Father's Day Origins

Third Sunday of June

A Man’s World from - www.corporategiftsboston.com

The first person that probably makes you laugh is your Father! In their awkward attempts to pull funny faces, cradle and croon, any thing to avoid the melancholy ear piercing wail that announces a need for food or a wet diaper! They are the one’s we look to for fixing a broken toy, the one that has the best back to climb, the one that may teach us to ride a bike or play a sport and let’s be honest, no matter what Mother does for us, the one we long to see at the end of the day as our returning hero…….

We look up to them as the future man we intend to be or the future man we intend to marry, in most cases…… They are a tower of strength, admiration and un-conditional love. Daddy…………

This is what Sonora Dodd felt when you came up with the idea of Father’s Day in 1909. She had been listening to a Mother’s day sermon and thought of how her Father had coped when he was left with a new born baby and 5 other children on the death of his wife in childbirth. He was a Father and Mother to herself and her siblings and did so selflessly with all the usual sacrifices that parents make, but all alone.

Her Father’s birthday was in June and she chose that month to hold the first father’s day celebration in Spokane Washington on the 19^th June 1910. It took until 1924, for the then President Calvin Coolidge to recognize the day and support it, but it took until 1972 for Richard Nixon to sign and establish a national observance on the third Sunday in June each year.

Although the third week in June is popular in most countries, it can vary from country to country. In Germany, there is no such thing as father’s day, they celebrate Mannertag –or Herrentag, gentlemens day, and this dates way back. It is celebrated on Ascension day and usually involves a hiking trip, male only and is accompanied with a wagon laden with food and drink, wine and beer. It appears that it may have been a tradition of initiating young men into the ways of intense drinking!

Times have changed, and it is now not just the Mother that nurtures and brings up the children. Families may have both parents working, and Father helps with many of the child rearing duties, taxi-ing, feeding, cleaning, guiding and more and more being the pivot around which the family grows and evolves as well as Mother. Although still not as popular as Mother’s day, it is still a wonderful opportunity to thank and honor your Father.

The origin of Mother's day

Mothers Day – Mothering Sunday

UK and Ireland 4^th Sunday of Lent - March 2^nd 2008

USA 2^nd Sunday on May – May 11^th 2008 (also Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium)

Mothers Love – from www.Corporategiftsboston.com

“The Mother carries the child in her womb for 9 months and in her heart for the rest of her life……….”

What a beautiful way to sum up the meaning and significance of the word Mother. It goes to show the importance of mother in our lives. Mother stands for millions of things she gives to her children; it also stands for sacrifices pain, grief and sorrows which she has to undergo to keep her children happy and secure. The most important woman in an individual's life is her/his mother. Her presence affects us our entire life and she can't be replaced by anyone. She is on a pedestal…..

Different countries celebrate her at her different times, it’s origins are varied. Whatever, it is a time to show our gratitude and love for her, through gifts, flowers, tributes and cards. And usually she is given a break from her usual Motherly duties for the day!

Here is what antiquity has to say:-

Egypt – the festival of Isis was celebrated annually, she was known as the Mother of the Pharaohs. Her son Horus became the first pharaoh of the unified Egypt.

Ancient Greece – Mother worship at the festival of Cybele, a mother of great Gods. Held around theVernal Equinox in Rome and Asia Minor. It included eating honey cakes and sharing flowers in the morning.

Romans – celebration of Magna Mater between March 15 – 22. Games were held in honor of the Mother of the gods, Rhea. Also processions through the streets with a statue of the Goddess followed by a display of arts and crafts.

In some countries Mother’s Day began as a celebration for Christians as opposed to Mothers, for example in the 16^th century in the UK, there was a Christian practice of visiting one’s mother church (the church where you were baptized) annually, which meant that a Mother would be united with her family for this day.

In the United States, it is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. It was loosely inspired by the British mother day. Julia Ward Howard in 1870, brought forward the concept of a mother’s day after the American Civil War. It was her intention to get women to unite against the war, but it failed to get formal recognition. She even tried to get the 4^th July converted to Mothers day, in order to dedicate the US anniversary to peace!

Anna Reeves Jarvis took the idea and tried to resurrect it in 1873, in order to bring together families and neighbors who had been divided by the Civil War. They called it Mother’s Friendship day. When Anna died, her daughter Anna M Jarvis, pursued the cause of celebrating the day officially in memory of her Mother and peace. It eventually worked, in 1908 the first Mother’s day celebration took place in Grafton, W Virginia at her Mother’s Sunday school church on May 10^th.

White carnations (her Mother’s favorite) were given to each person and 2 to each Mother. Today white carnations honor the deceased, pink and red for all those Mother’s alive. By 1909, 46 states were celebrating the day, plus parts of Canada and Mexico. In 1914 Woodrow Wilson, declared the first National Mother’s day, for citizens to show the flag in honor of Mother’s who had lost sons in war.

It is now one of the most commercially successful occasions in the US. A day to eat out, give cards, flowers and gifts, and a day I personally always look forward to!

Administrative professionals Week and Day

Administrative Professionals week and Day April 27th 2011

www.corporategiftsboston.com

Does anyone know when this started and who it is meant to target?

Well believe it or not, it’s beginnings took place during World War II in the US, when there was a call up for office clerk and secretarial staff to man the home front and office front taking the place of the men who generally held these posts and were taken away to serve their country in another way. In 1942 the association was first set up as the National Secretaries Association.

In 1952 National Secretaries week was sponsored by the then National Secretaries Association. This body has since become the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) in 2000.

It was intended to reward secretaries for their loyalty, efficiency and skills, which were so heavily relied upon to make the mechanics of government and business run smoothly. The association started in Kansas City, soon moving to more chapters in different States and eventually to chapters outside the US. Certified examinations were set up in 1952 to join the association.

It is observed the last full week in April with Wednesday set aside as Administrative Professionals Day.

IAAP continues to provide education and training and set standards of excellence recognized by the business community on a global perspective. Our present and future vision is "to inspire and equip all administrative professionals to attain excellence."

Today, managers and CEO’s reward their staff in a number of ways. Whether in the form of a gift or training reward. What better way that to provide gesture of appreciation than a little gourmet gift.

Check for other suitable ideas on our pages.