On the third Sunday in June, fathers all across the United States are given presents, treated1 to dinner or otherwise made to feel special.
The origin of Father's Day is not clear. Some say that it began with a church service in West Virginia in 1908. Others say the first Father's Day ceremony2 was held in Vancouver, Washington.
Regardless of when the first true Father's Day occurred3, the strongest promoter4 of the holiday was Mrs. Bruce John Dodd of Spokane, Washington. She thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon5 in 1909.
Sonora wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. Smart, who was a Civil War veteran6, was widowed7 when his wife died while giving birth to their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural8 farm in eastern Washington state.
After Sonora became an adult she realized the selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices9 and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous10, selfless, and loving man. In 1909, Mrs. Dodd approached her own minister and others in Spokane about having a church service dedicated to11 fathers on June 5, her father's birthday. That date was too soon for her minister to prepare the service, so he spoke a few weeks later on June 19th. From then on, the state of Washington celebrated the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Children made special desserts, or visited their fathers if they lived apart.
In early times, wearing flowers was a traditional way of celebrating Father's Day. Mrs. Dodd favored the red rose to honor a father still living, while a white flower honored a deceased12 dad.
States and organizations began lobbying13 Congress14 to declare an annual15 Father's Day. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson approved of this idea, but it was not until 1924 when President Calvin Coolidge made it a national event to "establish more intimate16 relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon17 fathers the full measure of their obligations." Since then, fathers had been honored and recognized18 by their families throughout the country on the third Sunday in June.
In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation19 declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day and put the official stamp on a celebration that was going on for almost half a century.
There are all kinds of things you can do to make Father's Day special for your dad. Here are a few suggestions:
Make dad breakfast in bed．
Send him flowers, the red rose is the official Father＇s Day flower．
Do secret acts of kindness, this might include doing one of dad＇s chores20 for him, like taking out the garbage．
Be obedient．
Do your chores, without being asked． Get along with your brothers and sisters．
Make or take him out to dinner．
Send him an on－line greeting card．
Check out some great ideas to make dad a homemade GIFT．
Interview your father and／or grandfather． Ask questions about his birth, childhood, and what he did when he was a teenager． Find out his favorite subjects in school, how he met your mother or grandmother． Inquire about his favorite job． End the interview by expressing your love for him．
Get together with a few other families and play the Father／Child Game． Divide into four father／child teams． Ask the fathers to leave the room while the children sit in chairs． Ask the same four or five questions to each child about their fathers． Bring in the fathers and ask them the same questions． Will the father and child have the same answers? Switch places and see how well the father＇s known the children． Award a red rose to the winning father／child team．
Make a crown for dad and let him know he＇s ″King″ for the day． This can be a family activity or extend21 an invitation to a few other families also． Make sure all the dads are given ″Royal Treatment″．
每年6月份的第3个星期天，美国人会给父亲们送礼物、宴请父亲或以其他方式为父亲营造一种特别的感觉。
父亲节的起源并不清楚。有人说父亲节始于1908年佛吉尼亚西部的一次教堂礼拜。还有人说第一次父亲节仪式是在华盛顿的范库弗举行的。
不管第一次真正的父亲节兴起何时，积极倡导这个节日的人当属华盛顿斯泊肯地区的布鲁斯·约翰·多德夫人。1909年她在聆听一次母亲节布道时萌发了父亲节的想法。
索诺拉希望用一个特殊的日子来纪念她的父亲——威廉·斯马特。威廉·斯马特参加过美国内战，后来退伍，妻子生第六个孩子时难产去世，斯马特成了鳏夫。斯马特先生独自一人在华盛顿东部一家农场承担起抚育新生儿和其他五个孩子的重任。
索诺拉成年后，意识到父亲单身一人抚养5个孩子是多么无私。他既做父亲又做母亲，付出了双倍的牺牲，在女儿眼中，他是一个勇敢、无私、富有爱心的人。1909年，多德夫人找到了自己的牧师和斯泊肯的其他牧师，商量在6月5日父亲生日那一天，专门为父亲举办一次礼拜纪念他。但这个日子太仓促，牧师来不及做准备，因此建议挪到几周后的6月19日。从那以后，华盛顿州便在6月份的第3个星期天庆祝父亲节。这一天孩子们制作一些特制的甜点，或登门拜访不住在一起的父亲。 佩带花朵是早年庆祝父亲节的一个传统。多德夫人倾向于用红玫瑰纪念在世的父亲，而用白色花朵纪念已故的父亲。
美国各州和众多机构开始游说国会把父亲节宣布为一年一度的节日。1916年，伍德罗·威尔逊总统批准了这一倡议，但直到1924年卡尔文·柯立芝总统才将其定为全国性的节日，以期“在父亲和孩子之间建立更为亲密的关系，并让父亲们牢记自己的全部责任。”打那以后，每年6月的第3个星期天 ，全美所有的父亲都会受到来自家人的尊敬和感谢。
1966年，林顿·约翰逊总统签署了一份总统令，宣布每年6月的第3个星期天为法定节日，并正式盖章批准庆祝活动，父亲节庆祝活动已历时近半个世纪。
你有各种选择在父亲节这一天让父亲享受特别待遇。以下是几个小小的建议：
让父亲享受一次床上早餐。
给他送花，红玫瑰是法定的父亲节花卉。
暗暗做好事，包括为老爸干件家务活如倒垃圾。
乖巧听话。
无须吩咐干好自己份内的活。
与兄弟姐妹和睦相处。
为他准备一顿盛宴或请他外出吃饭。
为他制作一份电子贺卡。
查一些妙计为老爸自制节日礼物。
采访父亲或祖父。询问他的生日，问问他们童年、少年都有何经历。搞清楚他们最喜欢的科目，问他是怎样遇到妈妈或奶奶的。问问他们最喜欢的工作是什么。采访结束时记得要说你爱他。
约上几家人一起外出玩亲子游戏。将他们分成父子四人小组。孩子们在椅子上坐好后请父亲去屋外回避，向每个孩子问4—5个关于父亲的同样问题。然后把父亲叫进来问同样的问题。父子答案会一样吗？交换位置看看父亲们对孩子又了解多少。为获胜的父子颁发红玫瑰。
还可以为父亲制作一个王冠，让他知道他是那天的“君王”。这个活动可以在家里进行，也可以邀请别的家庭参与。重要的是确保所有的父亲都能得到“皇家待遇。”
1. treat sb to ．．． 以…款待、招待
2． ceremony n． 仪式
3． occur v． 发生
4． promoter n． 促进者，推动者
5． sermon n． 布道；说教
6． veteran n． 退伍军人
7． widowed adj． 鳏居的
8． rural adj． 乡下的
9． parental adj． 又做父亲又做母亲的
10． courageous adj． 勇敢的
11． be dedicated to 献身于；专注于
12． deceased adj． 已故的
13． lobby v． 对（议员）进行游说
14． Congress n． 国会
15． annual adj． 一年一度的
16． intimate adj． 亲密的
17． impress upon sb 让某人牢记
18． recognize v． 认可，承认
19． proclamation n． 宣布
20． chore n． 家务杂事
21． extend v． 给予