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Father's
Day Guide International
Father's Day Traditions
Father's
Day Celebrations Around The World
Most
people around the world celebrate Father's Day, but the dates to
honor dads are not the same everywhere. In many countries the customs
and traditions may be very different than the ones you know.
The earliest
record of Father's Day was found in the ruins of Babylon. A young
boy named Elmesu carved a Father's Day message on a card made out
of clay nearly 4,000 years ago. He wished his Babylonian father
good health and a long life.
No one knows
what happened to Elmesu or his father, but the tradition of having
a special day honoring fathers has continued through the years in
countries all around the world.
In many countries,
where the Catholic Church has had a important influence on the culture,
Father's Day is celebrated on St.
Joseph's Day (March 19). In recent times a secular celebration,
not associated with any religion, has been celebrated in many of
these countries to reflect the increased diversity of the people
who live there. Some families choose one of the dates to celebrate
Father's Day and ignore the other day, but some lucky dads actually
get to celebrate Father's Day twice every year!
When is Father's
Day where you live?
Argentina -
the third Sunday in June
Australia -
the first Sunday in September
Belgium - St.
Joseph's Day & the second Sunday in June
Brazil - the
second Sunday in August
Bulgaria - June
20
Canada - the
third Sunday in June
Chile - the
third Sunday in June
Denmark - June 5
Finland - the
second Sunday in November
France - the
third Sunday in June
Germany - Ascension
Thursday (40 days after Easter)
Japan - the
third Sunday in June
Lithuania -
the first Sunday in June
Netherlands
- the third Sunday in June
New Zealand
- the first Sunday in September
Norway - the
second Sunday in November
Portugal - St.
Joseph's Day March 19
Spain - St.
Joseph's Day March 19
Sweden - the
second Sunday in November
Taiwan - August
8 (in the Mandarin dialect of the Chinese language which many people
speak in Taiwan, the numbers for this date 8/8 make
the sound "ba ba"...and that is the same sound
as the word father!)
Thailand - December
5 (This is the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej)
United Kingdom
- the third Sunday in June
United States
- the third Sunday in June
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