This Sunday, June 21, marks the annual recognition of dear old dad. That time of year when the old man receives gifts and praise from his offspring, such as a new golf club or dress shirt. Or, if he’s been really good dad this year, some beachfront dining at the Beachside Bistro. Observed every third Sunday of the month of June, Father’s Day has celebrated the contributions of fathers and father figures since 1910. Around the country, dads, step-dads, and other male father figures are honored for their support and influence on the lives of children.

Being a dad is no simple task. As the saying goes, anyone can make a baby, but it takes a real man to be a father. While both parents play an important part in the proper upbringing of a child, the father has the unique task of providing the ideal for a positive male role model to their sons and daughters. This is an aspect that they must then take out into the world and utilize when dealing with kids of their own. It is a thankless job that they do simply out of their love for their children.

Father’s Day has believed to have been derived from several events in the early twentieth century. The most notable, of course, was the start of the Mother’s Day tradition in 1908. After all, one can’t very well be a mother without a father somewhere in the mix. Another key influence was a 1908 memorial service held for a large group of miners, most of them fathers, killed in a mining accident in Monongah, West Virginia in 1907. And then there was Sonora Smart Dodd, whose father raised her and her five siblings, all on his own, after the death of their mother. After the first Mother’s Day celebration in 1908, Sonora was inspired to start a similar tradition for men like her father. In 1972, President Nixon officially recognized Father’s Day as the third Sunday of June. With this early focus on the positive role of men in the family structure, Father’s Day has become a lasting tradition to this day.

In modern times, Father’s Day is celebrated with everything from gifts and dinners to phone calls and greeting cards. The traditional Father’s Day “gift,” the infamous tacky neck-tie, has been replaced with electronic gadgets, tools or sports equipment, or even outdoor cooking supplies. While some lucky dad’s may get taken out to dinner, distance sometimes limits others to a phone call and some heartfelt conversation.

So this Sunday, make sure you honor the father figure in your life, whoever they may be. Get them a gift, take them out to dinner, or, if nothing else, give them a call and catch up on your lives. But, first and foremost, tell them just how much they mean to you. On this special day, honor the man who helped to make you the person you are today.

If taking your dad out to lunch or dinner is part of your plan, we invite you to our Beachsite Bistro Oceanfront Restaurant.