Father's Day is a holiday observed in the United States to honor fathers, fatherhood, and other paternal figures like grandfathers, stepfathers, and uncles. It is observed on the third Sunday in June.
In the early 20th century there was a mining accident in West Virginia that killed almost 400 men. A push for a day to remember the men killed, who were mostly husbands and fathers, was the start of a push for a national holiday. This was in 1908. It wasn't until 1972, however, that Father's Day was recognized by law as a national holiday. This is due in part to the fact that people were resistant to what they saw as another overly invented holiday meant to just make people spend money. It wasn't seen as a way to remember the dead or to honor living fathers and father figures. People weren't entirely wrong. Organizations representing men's clothing manufacturers put in a lot of money for the holiday to become popular.
Like Mother's Day, it indeed is a holiday that has become highly commercialized. There are greeting cards to mark the day, and stores advertise gifts for Dad. These gifts traditionally include electronics, ties, and tools. In schools, children often make cards and other gifts. Father's Day is not a federal holiday even though it is widely celebrated. Some of the ways Father's Day is celebrated is with meals, especially barbecues since the holiday falls at the beginning of the summer.
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