Father's Day to express gratitude towards their dads and to tell them how much they are loved and appreciated. These days, people also celebrate Father's Day with their friends, brothers, granddads, father-in-laws, stepfathers, uncles or with any other men who are caring and protective as a father.

In Canada, Father's Day is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm and fanfare. Just like in the US, Canadians wear roses as a symbol of their gratitude. Traditionally, red roses mean that the person’s father is still alive, and white roses represent the deceased.

Dining out with family is another popular Fathers Day tradition in Canada. On these days, most restaurants and eating joints witness a bumper rush on the occasion. So, while there is still time, plan ahead and think of something suitable to give your loving father. Normally for me, a big bear hug is always coming from my dad but this time around, I will be the one to give him that and it’s going to be a humongous one topped with a giant kiss!