Papa Power!

A Kid Explorer’s Guide to Father’s Day Around the World

(Spoiler: Hope Your Dad Packed His Running Shoes for Mexico)

Hi, it’s Jed again! I’m writing to you from Spokane, Washington: the birthplace of Father’s Day (and the city where my mom grew up)! Father’s Day is awesome—but not everyone celebrates it the same way! It is so fun to learn about what other kids around the world do for their dads. Let’s just say some dads really earn their special breakfast… with a 21K run!

World Tour: 4 Father’s Day Traditions

Let’s take a trip to 4 very different countries to see how they do Father’s Day.

GERMANY

• Father’s Day, also called Männertag or Vaterdag, is always celebrated on a Thursday in May or June. It is the same day as Ascension Day, celebrated by many Christians.
• Fathers dress up in colorful clothes and haul wagons of alcohol into the woods. I’m not quite sure what they do once they get there…
• (That’s cooler than a pancake stack with whipped cream!)

JAPAN

• Father’s Day is called Chichi no Hi (“Day of the Father”) and is celebrated on the third Sunday of June (just like the States).
• Families give their fathers a traditional Japanese meal, seafood, or gifts of cologne, flowers, or sake (a Japanese alcohol made from fermented rice).  They might eat grilled fish and receive yellow roses.
• (I think my dad would love this tradition! He loves fish and trying fun drinks from around the world.)

NEPAL

• Father’s Day is called Gokarna Aunsi and follows the Nepali lunar calendar, so the date changes every year. It usually shows up in August or September—just depends on what the moon feels like doing!
• It is similar to American Father’s Day, but they also pray to and worship fathers who have passed away and are no longer with them.
• (That tradition is cooler than ice cream for breakfast… and that’s saying something.)

MEXICO

• Father’s Day also called Dia del Padre and celebrated on the third Sunday in June every year.
• Fathers can run a 21-kilometer race in Mexico City called Carrera Dia del Padre 21k Bosque de Tlalpan.
• (Note to self: Do not challenge a dad from Mexico to a race. My feet hurt just thinking about it.)

Bonus Round: Fun Father’s Day Facts

Did you know…? Dad edition!

• Father’s Day started way back in 1910 in Spokane, Washington. A girl named Sonora Smart Dodd thought dads deserved a special day, so she planned the very first one on June 19, 1910. That makes Spokane the official hometown of Father’s Day! Pretty cool, right?
• 50% of all Father’s Day cards are bought for fathers, while 20% are bought for husbands. I like to make a card for my dad every year, but you can also go to a store to pick one out (there are so many funny ones!) or order one like this online!
• There is a fun online Father’s Day game where you can make your own Father’s Day Card. Click right here  (click the link, then click on the Google image at the top of the page. It will open the game).
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the necktie is the most popular of all Father’s Day gifts. Look at this one !
• Father’s Day is celebrated in 111 countries. 111 countries?! That’s a lot of ties and pancake breakfasts!

No matter where you live, your dad probably just wants to hear that you love him. Or maybe a nap. Or a giant burrito. Depends on the dad. I like to make my dad breakfast in bed, give him a special gift I picked out and paid for with my own money, and spend lots of time playing with him.

Jim Gaffigan, a funny dad comedian, once said that there should be a children’s song that says, “If you’re happy and you know it, keep it to yourself and let dad sleep.” Ha!

Thank you for reading! Have a great Father’s Day and remember to celebrate your dad in a way that’s special to your family or cultural traditions! And leave a comment down below with any fun traditions you do on Father’s Day!

🌍 The Kids Explorer Club With Jed