In 2009, Father’s Day in the US will be celebrated on June 21st, which is a Sunday. In the past it was generally celebrated on the 15th of June, instead.

The holiday was started early in the twentieth century to commemorate the roles that fathers played in parenting their children and to complement Mother’s Day celebrations. Gifts are usually given and there are family oriented activities and special dinners for many fathers.

There is also an International Men’s Day that’s celebrated in a lot of countries, but the US isn’t one of them. Depending on the country that you live in, when and how you celebrate Father’s Day will vary greatly but it’s a time to honor fathers everywhere, no matter where you come from. Many people also honor their grandfathers on that day, even though there is also a Grandparents’ Day in the US.

Father’s Day is usually seen as a secular celebration, but there are Christian overtones to the day in many countries and the Catholic Church has a different day on which it celebrates fathers. This is generally on Saint Joseph’s Day.