I don't know about you, but personally, I find Father's Day to be the most difficult holidays to celebrate. Not because it's obscure or commercialized or even controversial. Far from it, actually. Father's Day is difficult because I can't seem to grasp exactly what Father's Day is all about. Well, perhaps we can get some hints when we take a look back at the origins of this holiday.



Fathers were originally honored on St. Joseph's feast day, on March 19. However, Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, inspired by Anna Jarvis' campaign to establish Mother's Day, started celebrating an equivalent holiday to honor her father. Her father, William Jackson Smart, had to raise their family single-handedly when her mother died while giving birth to their sixth child. She wanted to acknowledge the courage, protectiveness, and selflessness that her father showed when he raised his family as a single parent. Thus, the first official Father's Day celebration occurred in June 1910.

Now, we have observed and experienced the re-definition of a father's role in today's complicated and ever-shifting society. This, in itself, is tough enough to handle and adapt to. But there is a glaring problem that's even more challenging. Particularly, how in tarnation do you celebrate Father's Day?

Yes, I know there is a plethora of gifts in every shopping mall and gift shop, locally available or through the Internet. But that's just the problem, you see. All of these gifts are becoming commonplace and boring, frankly speaking. I mean, let me ask you this: What can you give your father as a gift on his special day that won't collect dust on the shelf or mantelpiece, clutter up his desk or his closet even more, and won't become a grayed-out shadow of its former self in the basement or garage? You want to give him something that will actually be appreciated the day after it has been given, right? And more importantly, what can you give him that he hasn't already bought for himself?

Celebrating Mother's Day is so much simpler. Take her out to dinner, or better yet, invite the family over for a special 5-course extravaganza, and juts let her enjoy the day and the company without having to do any of the hosting or cooking or cleaning work. If you want, you can easily make her day with a visit to a luxurious spa. You can easily find something or someplace to pamper her and make her feel like a queen.

Fathers can be relatively easy to find gifts for. If your dad is a techno-geek, an outdoorsman, a sports fanatic, or a home theater nut, there are countless gift ideas readily available at your nearest shopping mall. DVDs, CDs, books, a train set, the latest USB gadget, a digital camera, or two tickets to the playoffs. You can also plunk yourself down in front of your computer and find several gifts for him on the Internet. But do these gifts really show him how much we appreciate and love him for his kindness, courage, protection, concern, and strength?

Fear not, for there are always alternatives to everything. Likewise, you can easily find other great gift ideas for your father, like plants and flowers. Now, stop raising your eyebrows and give it a good thought. How many people give flowers and plants to their dads on Father's Day, or for any other special occasion, for that matter? The fact that these types of gifts are not the ones you'd usually think of on Father's Day makes them even more special.

There are flowers and plants that can symbolize masculinity and paternal qualities, believe it or not. You want an example? How about the sunflower, which's big and strong, with a bright face like a shining symbol of hope in a dark and gloomy place. Violets are great, also. They have long been connected to the qualities of fidelity, trust, sacrifice and devotion. Now those are gifts that a father would like.