🌍 Culture & inspiration · For all dads
📜 The history of Father's Day, from a lighter to a kiwi
Where does Father's Day come from?
People often think Father's Day was dreamed up by shopping malls. In fact it has travelled through centuries of quiet traditions, a moving campaign by a grateful daughter in the United States and… a brilliant marketing stunt by a lighter maker in Brittany, France. From the 1950 flame to a kiwi vine planted in the garden, here is the story to shine at the next family meal.
Dates to remember
- 19 March: Saint Joseph's Day, still Father's Day in Italy, Spain and Portugal.
- 19 June 1910: the first Father's Day in Spokane, United States.
- 1950: the first Flaminaire lighter campaign in France, on the third Sunday of June.
- 1972: the day becomes official in the United States under Richard Nixon.
From Saint Joseph to today: the key milestones
1. From the Middle Ages to Saint Joseph: the protective version
For centuries, honouring fathers belonged to the religious calendar. In Catholic countries they were celebrated on 19 March, Saint Joseph's Day, the humble, hard-working and caring foster father. Italy (Festa del Papà), Spain (Día del Padre) and Portugal still celebrate on that day.
2. 1910 in the United States: a daughter's tribute to her single dad
Sonora Smart Dodd and her five siblings were raised by their father, a Civil War veteran, after their mother died. Finding it unfair that only mothers had a day, she organised the first Father's Day on 19 June 1910 in Spokane. The idea snowballed until 1972, when Richard Nixon made the third Sunday of June official.
3. 1950 in France: the Flaminaire lighter masterstroke
In France, Father's Day came from neither a law nor a decree, but from an advertising idea. Marcel Quercia, head of Flaminaire in Redon, wanted to boost sales of his gas lighter. In 1950 he launched a campaign on the third Sunday of June: “Our dads told us: for Father's Day, they all want a Flaminaire.” A national committee followed in 1952 and the tradition stuck.
4. A world tour of quirky traditions
In Germany (Vatertag), fathers are celebrated on Ascension Thursday, often on a hike pulling a little hand cart (Bollerwagen). In Taiwan it is 8 August: 8/8 is said “bā-bā”, which sounds like “bàba”, dad. In Thailand it is 5 December, King Bhumibol's birthday, with yellow clothes and a canna flower. In Sweden, Norway and Finland it is the second Sunday of November, to warm up the start of winter.
5. From a lighter to a hardy kiwi: a gift that means something
Forget the lighter or yet another “World's Best Dad” mug gathering dust. For a living, offbeat gift, nature has its own wink: the “Daddy Weiki” hardy kiwi. This all-male plant bears no fruit itself, but its fragrant flowers pollinate the female plants nearby so the whole household can feast in autumn. A lovely symbol to plant in the garden or on the balcony with the kids.
6. From dads who've been there
The best Father's Day gift doesn't come in cellophane: a negotiated lie-in, a drawing scribbled with love or an hour playing on all fours without looking at your phone beat every gadget in the world. And for a keepsake that grows with your child, plant a shrub or a fruit tree together.
7. Real talk
Whether your country celebrates fathers in March, June or November, your role doesn't depend on a commercial calendar. Being a dad happens every morning when you get up, during the evening rush and in the cuddles where your child falls asleep on you.
Classic mistakes
- ❌ Turning the day into a race for presents What touches a father is recognition of his everyday involvement, not the price of the wrapping.
- ❌ Feeling awkward because your baby is tiny At 3 months, no poem is coming your way. The smile when they wake up and the way they look at you when you pick them up are already there.
- ❌ Thinking the date is universal If you have family abroad, dates and customs vary from one country to another.
Questions dads ask
Why isn't Father's Day on the same date everywhere?
Many Catholic-tradition countries kept Saint Joseph's Day on 19 March, many others adopted the American third Sunday of June, and some have their own traditions (Ascension in Germany, November in Scandinavia).
Is Father's Day an official holiday?
It depends on the country: it may be officially recognised, a popular custom or a commercial tradition. In France, for example, it has never been set by law, unlike Mother's Day.
What does a kiwi have to do with Father's Day?
It's the botanical wink of Daddy Weiki: a male hardy kiwi that makes the whole family harvest possible, now an original and sustainable alternative to traditional gifts.
A local detail, or your own experience with this guide? Write to the team
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When in doubt, contact your doctor or midwife. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.