Friday

"I carry forward the lessons that have grounded me."

Welcome to Friday! Today, we're chatting about:

• The history behind Father’s Day

• Our favorite way to celebrate dads

• Trending Father’s Day finds

• A Father’s Day conversation starter guide

The Sweet History Behind Father’s Day

Father’s Day feels like one of those holidays that has always been around, but it actually took a surprisingly long time to become official. Mother’s Day was recognized nationally in 1914, while Father’s Day did not become a U.S. holiday until 1972.

One reason was cultural. In the early 1900s, some men saw a holiday honoring fathers as too sentimental or too commercial. But two women helped push the idea forward. Grace Golden Clayton organized an early Father’s Day service in West Virginia in 1908 after a mining disaster killed hundreds of men. A year later, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, began campaigning for a holiday after being inspired by her own father, a widower who raised six children.

The first widely recognized Father’s Day celebration took place in Spokane on June 19, 1910. After decades of proposals, resolutions, and growing public support, Congress finally made it a national holiday in 1972.

Today, the day feels less about formality and more about honoring the father figures who show up in everyday ways. Sometimes that looks like fishing, grilling, calling, remembering, or simply spending time together.

Our Favorite Ways to Celebrate Father’s Day

• 🌲 Choose an activity he actually enjoys

  Think less “perfect Father’s Day plan” and more “what would make him happiest?” That could be fishing, golfing, hiking, watching baseball, sitting outside, or having a slow morning with coffee and no schedule.

• 🍔 Make the meal feel like the moment

  Grill dinner, book his favorite breakfast spot, or let him pick the takeout place with no group debate. Food is often the easiest way to make the day feel celebratory.

• 🎁 Buy him a gift he’ll actually use

  Think practical, but upgraded: a better travel mug, grilling tools, a nice hoodie, a massage gun, new headphones, or something tied to his favorite hobby.

• 📸 Do something nostalgic

  Watch an old favorite movie, drive through his childhood neighborhood, look through family photos, or ask him to tell a story you have not heard before.

• 🛋️ Give him real downtime

  Sometimes the best plan is taking a few things off his plate so he can rest, nap, read, watch a game, or enjoy the day without being “on.”

Trending Father’s Day Finds

Father’s Day is a chance to celebrate the dads, grandpas, partners, and father figures who show up in big and small ways. The best gifts are often the ones that fit naturally into his everyday life and remind him he’s appreciated. This year’s Father’s Day Gift Guide brings together practical upgrades, thoughtful finds, and easy ideas to help make your Father’s Day shopping feel a little simpler:

• 🥩 Paleovalley: A better snack for busy days, road trips, golf bags, or weekend projects. Their 100% Grass Fed Beef Sticks are made with grass fed and finished beef, naturally fermented, and deliver 6 grams of protein without preservatives, nitrates, or added sugar. Get 15% off beef sticks.

• 🔥 BBQGuys: A one-stop shop for the dad who loves cooking outside. Their Father’s Day gift guide includes grill accessories, BBQ gift sets, outdoor cooking essentials, and popular brands like Weber, Napoleon, Blackstone, Traeger, and Gozney. Find deals up to 60% off.

• 🥤 Beast Blender: A compact, useful pick for smoother mornings. The Beast® Mighty 850 Plus makes smoothies, protein shakes, and on-the-go drinks easier, with dishwasher-safe parts and a stainless steel option free from BPA, BPS, and PFAS. Use code NOTETOSELF15 for 15% off.

• ☕ Cumulus Coffee: A cold coffee upgrade for the dad who wants café-quality drinks at home. The Cumulus machine makes cold brew, nitro cold brew, and espresso-style drinks in seconds. Right now, get 20% off the machine plus a free 12-pack of coffee capsules.

• 🍳 HexClad: A cookware upgrade for the dad who loves to cook. Their hybrid pans are PFAS-free, dishwasher-safe, and built to handle metal utensils without scratching. For a limited time, get up to 50% off sitewide during HexClad’s Summer Sale.

• ⛳ Bushnell Golf: A smart pick for the dad who loves getting out on the course. Their rangefinders help make distance easier to judge, whether he’s aiming for the flag, checking a hazard, or deciding between clubs. Use code REVEL10 for 10% off.

• 🖼️ LegacyBox: A meaningful way to bring old family memories back to life. LegacyBox helps digitize home movies, photos, film, and recordings so Dad can save, share, and revisit them. For a limited time, use code REVEL65 for 65% off.

Looking for more ideas? Shop our full Father’s Day Gift Guide here.

Thank you to the Father’s Day Gift Guide brands for sponsoring Note To Self. 

The Father’s Day Conversation Starter Guide

Father’s Day doesn’t need to start with a big emotional conversation. If your dad is more of a “quietly fixes things” person than a “let’s talk about our feelings over brunch” person, connection may happen better in smaller, more natural moments.

Try meeting him where he already is. Help in the garage, sit outside while he grills, ride along on an errand, or ask about something he knows how to do. When there’s an activity involved, conversation can feel less forced and more like it just showed up on its own.

It can also help to ask for stories instead of feelings. Questions about his first car, his childhood neighborhood, his favorite job, or the best advice he ever got can open the door without making the moment feel too intense. Humor works too. A funny video, old family joke, or ridiculous memory can soften things fast.

And if talking face to face feels awkward, try a text, photo, or short note. Sometimes “this made me think of you” is enough to begin. The goal is not a perfect heart-to-heart. It’s one small opening, one shared laugh, or one story you’ll be glad you asked for.

Wellness Round-Up

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ Did You Know: Father’s Day in the U.S. is celebrated on the third Sunday in June each year.

• 🌅 Sunset Of The Day: Sunsets are more than beautiful—they’re actually good for your mood. Got a favorite one? Reply to this email with your best sunset or sunrise photo for a chance to be featured!

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: Father’s Day is a reminder that some of life’s biggest lessons come from the people who show up, day after day, in ways both big and small.

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!