FATHERS’ DAY 2014
Father’s Day was founded by Sonora Smart Dodd in The United States. Her father, William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran and a widower raised his six children by himself. In those days this was very unusual as most motherless children were brought up by various relatives. [This happened in my family.]
After hearing a sermon on Mother’s Day, Sonora told her minister that fathers should have a similar day to celebrate their contributions to their families. The first Father’s Day celebration was in Spokane, Washington in 1910.
Initially the celebration of Father’s Day did not meet with much success, but in 1930 Sonora started a nationwide campaign. Unlike Mother’s Day, most of the promotion was commercial and Sonora solicited the manufacturers of men’s clothing and giftware. In 1938 the Father’s Day Council founded by the New York Associated Men’s Wear Retailers organized the promotion of Father’s Day on a large scale.
Many Americans resisted the celebration of Father’s Day seeing it only as a commercial venture but the strong promotional campaigns continued and eventually succeeded. In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day, and in 1972 President Richard Nixon made it a legal national holiday.
Father’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world – frequently on different dates. Also, in many countries [including Canada] Father’s Day is not a legal holiday.
I have many items on my website which would make suitable Father’s day gifts. A large number of men like masks and I have a great deal of them on my website. The mask below [#111] is a hand carved mask from Vietnam.
Mirrors are not usually a high priority with men, but the one below from Lombok with a mother of pearl inlaid design would be perfect for a man’s apartment or home. #17
I have a number of hand woven rattan and hand carved wooden boxes from Lombok which might appeal to men. #308
More items from Lombok which men [or women] would find useful are these rattan and wood coasters which come in boxes. The wooden coasters come from Vietnam and the rattan ones are from Lombok. #535
This is a wooden box for Vietnam which could make a good gift for a man.
Roosters are symbols of male virility in many cultures. This hand carved and hand painted rooster is from Bali. #141
Is your father a fisherman? This hand carved wooden statue of a fisherman from Bali might make a good gift.
Many men have a liking for the bizarre, as I do. This colorful hand carved wooden panel is from Lombok.
Happy Father’s Day!
Donna Davidson