Fathers' Day Centenary

Today is Fathers' Day, and also happens to be the 100th anniversary of the inauguration of Fathers' Day which was first honoured in 1910, established by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington in the USA.  In most countries around the world the day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June.  Here are some other fun Fathers' Day facts and trivia:-

• In 1972 Fathers' Day became a holiday enshrined in law in the USA by President Richard Nixon
• According to Hallmark, Fathers' Day is the 5th most important card-sending occasion for them
• The most popular Fathers' Day gifts are ties and slippers
• There are 1.5 billion fathers worldwide, and 120 million children born each year
• In the UK 7 million Fathers' Day cards are sent, whereas 13 million Mother's Day cards are sent each year
• The day is more commonly spelled as Father'S Day, denoting celebration of the day for one's own father, rather than the more correct Fathers' Day, a celebratory day for all fathers
• Some Catholic countries celebrate Fathers' Day on 19th March which is St. Joseph's Day
• Spokane in Washington is organising a month of events to mark the centenary of Fathers' Day this year - their official website is http://www.fathersdaybirthplace.com/

We wish Happy Fathers' Day to all you dad's out there!