According to HISTORY, Father’s Day was first celebrated in the state of Washington on June 19, 1910. It was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official, that Father’s Day became a national holiday in the United States.

Father’s Day can be traced back to a memorial service held in 1908 for a large group of men, mostly fathers, who were killed in a tragic mining accident. It was in Monongah, West Virginia during December 1907, according to timeanddate.  

Sonora Smart Dodd came up with the idea of honoring and celebrating her father while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon at church in 1909, according to The Art of Manliness.  

In the US and UK, citizens observe Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June. However, Italy’s Festa del Papà and Spain’s Día del Padre are on March 19, states The Independent.

Many countries celebrate Father’s Day differently. According to Time, in Thailand, fathers are celebrated on the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. On this day, sons give their dads canna flowers, which have a masculine association. The canna lily means “confide in heaven” as said on this flower meaning chart. Thais also wear pink in order to remember the king.

Time stated that although Father’s Day is not an official holiday in Mexico, People of Mexico give gifts to their fathers and celebrate with food and music. Some even participate in a 21 kilometer race in Mexico City named, “Carrera Día del Padre 21K Bosque de Tlalpan.”

In Russia, according the NY Daily News, what’s commonly known as Father’s Day is called Defender of the Fatherland Day. All men, not just fathers, are celebrated. The holiday, on February 23rd, started as a military commemoration. On this day, women give gifts to men that are important to them.

Still, Germany celebrates Vatertag, a federal holiday that falls on the 40th day of Easter: Ascension Day. Most men in Germany celebrate by pulling a wagon filled with beer and various types of liquor, while some men go on bar crawls.

France’s Father’s Day traditions can be traced back to a company that made lighters and marketed them as a gift to smoking fathers according to Time. It falls on the same day as the U.S., the third Sunday in June. Today, the lighters are replaced with drawings or small gifts.

Although the dates and customs vary, many countries dedicate time to honor fathers everywhere.