Put on your hiking boots, take the handcart out of the garage and off you go: Today is Father’s Day and so many men are out and about celebrating! And of course it deserves it! That’s why our greeting goes to all the dads out there today – enjoy your day!
The origin of Father’s Day
You can hardly believe it today when you see the men on tour today, Father’s Day actually has a church origin. This day does not coincidentally fall on Ascension Day, but there is a connection. Even in the Middle Ages, today’s holiday was called Father’s Day, because Jesus is said to have ascended to his father on this day. At that time, however, there was not yet the beautiful tradition of celebrating one’s own father on this occasion!
Father’s Day as a holiday only came about around 1900. At that time, people went out into nature with processions on that day and prayed in fields for a good harvest. Over time, there were still lavish celebrations, which were a thorn in the side of the church. They even wanted to ban the trips, but couldn’t really get away with it. The custom was already established, people liked it and despite everything went out into nature on Ascension Day and didn’t stop drinking. This laid the foundation for the Father’s Day activities that are still on the agenda for many today.
Beer brewers sensed sales!
Funny in this context: The fact that men today set off with handcarts the way they do is based on clever marketing! Beer brewers from Berlin sensed good business at the time and started a PR campaign in which they called on fathers and sons to spend the day together and with lots of beer. This not only ensured good sales immediately, but also introduced the sons to drinking and also secured future sales. Many young men, including non-fathers, go out and celebrate extensively according to this model today!
Incidentally, in Spain Father’s Day was already on March 19th, Saint Joseph’s Day. On this day, fathers receive handcrafted or painted gifts from their children. The holiday goes back to the teacher Manuela Vicente Ferrero, who organized a school festival in 1948 where the fathers were entertained – so that the fathers no longer had to be jealous of Mother’s Day and they were also duly acknowledged. The day is not celebrated here as extravagantly as in Germany.
However you spend this day: enjoy it!
