父親節的由來 The Origin of Father's Day

父親節的由來

你知道父親節跟戰爭與和平、還有基督教會有關嗎？

你知道只有中華民國(台灣)、蒙古國是在八月八日慶祝父親節嗎？

你知道大部分的國家都是在哪天慶祝父親節嗎？

在我們慶祝父親節的同時，也一同回顧和探索不同國家慶祝這個特別節日的背後故事吧。

八月八日父親節的緣由

中華民國在8月8日慶祝父親節，是源自於民國34年的8月8日。當時，中國抗日戰爭的戰局逐漸明朗，上海的部份愛國人士決定發起「父親節」，以頌揚和紀念那些在戰場上為國捐軀的父親們。之所以選擇每年的八月八日慶祝，是因為「八八」和「爸爸」音韻相近，且從字形上將「八八」二字連綴後就像一個「父」字。因此，訂定八月八日為父親節，又被稱為「八八節」或「爸爸節」。而這個慶祝父親節的特別日子，也隨著中華民國到台灣，而沿用至今。

六月第三個周日

在許多國家也有自己獨特的父親節慶祝方式。如英國、加拿大、德國、日本、與中國大陸等等，都和美國一樣，是在六月的第三個星期日慶祝父親節。這個習俗起源於美國，在1909年，一位名叫杜德夫人（Mrs. Dodd）的美國華盛頓州斯波坎市居民提出了在教會母親節禮拜後紀念父親的建議。杜德夫人的父親威廉‧史馬特成為單親父親，在13歲時失去了母親，他獨自撫養著六名子女成人。

父親節從教會開始

於是，杜德夫人在1910年春天開始推動父親節的運動，獲得了各教會組織的支持。她寫信給市長和州政府，並在1910年6月19日，士波肯市市長和華盛頓州州長公開表示贊成，在華盛頓州舉辦了全世界第一次的父親節聚會。隨著時間的推移，父親節在美國逐漸受到更廣泛的認可和支持。1924年，美國總統凱文·柯立芝支持父親節成為全美節日。1966年，美國總統林登·詹森選擇了史馬特先生的生辰月份，宣佈當年六月為美國父親節之月。最終，1972年，美國總統理查德·尼克森正式簽署文件，將每年六月的第三個星期日定為美國的父親節，從此成為美國永久性的國定紀念日。

而如今，這個特別的節日已在全球廣泛流傳，許多國家紛紛慶祝父親節，向父親們表達感激與愛意。父親對子女的愛十分特別，就連詩人也用父親對子女的愛，來表達天父上帝對敬畏他的人們的愛。無論是8月8日的「八八節」，還是六月的第三個星期日，這個節日都成為了向父親們致敬、感恩和關愛的特別日子。在這一天，我們應該珍惜家人，感謝父親們無私的付出，讓他們感受到我們的愛戴和關懷。

The Origin of Father's Day

Let's take a journey together and explore the stories behind the celebration of this special occasion in different countries.

In the Republic of China (Taiwan), Father's Day is celebrated on August 8th, a tradition that dates back to the year 34 of the Republic of China. At that time, as the situation of the Sino-Japanese War gradually became clear, some patriotic individuals in Shanghai decided to initiate "Father's Day" to honor and commemorate the fathers who sacrificed themselves for their country on the battlefield. The reason for choosing August 8th as the date of celebration is because "八八" (eight-eight) sounds similar to "爸爸" (father) in Chinese, and when the characters "八八" are put together, they resemble the character "父" (father). Thus, August 8th was designated as Father's Day, also known as "八八節" or "爸爸節." This special day to celebrate fathers has continued in Taiwan after the Republic of China's relocation.

In many countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Japan, and mainland China, among others, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June, just like in the United States. This custom originated in the United States in 1909 when a resident of Spokane, Washington, named Mrs. Dodd, proposed the idea of commemorating fathers after attending a Mother's Day church service. Mrs. Dodd's father, William Smart, became a single father after losing his wife when she was just thirteen years old. He single-handedly raised six children until they reached adulthood.

Inspired by her father's selfless love, Mrs. Dodd began advocating for Father's Day in the spring of 1910 and gained support from various church organizations. She wrote letters to the mayor and state government, and on June 19, 1910, the mayor of Spokane and the governor of Washington publicly supported her proposal, leading to the world's first Father's Day celebration in Washington State. Over time, Father's Day gradually gained wider recognition and support in the United States. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge supported the establishment of Father's Day as a nationwide holiday. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson chose the birth month of William Smart, June, as the month to celebrate Father's Day. Finally, in 1972, President Richard Nixon officially signed the proclamation designating the third Sunday of June as Father's Day, making it a permanent national observance in the United States.

Today, this special holiday has spread widely across the globe, and many countries celebrate Father's Day to express gratitude and love for their fathers. The love of a father for his children is truly unique, and even poets use this love to express God's love for those who revere Him. Whether it's "八八節" on August 8th or the third Sunday of June, Father's Day has become a special day to pay tribute, give thanks, and show love to fathers. On this day, we should cherish our families and express our gratitude to fathers for their selfless dedication, making them feel our admiration and care.