Humor Series: Father’s Day

History of Father’s Day

The Beginning

[NOTE: I wrote a more extended and serious version of this article for CBS.com several years ago. It has been published on their network of sites for major cities nationwide. You can find that article here.]

Origin of Father’s Day

The celebration of Father’s Day goes back to the beginning, actually to the Garden of Eden, when Abel gave his father Adam a razor while his brother Cain gave his father a snake-skin tie. This was the beginning of Cain’s downward slide.

Contrasts

Scholars have debated for ages why Mother’s Day seems to be more honored than Father’s Day. This phenomenon has been compared to the difference in popularity between the Irish and Italian patron saints.

Father’s Day in the Medieval Period

The noted scholar, Father Guido Sarducci, papal legate and gossip columnist for the Vatican Enquirer, has pointed out that for St. Patrick’s Day, we have lots of festivities, lots of green celebrations, and major parades.

“But for St. Joseph, a very good saint, there is nothing.
The only thing he is known for is children’s aspirin.”