Facts about Father's Day

Father's Day is the fourth-largest card-sending occasion with 87 million cards given every year Father's Day Facts

Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Spokane, Wash., is credited with starting Father's Day after hearing a sermon on Mother's Day Father's Day Facts

President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed Father's Day to be an official national holiday in 1966 Father's Day Facts

In the USA, the first noted Father's Day celebration was held on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia. It was first celebrated as a church service at Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South, now known as Central United Methodist Church. Father's Day Facts

50% of all Father's Day cards are purchased by sons or daughters. Nearly 20% of cards are bought by wives for their husbands; the remaining cards are bought for grandfathers, sons, brothers, uncles and "someone special." Father's Day Facts

In Germany, Father's Day is celebrated on the same date as Ascension Day. Father's Day Facts

In Spain, Italy and Portugal, Father's Day is celebrated on 19 March, which is the Feast of St. Joseph who is the patron saint of fathers. Father's Day Facts

In Taiwan, Father's Day is celebrated on 8 August as the Chinese for eight is 'ba', while a colloquial word for father is 'ba-ba' - so the eighth day of the eighth month sounds similar to 'daddy'. Father's Day Facts

The two top-selling categories of Father's Day cards are "Dad from Daughter" and "Dad From Both". Father's Day Facts

In 1972, President Richard Nixon signed into law a permanent U.S. Father's Day to be observed on the third Sunday of June Father's Day Facts