The first Sunday in September is a special day in the world for some people in Australia. Read along to know about why and when is fathers day in Australia?, why do Aussies celebrate fathers day on a different day in the year?, what happens in Australia on fathers day? and such other questions about the celebration of fathers day in Australia. 

Father’s Day reminds you of International Father’s Day celebrated on the third Sunday of June. It’s a celebration of fatherhood by honoring a father or father figure. This is not only a day to thank and celebrate your biological fathers but also to thank and celebrate your grandfathers, teachers, elders, new fathers, neighbors, and other men who have been part of your lives as father figures.

If you are a native of the Great Down Under, Australia, you enjoy father’s day celebrations before you celebrate father’s day. It is possible to take up and adopt some innovative ideas from overseas to celebrate fatherhood in Australia. Although Australians celebrate father’s day in similar manners, Australia also has its uniqueness.

The purpose of Fathers Day in Australia is to celebrate the presence of ‘superhero- fathers’, who have helped shape the long-term future of society. If you read this, you will learn why, how, and when is fathers day in Australia?

History of Father’s Day

On Father’s Day, the nation celebrates fatherhood and allows the celebration of the gratitude children have for their father figures by acknowledging their importance and influence in shaping their lives.

During the middle ages, Father’s Day was traditionally celebrated in Catholic churches on 19th March in Europe. In honor of St. Joseph as the father of Jesus Christ, as an ideal father and to honor fatherhood, Father’s Day was celebrated on the Feast Day of St. Joseph. The church supported father’s day celebrations in the 14th century as a customary day.

The Spanish and Portuguese immigrants introduced this culture to the United States, then it fled overseas after a time while.

It all started in the United States around the 20th century. Sonora Smart Dodd was the first one to talk about celebrating and honoring fatherhood in the name of Father’s Day. She came up with this idea after listening to the sermon on how to celebrate Mother’s Day.

William Jackson Smart, the father of Dodd, raised his six children as a single parent. This kind of care, love, and commitment of her father made her get a thought of celebrating her father and fathers out there.

For the first time, Father’s Day was celebrated on 19th June 1910 (the third Sunday in June). But Dodd desired it to be celebrated on the 5th of June, on W.J. Smart’s birthday. After this, Father’s Day spread all around the world and started celebrating Father’s Day on the third Sunday of every year.

It typically took a long way to celebrate Father’s Day as most of the people didn’t accept it and barely felt it was a petty thing to be celebrated. After a great struggle of Dodd, some notable people enthusiastically supported the idea and made a shout-out about the significance of celebrating and honoring fathers. At that time it retraced its route to be an official holiday in the late 20th century.

After listening about the official holiday and celebrations of fathers day in the USA, Australians decided to celebrate eve. They decided to celebrate fathers day which turns your head to a question- when is this day in Australia celebrated?

When Australians Started Celebrating Father’s Day?

In 1936, Father’s Day was announced in Australia, but it was not given much importance. Later, some people wanted to recognize and appreciate fatherhood, so they rose their voices to make it an important day rather than a normal one.

After a great struggle, Father’s Day was published as a new holiday in the calendrers in the year 1956, and also a Father’s Day Committee of Australia is formed to say why, how and when is fathers day celebrated in Australia. 

Why Fathers Day in Australia is Celebrated on a Different Date?

In Australia, the Fathers Day celebration hits up on the first Sunday of September, during the starting of spring- an awesome season for celebrations and enjoyment. 

Aussies celebrate Father’s Day on a different date and have various explanations that date back into history without any definitive explanation. There is neither an answer nor the perfect proof saying why people celebrate Father’s Day in Australia on a different date and became the reason to non-natives of Australia to ask ‘when is fathers day in Australia celebrated?’

Article in Western Herald, in 1964, said that the custom of celebrating father‘s day on September date began in mid -20th century; furthermore said, its officially designated the first Sunday of September as father’s day- this is a little proof of official announcement of when is fathers day in Australia. 

Aussies used to celebrate it in June at the start but eventually, they changed the date. This day is almost 6 months away from Mother’s Day. It is said that someone at that time wanted to space holidays evenly. So, they decided to place Father’s Day after 6 months of Mother’s Day.

In the southern hemisphere, September marks the arrival of spring. Father’s day makes some marketing perspective with commercial reasons to get a kick start for selling father’s day gifts in this awesome season of celebrations and new beginnings of nature. 

The official celebration of Father’s Day in Australia started only just after knowing about the holiday overseas. As the people couldn’t wait for the next year, they selected date and typically started celebrating it as Father’s Day. It is a myth and a belief in the blindfold. Then also, it answers the question of when is fathers day in Australia. 

Aussies are peculiar about holidays as they rejoice and enjoy the holidays, termed as ‘Holiday Fatigue.’ And the holidays in the first half of the year are more while in the next half is less. Hence, Australians celebrate on the first Sunday of September.

To date, it is a question to find out why Father’s Day in Australia is celebrated on the first Sunday of September? But the answer is unsure and blurry.

What Do Aussies Do on Father’s Day?

A very interesting thing about Australian Father’s Day is its inspirational value. The people of the Father’s Day Committee of Australia, and the Father’s Day council announced the ‘Father of The Year’ award to a dad who will be seen as an inspiration to many fathers and children. From then on, this has been one of the Father’s Day traditions.

For the celebration of Father’s Day, some holiday stalls i.e., Father’s Day stalls are opened in schools and organizations. These provide affordable presents for children to buy for their fathers. Predominantly, these stalls sell gifts that are useful for a dad.

The splendid gift to Dad is spending quality time with the family and going outdoors. Most Australians spend Father’s Day outdoors by going for a walk, bushwalk, race tracks, beaches, and related activities.

Some Father’s Day charity activities pop up in the form of charity runs, fun runs, dances, singing songs, and auctions to raise funds for the men’s health issues. It is a popular and widespread activity.

Food! Insanely delicious traditional Australian food can make your mouth watering and mind overwhelming. Food makes everyone’s soul lit for a while, plays a great role in spending some quality time, and also might become one of the fun family activities. Hence, food becomes a significant part of Father’s Day celebrations. Australians enjoy food-centred activities like picnics, sausage sizzles, food trucks, and barbeques.

The Father’s Day celebrations started with churches. Therefore, at present, churches organize various events to make this day even more special. On the other hand, children organize picnics as September stands out among all other months for outdoor enjoyment. And some get into the practice of preparing something delicious for their dad, especially at home.

Magazines and newspapers promote Father’s day by composing articles on inspirational fathers and publishing them in print and online media. They believe Father’s Day is the best time to do this so that everyone can feel inspired.  

Children gift their fathers items like gift hampers, DIY gift boxes, gift boxes, skincare products, grooming and shaving kits, electronic gadgets, and others.

Why Should One Celebrate Father’s Day?

A child acknowledges their paternal bonds and shows gratitude to them as they play a significant role in their development. Father’s Day is a time for children to show their appreciation and love for their beloved dads.

Spending quality time with and for fathers on Father’s Day improves and strengthens the emotional bond between a father and a child. Children’s observation skills may improve as they observe their dad’s favourite things to give him on special occasions. Due to this day, children understand the value of fathers and the importance of nurturing them.

Children can thank their fathers for being their financial, emotional, and spiritual support system until now. Daddy is the child’s biggest guide in the world, and they can express their gratitude and love to him.

But why to celebrate fathers Day is not the question, the question is why is it celebrated on a different date and how is it celebrated.

Facts about Father’s Day Celebrations

• To date, the fact behind celebrating Father’s Day in Australia on the first Sunday of September is a mystery.
• In the mid-20th century, there was a suggestion to merge Father’s Day and mothers Day as Parents’ Day to celebrate them together.
• The special flower of Father’s Day is a rose. One might get roses on Father’s Day from their children, dads, grandparents, wives, neighbours, friends, and teachers.
• Father’s Day became famous during WW-2. It was a time when most of the fathers went out to the war.
• President Lyndon Johnson wanted Father’s Day as an official holiday in 1996.
• 4th largest card-sending day in the world is Father’s Day.
• June 5th, 1908, was the first day celebrated as Father’s Day in Fairmount, West Virginia of the United States.
• Father’s Day was celebrated as a church service at Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South, and at present in the Central United Methodist Church.
• 50% of cards are purchased by sons and daughters, 20% by wives, and other cards by people for their neighbours, friends, and family members.
• Germany celebrates Father’s Day on Ascension Day.
• Spain, Portugal, and Italy celebrate Father’s Day on 19th March. It is a Feast of St. Joseph, a Patron Saint of Father.
• Taiwan celebrates Father’s Day on the 8th of August. In Chinese, for eight, the word ‘BA’ is used, so it is colloquial with the 8th day of the 8th month which means ‘BA-BA’- the other way of calling dad.
• President Richard Nixon signed a law saying Father’s Day as an official holiday and observed to be on the 3rd Sunday of June.
• Sonora Smart Dodd is credited for starting the celebration of fathers day start and celebrating Father’s day and fatherhood.
• June 19 is marked as the first fathers Day celebration in the world. Thus, this date was the day of the first fathers Day festive on Sunday.
• Traditional flowers for fathers Day celebrations are roses. Red roses for living and white roses for dead.
• Australians spend about $1.36 billion (approx.) on Mother’s Day and $660 million (approx.) on Father’s Day, every year.
• There are more than 4.6 million fathers in Australia.

The Footnote

On Father’s Day, it is not only for children but also for the entire family to appreciate, reward and show gratitude to the men or fathers in the family.

Gifting your dad with costly gifts might make them happy, but the most concerning thing  from your father’s side is ‘your efforts and your feel-good intentions to make him smile and make him feel special on that day.’ This is the best gift a child can ever give to his dad. Showering dads with gifts is all about making them enjoy, and laughter is a noble gift a child can give.

After knowing the history and answer to when is fathers days in Australia, it has been concluded that Father’s Day is a day of celebrating your mightiest hero for life. Celebrating dad means it is all about celebrating the world. Father’s Day stands out as the best opportunity to say out the love you hold for your father.

Last Updated on January 9, 2024 by namitasoren