Everything You Need to Know About Father’s Day In The UK

Father’s Day is just around the corner, this year happening on Sunday the 21st June.

Fathers are celebrated in the UK on the third Sunday of every June (in case you have trouble remembering).

If you’re only realising this now, don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to buy a gift, and here at LaBante London, we have a list of all of the most popular gifts to buy for Father’s Day.

Father’s Day is about honouring all of the special male role models in our life, and it’s a day that so many get a massive amount of joy from. But how did it all start?

We’ve put together a short history of the day, and even discovered some interesting facts about the way that it’s celebrated in countries around the world.

The History of Father’s Day

Unlike Mother’s Day, which is a traditional Christian holiday in the UK, known as ‘Mothering Sunday’, the premise behind Father’s Day is a lot more modern. It also took a lot longer to become acknowledged.

Britain actually followed America in celebrating Father’s Day, so when the date was set to the third Sunday in June, the Brits quickly followed suit. The history of Father’s Day in America – and therefore in the UK – has a couple of different origins.

The first ever Father’s Day happened in 1908, when a West Virginian Church held a special sermon honouring fathers, after 362 men were killed in a mining accident. Parishioners gave out flowers, both red and white, to honour the living and the dead, in commemoration of all that our fathers do for us.

However, the church community here didn’t celebrate it again, and it seems that it was more linked to the mining accident than a serious attempt at a national holiday.

Sonora Smart Dodd

In 1909, the year after the ‘Father’s Day’ in West Virginia, a woman called Sonora Smart Dodd made it her mission to set up a national Father’s Day. Upset by the fact that there was a Mother’s Day, but no corresponding day for fathers,

Dodd petitioned her local community and government to change this. Originally, she wanted Father’s Day to be on June 5th, which was her own father's birthday, as a way of honouring him. He was a Civil War veteran who had raised six children on his own after his wife died during childbirth.

Washington state celebrated its first Father’s Day in June 1910, although it was delayed until June 16th.

Father’s Day slowly spread to other states, however it was never really as popular as Mother’s Day. This is partly due to women seeming to be more sentimental, and so therefore more appreciative of gifts and expressions of thanks. Ideas such as this seem totally outdated to us now, but it was what many men thought, and the day didn’t always go over well.

WWII and Nixon

That all seemed to change in World War II, when advertisers grabbed an opportunity to use Father’s Day to promote the troops out on the field. By the time the war was over, Father’s Day was a national institution.

Richard Nixon finally declared Father’s Day a national holiday in 1972 when he signed it into law in the middle of his re-election campaign. The UK by this stage was already celebrating Father’s Day after following America's example. Now it’s the day that we all know!

Controversy

In the 1930’s in America, there was a campaign to get rid of both Mother’s Day and the emerging Father’s Day, and to have an all-inclusive Parents Day. This was quickly defeated, in part because the local economy got a boost from people buying gifts and cards for two separate events.

Father's Day Elsewhere

When is Father’s Day? It all depends on where you are in the world.

Many countries, including Spain, Italy and Croatia, celebrate Father’s Day on March 19th. This is due to the links with Roman Catholicism that this date has. March 19th is the Feast Day of St Joseph, the husband of Mary and adoptive father to Jesus. This day was traditionally used to celebrate the fatherhood as well as spiritual fathers.

Russia

In Russia, Father’s Day is celebrated on February 23rd and is known as ‘Defender of the Fatherland Day’.

It was originally created to support the people in the armed services and was made a state holiday in 2002 by President Putin. Now however, it has incorporated aspects of Father’s Day from around the world, and gifts are given to important men in your life, including dads, husbands, and boyfriends.

Thailand

In Thailand, Father’s Day is celebrated on the late King Bhumibo’s birthday, on the 5th of December. Seen as the father of Thailand, the country not only remembers him, but commemorates fathers everywhere.

Popular Father’s Day Gifts

Father’s Day is about spending time with those special men in our lives, whether it's an overdue visit home, or a special meal out.

However you choose to celebrate, it’s important that you choose the right gift.

Father’s Day present ideas can be a difficult thing to come up with. The presents have always revolved about traditional ‘male’ gifts, although nowadays there is a huge range to choose from. Here's a list of the most popular gifts that dads are given to help you make up your mind.

Cards

The main event, a card is one of the staple gifts for Father’s Day. From the days when you made them in school, to when you were too broke to get anything else, a card is a small token of appreciation every dad loves.

Whether it’s gushing and sentimental or a big joke, giving a card is a must, and is the thing that makes dads smile across the country. Sure, it’s commercialised the day massively, we all know it. Yet there’s something about a card that really sticks with us, and so no one really minds at all.

Tie

A tie is still the UK’s most popular Father’s Day gift choice, and it’s certainly traditional.

From cartoon ties, to ties dotted with fish, tractors, or golf clubs, there’s something for everyone, and making your dad wear the most ridiculous one possible has always been endlessly entertaining.

It’s also practical and the type of gift that every dad can appreciate. After all, there’s always going to be an occasion to wear a tie at some point.

Socks

What is it with dads and socks? They love getting them, we love giving them. For Father’s Day, it can be even more difficult to know what to buy than at Christmas, which is why socks are another one of those safe, practical go-to gifts.

Like your mum and a nice bunch of flowers, everyone appreciates a good pair of comfy, long-lasting socks to keep their feet warm and dry.

Wallet

A stylish gift that your dad can carry around with him everywhere, wallets make amazing Father’s Day gifts.

Of course, there’ll always be the joke that his children are the only reason he has to open it. Yet a proper, good quality wallet is something that every man it your life can appreciate.

Here at LaBante London, we have a beautiful range of high-quality microfiber leather wallets for you to choose from. This vegan leather is not only 100% cruelty free, it is strong and durable, and can survive all of the wear and tear a man's wallet is put through.

Alcohol

Alcohol is one of those ‘thanks for putting up with me’ presents for Father’s Day. It’s also a great way to show your dad that you know what his favourite tipple is – and maybe even spend a bit more and treat him to something top-shelf.

Alcohol is a gift that adults give adults. You might not be a kid anymore, but you’re still his child. A gift of alcohol can be cracked open and shared between parent and child – and it’s moments like those that every dad is sure to treasure. 

Charity

Whatever you decide to buy your dad this Father’s Day, we’re sure that they’ll love it. There are so many unusual gift ideas out there that if the traditional isn’t for you, maybe your dad would like something that helps others instead.

Giving to your dad’s favourite charity on their behalf is a great example of this. Not only are you showing that you care about the same issues that they do, they’ll appreciate your effort much more than simply buying some last-minute chocolates.

Plant a Tree

In order to help reverse climate change and make the world a more sustainable place to live in, we need as many trees as we can get. The National Forest has a scheme where you can dedicate a tree to someone for whatever the occasion, and we think that it makes a great Father’s Day present idea.

So there you have it, Labante’s guide to all things Father’s Day. Remember at the end of the day, spending some time with the important men in our lives is more important than any gift. It’s great that we have a day that we can show them how much we appreciate all that they do for us.

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