Father’s Day 2025 : Unpacking The Theme, Untold History, And Overlooked Significance

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With June underway, Father's Day is approaching once again. In 2025, it will fall on Sunday, 15 June in India, as it does in many countries that observe it on the third Sunday of the month. Although often paired with Mother's Day, the two have very different beginnings. Father's Day had to work harder for its place on the calendar. It wasn't immediately embraced, nor was it widely recognised for decades-but its presence today is a reflection of how our understanding of fatherhood has evolved.

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This year's theme, "Fathers: Nurturing Resilience and Shaping Futures", highlights the role fathers play in steady, everyday ways-from being present through challenges to shaping how their children grow and make sense of the world.

How It Began

The idea of Father's Day was first proposed by Sonora Smart Dodd in Washington State. She had been raised by her widowed father, a Civil War veteran who brought up six children on his own. Inspired by the growing popularity of Mother's Day, she suggested the idea in 1909, believing fathers also deserved recognition.

With support from local churches, community leaders, and retailers, the first Father's Day was held on 19 June 1910 in Spokane. The date was chosen to give ministers more time between Mother's Day in May and the new occasion for fathers. Though the idea was warmly received locally, it didn't immediately take root across the country.

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The Long Road To Recognition

In the years that followed, Father's Day faced resistance. Some dismissed it as overly sentimental, while others saw it as a marketing opportunity for retailers-a perception that didn't help its cause. During the 1920s and 1930s, there was even a campaign to merge Mother's and Father's Day into a single Parents' Day, which ultimately faded.

The turning point came during World War II, when the day began to be seen as a way to honour fathers fighting overseas and those supporting the war effort at home. Its popularity grew during this time, and by the 1960s, the occasion had gained national visibility.

In 1972, after years of scattered observances and unofficial celebrations, President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation declaring Father's Day a federal holiday in the United States-nearly six decades after its first celebration in Spokane.

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Around The World

Father's Day is now observed in many parts of the world, although the dates and traditions vary. In India, it falls on 15 June this year. Croatia, Italy, Portugal, and Spain celebrate it on 19 March, coinciding with the Feast of St Joseph. Thailand observes the day on 5 December, the birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, while Taiwan marks it on 8 August, a date chosen for its phonetic resemblance to the Mandarin word for "father."

Each country adds its own customs-some honour fathers with meals or family time, others with school functions, gifts, or religious observances.

Why It Still Resonates

Ideas about fatherhood continue to change. While traditional roles once defined fathers as distant providers or disciplinarians, today there's greater recognition of the emotional, everyday involvement many fathers bring-whether that's helping with schoolwork, navigating difficult years, or simply showing up when it counts.

This year's theme-"Fathers: Nurturing Resilience and Shaping Futures"-points to this broader view. It reflects how fathers influence not just practical aspects of life, but also how children develop confidence, values, and the ability to deal with setbacks.

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Father's Day is a straightforward opportunity to recognise someone who has shown up, stayed the course, and influenced how we approach life. It might be marked with a call, a message, a shared meal or simply a moment to think about what's been passed down, and how.