Ah, Father’s Day. The time of year when every commercial on TV is an ad selling a new 300 piece screwdriver set or a new BBQ with more grilling surfaces than ever. But fathers have more to offer than their misguided belief that they can repair things and their penchant for grilled meats. Dads like furniture. They like artwork. They like unnecessary-but-cool things for their desks. On that note, let’s find out what Father’s Day is all about.

The Founding of Father’s Day

Most people have come to the cynical conclusion that holidays like Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Valentine’s Day were invented by greeting card companies to cash in throughout the year. That’s just not true. Father’s Day was actually brought to the national stage by the New York Associated Men’s Wear Retailers, tie manufacturers, and the tobacco pipe industry. Totally different. That didn’t happen until the 1930s, though. The Catholic Church has actually been celebrating Father’s Day since the Middle Ages. It was traditionally held on March 19th, which is also St. Joseph’s Day. The idea of an official Father’s Day cropped up several times in the early 1900s but it could never quite gain traction. A member of the Lions Club International, Harry C. Meeks, claimed he invented the idea of Father’s Day in 1915 and decided to hold it on the third Sunday of June (his birthday). It finally took a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd to popularize the holiday. She wanted it to take place on June 5th (her dad’s birthday), but the local churches couldn’t get their act together in time so they just decided to stick with the whole third Sunday thing.

One of the best gifts you can get your father is a way for him to relax.

What Men Want

Power tools. Beer. The newest gadget. Sure, plenty of men enjoy all of those things. But Father’s Day isn’t supposed to be a second Christmas. It’s a day to truly appreciate and honor the hard work and sacrifices that your father has made for you. So before you scour the Amazon Men’s section at the last minute and pray that your gift is eligible for Prime shipping, maybe consider what your father really wants. New research has shown that fathers simply want to spend more time with their families. That means more time at home lounging together on the couch.  This Father’s Day it might be time to consider investing in the home instead of on another tie. Men like receiving ties as a gift as much as mothers like receiving scented candles (read: they quietly hate it).

What Men Really Want

Sure I just said that men want to spend time with their families. And that’s absolutely true! But there’s a reason why man caves and Sunday football exist. Fathers also need their time off and their solitude. One of the best gifts you can get your father is a way for him to relax. Lots of dads choose Scotch, tobacco, and other vices for this purpose. But there are better (and healthier) ways to encourage your dad to relax. What does every man cave need? A comfortable place to kick back. What does every Sunday NFL game need? A comfortable place to kick back (and, yes, a big screen TV, too). This year consider treating your father with an armchair for reading, a sofa for lounging, or a sectional where he can fall asleep with his hand in a bag of Doritos.

Give your father the gift of comfort this Father’s Day! And, seriously, spend some time with him. It’ll mean the world to him.


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