Papa, Vader, Baba, Apa, Dad, Daddy… There are many ways to say ‘father’, and many different definitions of the English word ‘father’ in the dictionary. Your father is your male parent, or a man who has raised you, a man can father a child, and a man who invented or started something can be referred to as the father of that thing, such as Freud, known as the father of psychoanalysis. The leaders of the American revolution are now known as the Founding Fathers. And that’s not even mentioning all the meanings of ‘Dad’!
A day to honour fatherhood and paternal bonds, Father’s Day has been celebrated all over the world, albeit on different dates, since as early as the Middle Ages. The traditions surrounding Father’s Day vary from region to region, and in some countries, it is even a national holiday, such as Estonia, Samoa, and South Korea, where it is observed as Parent’s Day. In the Roman Catholic tradition, fathers are celebrated on Saint Joseph’s Day, in March, and in the United Kingdom and the United States the day is held on the third Sunday in June.
In Australia, Father’s Day was originally commemorated in June to match the UK and US and was marked with church services and the wearing of a red flower. It wasn’t until the 1930s that Australians began celebrating Father’s Day on the first Sunday of September, the first Sunday of spring, and in 1957 the Father’s Day Council of Australia was established. There is even a national Father of the Year award presented on Father’s Day, which recognises the enormous impact that fathers have on the community.
We at Lovatts wish all the dads and father figures a Happy Father’s Day. May you all be spoiled with your favourite things (perhaps a crossword and puzzle magazine subscription?) and, as always, happy puzzling!
