By Donna Westfall – June 17, 2018
Take a hike, go out to eat, buy or make your father a treat.
Former President Richard Nixon proclaimed Father’s Day in 1972. But, other President’s tried making it a holiday before then.
In Catholic Europe, it has been celebrated on March 19 (St. Joseph’s Day) since the Middle Ages. Father’s Day was not celebrated in the US, outside Catholic traditions, until the 20th century. As a civic celebration in the US, it was inaugurated in the early 20th century to complement Mother’s Day .
A bill to accord national recognition of the holiday was introduced in Congress in 1913. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak at a Father’s Day celebration and he wanted to make it an officially recognized federal holiday, but Congress resisted, fearing that it would become commercialized. US President Calvin Coolidge recommended in 1924 that the day be observed throughout the entire nation, but he stopped short at issuing a national proclamation.
In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.
What are some off beat ways to celebrate the day with that special guy?
Bar-b-que: Not just hot dogs or hamburgers, but try making fried chicken without the grease.
Prepare your BBQ, put foil on top of the grill.
Prepare your chicken by shaking the pieces in a bag filled with 1/2 cup of flour and your favorite seasonings.
Cook for 20 minutes with the top down. Flip the chicken over and in 15 minutes it should be done. Then add your favorite Bar-b-que sauce.
But if grilling is not your style, Lucky Seven is having this promo: All men get $10 free play on Father’s Day from 10 am to 7 pm (must have an active account). Plus, they’re having a drawing with the Grand Prize $1,000 bar-b-que.
Build something together:
If your dad isn’t in to physical activity, try building a remote control drone, or RC card or truck and spend the afternoon racing in the air or on the ground.
If your dad loves physical activity, build something like a greenhouse or a go-cart.
Should you have any PVC pipes laying around, try putting together a potato or marshmellow shooter.
Plant a flower, bush or tree, a fruit tree:
Remember to plant a pollinator. Kiwi trees, for example, have to have one female and one male tree to produce fruit.
Fig trees have been grown since ancient times in areas from the desert to the sea. Then enjoy fruit for years to come.
Walk on the Beach:
Enjoy the picturesque coastline of Del Norte County. Collect shells. Look at tide pools. Sit on the sand and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Pacific Ocean.
Enjoy the Redwoods:
Living in one of the few places on earth with those giants and an abundance of trails, take a camera or a hiking stick and enjoy a few hours amongst the trees. Or visit Trees of Mystery.
KIDS camp free:
At KOA campgrounds just for Father’s Day.
FREE Fishing:
Drive to Front Street and go to the B Street Pier. Free fishing off the pier year round. It’s been proven to be an excellent place to get crab, not so great for other fish, but the view is amazing.
Paint something together:
Whether it’s a T-shirt, rocks, bbq apron or coloring book, get creative and colorful.
Create music:
Is that guitar laying around unused? Get it out and strum a few cords. Write the lyrics to your own songs. Or just listen to some good music together.
Go to the dump:
Don’t just throw that trash away. Look at the free stuff the dump offers and see if you find a treasure. It could be used bricks to build a keyhole garden.
It’s a beautiful day. Enjoy it together.
Happy Father’s Day!
