Father's Day by the numbers: Historical facts, stats and celebrations
Here’s how much Americans plan to spend for Father’s Day — plus data points about dads
Father's Day gift: 1964 Chevy Impala SS on 'My Dream Car'
Host and NASCAR reporter Danielle Trotta heads out to Great Falls, Mont. to see the restoration of a 1964 Chevy Impala SS as a gift from a son to his father.
Each year, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June.
As millions of Americans prepare to honor dads and father-like figures throughout the country, FOX Business looked into the holiday’s origins, the amount of money that’s spent on Father’s Day activities and key stats on fatherhood in America.
Here are a few number-focused facts in honor of Father’s Day.
10 UNIQUE FATHER'S DAY GIFTS FOR NEW DADS
1. When was the first Father's Day celebration in the United States?
2. Which U.S. president made Father's Day official?
3. How many fathers are in the U.S.?
4. How many single fathers are in the U.S.?
5. How many stay-at-home dads are in the U.S.?
6. How many children are in the U.S.?
7. How much money is spent on Father's Day?
8. How many ties are sold on Father's Day?
9. How many Father's Day cards are exchanged?
10. How much is spent on Father's Day gifts?
Father's Day celebrants typically give dads gifts as a way to say thank you. (iStock)
1. When was the first Father's Day celebration in the United States?
The first Father’s Day on record dates back to June 19, 1910, according to History.com. The day was reportedly started by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington.
BEST MONEY ADVICE FROM REAL-LIFE FATHERS
Dodd was the daughter of a widower, and she felt moved to start a day that honored fathers after seeing the success Mother’s Day had when it was established three years prior.
Father's Day is celebrated by millions of Americans. (iStock)
The state of Washington celebrated the nation’s first Father’s Day.
2. Which U.S. president made Father's Day official?
Sixty-two years after the nation’s first Father’s Day observance, President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation that permanently made Father’s Day the third Sunday in June, according to the Library of Congress.
President Lyndon Johnson made a declaration stating the same six years before Nixon, but he didn’t sign it into law.
3. How many fathers are in the U.S.?
The U.S. Census reported there were 72.2 million fathers aged 15 and over in 2014, according to the agency’s Men’s Fertility and Fatherhood report.
Families find ways to celebrate Father's Day each year on the third Sunday of June. (iStock / iStock)
4. How many single fathers are in the U.S.?
Around two million men were considered single fathers living with children under the age of 18 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census.
8 IN 10 PARENTS CLAIM THEY'D RATHER HAVE MOTHER'S DAY OR FATHER'S DAY GIFT MONEY GO TO KIDS: REPORT
5. How many stay-at-home dads are in the U.S.?
The U.S. Census estimated that there were 204,000 stay-at-home dads in 2021.
More than 72 million American men are fathers, according to U.S. Census estimates. (iStock)
6. How many children are in the U.S.?
In 2019, there were approximately 73 million children in the U.S., according to data from the Children’s Defense Fund.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
7. How much money is spent on Father's Day?
Father’s Day spending for 2023 is projected to reach $22.9 billion, according to forecast data published by the National Retail Federation (NRF).
That estimate is up 14.5% from the NRF's Father's Day spending forecast from 2022.
Millions of ties are reportedly sold around Father's Day. (iStock / iStock)
8. How many ties are sold on Father's Day?
About 100 million ties are sold on Father’s Day each year, according to Infoplease – an online encyclopedia, almanac and atlas.
9. How many Father's Day cards are exchanged?
Each Father’s Day, there are about 72 million cards exchanged, according to Hallmark, a leading greeting card company.
The card manufacturer says Father’s Day is its fourth-largest card-sending holiday.
Millions of Father’s Day cards are exchanged to honor dads in the United States, according to Hallmark. (iStock / iStock)
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
10. How much is spent on Father's Day gifts?
Americans who plan to celebrate Father’s Day will spend an average of $196.23 on gifts, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2023 projection.
That estimate is up $24.44 from the Father's Day gifting forecast the NRF projected last year.