Question of the Week: What traditions does your family observe for Father’s Day?

+14 votes
798 views

On my side, we’ve always had a cookout with barbecued ribs and my mom’s homemade potato salad. My husband’s side often celebrates with all of the sons and their dad heading out to the golf course followed by steaks on the grill and all the fixins. Do you do anything special to honor your father, grandfather, or any other father figures in your family?

in The Tree House by Julie Ricketts G2G6 Pilot (481k points)
Father's are not very popular in my family history, which was a large part of my motivation to begin this genealogy research. I come from several generations of single mothers, reigning matriarchal Grandmother's. Each generation having a few to one males borne. There are a few noteworthy Father's worth mentioning; My Uncle's, Robert Pitts and  Larry J. Reed, Sr. as well as his son, Larry J. Reed, Jr. Habitual gratitude bestowed towards them is not practiced faithfully among us nearly enough for their valient efforts to break the mold. In my opinion, we all need to show our support, appreciation and spread love more often than once a year; perhaps that should be a NEW tradition in my family. My own father, Edward F. Hernandez has made up for lost effort in my childhood with his unwaivering  support in more recent years. He had a prime example in my Grandfather, Carlos Jose Hernandez, father of 10, with over 25 grandchildren, beloved by all and Rests in Paradise as of just last year. I wish all wonderful father's out there had a lovely father's day this 2017!

9 Answers

+12 votes
Don't have any traditions... but this weekend, all my girls are coming over for a family bike ride. Haven't ridden my bicycle for 20 years. I'm excited to get back into riding, and even more excited that all my grown girls want to do it with me too.
by Dennis Wheeler G2G6 Pilot (569k points)
+14 votes
None.

My parents were convinced that both Mother's Day and Father's Day were "Hallmark Cards' invention" and we deliberately never did anything special for either.

Every family has their traditions, and ignoring Mother's Day and Father's Day is one of ours.
by Janet Gunn G2G6 Pilot (157k points)
I insisted that my children *not* commemorate these two days.  I understand that some people think they're fun and important, but to me, these sorts of commemorations just rub it in when you come from a dysfunctional family.

Yes, agree it's an invention of the card manufacturers

Not  quite so much  Mothering Sunday, the fourth Sunday in Lent  (which is a different date  to Mother's day elsewhere) Then children are  given flowers, usually daffodils to give to their mothers in the morning service at church, in the 19th Century these would have been wild flowers collected by daughters in service returning home for the day. I have been known to make a simnel cake.

We always observed mothering Sunday (a religious festival) but during the war it was always wild flowers (usually collected from bomb sites). Now it's Mother's Day which my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren still observe. There was no father's day because every other day was father's day!
My parents owned a men's clothing store. It was more than a Hallmark day for our family, and for most of our customers, who cherished the opportunity to honor their fathers and grandfathers.
+10 votes

This pic was taken c1965 of my dad lounging next to the bay in Seaside, NJ....his favorite father's day activity.

Photos_Experiments-116.jpg

by Doug Lockwood G2G Astronaut (2.6m points)
Great picture, Doug!
+7 votes
Every year, without fail, my two siblings and I forgot all about father's-day (and any other holiday or date that did not involve us personally receiving presents).  My mother always covered us on those things.  somehow he would always get a present from each of us.  I'd be as surprised as him to see what he got from me.  Of course she would always have us sign a card which made us feel included.  Collecting cards from events is one of mom's things; I'm sure she has every father's-day card I ever gave to dad.

I am most thankful that my father is healthy, fit, and happy.  We live on the same family land so I see him regularly and my sons are able to spend time with him too.  He is without a doubt one of the most important figures in our lives.  I love my father :)
by Keith Hathaway G2G6 Pilot (634k points)
+6 votes
My sister and her husband and their dog, and my brother comes down and picks up 12 piece Kentucky Fried Chicken, and with 3 sides and we eat at home on the Saturday before Father's Day.  Then my Dad opens his gifts and cards. Then we sit around and talk. Then on Sunday me, my mother and Dad sits around doing nothing and I give him my card on Father's Day.
by Living Barnett G2G6 Pilot (500k points)
+6 votes
Father's Day meant the culmination of a lot of work for my family. My dad owned, Vincent's Store for Men, a men's clothing store in Leitchfield, Kentucky. We had two major periods every year which were important to our family's livelihood... Christmas and Father's Day. The two or three weeks leading up to Father's Day were some of the busiest periods in our store. Father's day was a day for complete rest and relaxation, knowing that our respite would only last for one day. Merchandise returns would begin on Monday!
by Bill Vincent G2G6 Pilot (172k points)
+5 votes
We didn't really have any traditions, but we did have an aide memoir.

Fathers birthday fell close to Mothers day, and Mothers birthday fell close to fathers day. Two birds with one stone each time, and they both got a card and pressie.
by Dave Welburn G2G6 Pilot (140k points)
+5 votes
First of all: this is not our family tradition, but in Germany (where I live) it has become common that on father's day men (fathers and non-fathers) walk around, dragging a cart full of alcoholic beverages behind and get drunk, while their wife and family stay at home, or, at least, are not with them. They seem to consider it very entertaining and big fun.

Me (being a man), I am disgusted by this "tradition". For my wife, children and me it's just another holiday we spend together, like any other holiday.
by Ronnie Grindle G2G6 Mach 1 (18.9k points)
+4 votes
Nothing special anymore since my father and my son have both passed away.

We used to have big cook outs and celebrate my dad's birthday June 13th.

Everybody always came to my house.
by Cheryl Hess G2G Astronaut (1.8m points)

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