Father's Day

Father's Day is a fairly new celebration in the British calendar compared with Mother's Day, which has been a very popular and well celebrated festival in the UK for a very long time.

The origins of the celebration are American and it was inspired by the actions of a man named William Smart. He was a veteran of the US Civil War and his wife died giving birth to their sixth child. He raised six children alone without remarrying, which was undoubtedly unusual back in those days.

His daughter, Sonora Dodd, realised when she was an adult what her father had sacrificed for his children. It was in the early 1900s and she was actually at church one day, listening to a sermon on Mother's Day. She thought there should also be a Father's Day celebration.

And so the tradition was born, on the third Sunday every June, close to the anniversary of Sonora's father's death. Britain took the idea of Father's Day from the American celebration and it has been celebrated officially since the 1970s.

Father's Day is never quite such the big commercial event that Mother's Day is, probably because it hasn't been in existence for so long. But what do British people do for Father's Day?

Well, most people would buy their fathers a card. The card would probably have a nice message in it saying what a great Dad their father is. Some people do buy presents as well.

Popular gifts for Dads are probably ties, chocolates or socks because these are things that Dads can always use even if they don't want them. In the run-up to Father's Day, or indeed Mother's Day, there will be adverts on the TV giving us ideas of CDs or gadgets we can buy. Card shops will be full of mugs or pens and similar merchandise with 'World's Greatest Dad' written on them.

Some families might do things together to celebrate Father's Day like going for a meal. As a special treat, British people might give their Dad a bit of a rest – make him a cup of tea, or even wash his car and mow the lawn to make him feel really appreciated.

Source: http://chinadaily.cn/

Richard Lyons Weil releases new CD: WWII – My Father’s Letters

March 20, 2008 (Press Release) -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 17, Nashville, TN

Richard Lyons Weil, the talented singer/songwriter from New Orleans, LA, has just released the CD, “WWII – My Father’s Letters”; a heartfelt CD that is based on letters written by his very own father while serving in WWII. This is a very moving collection of letters- detailing life during the War. These letters give not just a glimpse, but a detailed and accurate description of the daily lives of our War Time veterans during a very trying time in our world’s history. Richard Lyons Weil’s moving oration and music helps to bring to life this wonderful collection.

“WWII – My Father’s Letters” will be made available for sale at many online digital distributors including I-Tunes, Sony Connect, Real Rhapsody, and others including the official Richard Lyons Weil website at www.RichardLyonsWeil.com.

A previous resident of New Orleans, Richard was displaced after hurricane Katrina. Richard is pursuing his life-long dream of music while still managing his extensive law practice in Louisiana. Arriving in Nashville in 2004, Richard is making great strives in breaking into the music field.

Source: http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200803/1206053675.html