Father's Day Jewelry Gifts

More and more dad's have become comfortable with the idea of receiving jewelry gifts for Father's Day. The key to successful gift-giving for dad is making the jewelry gift something he will actually enjoy wearing or using. There are many ways to make that happen, but first, let's take a brief look at the history of Father's Day.

The Birth of Father's Day

Every year, the third Sunday in June is set aside to honor the fathers and father figures in our lives. Not just our dads, husbands and the fathers to our children, but all the men who have made a positive impact on a child's life. We don't need to research the effects of good fathering to realize that these men play an active role in all our lives, whether he's a husband, stepfather, grandfather, uncle, son or mentor.

Over the past several decades, Father's Day has become commercialized with a typical retail ad featuring a man wearing his "Worlds #1 Dad" t-shirt while standing in front of his new BBQ grill or tool set. It's great to shower dad with gifts on this special day, but what about before all the department store marketing promotions. What's the history behind this day to celebrate dear old Dad?

It's been over 100 years since Father's Day was first observed. On June 19, 1910, Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Washington, along with some help from her pastor, the Spokane YMCA and the Ministerial Alliance, helped spread the celebrating of the first Father's Day throughout the city.

Sonora came up with this idea during a "Mother's Day" sermon. She wanted a celebration that honored fathers like her own dad, William Smart, who was left to raise his family after his wife died giving birth to their sixth child. Sonora was only 16 years old, but her love and respect for her father resulted in a nationally recognized holiday.

In 1916, during WW1, President Woodrow Wilson spoke at a Father's Day celebration in Spokane wanting to make it an official holiday, but Congress was opposed to the idea in fear that honoring fathers would become too commercialized. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge openly recognized Father's Day and used his influence to push the celebrated day among other states. President Lyndon Johnson signed an order in 1966 pronouncing the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Six years later, in 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation for the official observance of Father's Day. Today, Father's Day is now celebrated in over 50 countries on various dates throughout the year.

If Father's Day was inspired by a Mother's Day sermon, and Mother's Day gifts incorporate the sparkling birthstones of their kids, then what can we do for dads?

Birthstones for Dad

Birthstone colors and traditional gemstones are customary when adding a personal touch of subtle significance to accessories manly enough for dad. When incorporated into men's fashion, a child's natural birthstone color makes the jewelry piece a special memento for that father figure.

In addition to traditional birthstones, modern gemstones are also known and widely used to represent a particular month. For example, black onyx can portray July in replace of ruby, while jasper or bloodstone steals the spotlight from March's aquamarine.

Traditional and Modern Birthstones:

• January: Garnet
• February: Amethyst
• March: Aquamarine / Jasper / Bloodstone
• April: Diamond / White Spinel / Sapphire
• May: Emerald / Agate
• June: Pearl / Alexandrite / Emerald / Moonstone
• July: Ruby / Black Onyx
• August: Peridot / Carnelian / Sardonyx
• September: Sapphire / Peridot
• October: Opal / Tourmaline / Aquamarine / Rose Sapphire
• November: Topaz / Citrine
• December: Turquoise / Zircon / Blue Topaz

Father's Day Jewelry Gifts

If the materials (leather and metal are favorites) and design (not too ornate) are right, Dad will appreciate getting a Father's Day necklace or bracelet created with a special message or theme. To get started, you may want to consult one of these articles about designing for men.

• ''Men's Jewelry: Defining a Sense of Style''
• ''Men's Trend--Power Bracelets''
• ''Men's Accessory Ideas''

Then, you add a refinement such as pendant or focal with a message to dad. For example, use a white chalk marker to create a personalized message or design on the black slate flat oval focal and apply a fixative/sealer to the front of the focal to protect the design. You can also engrave or stamp a Father's Day message onto the component.

This Father's Day, create sentimental gifts to show your appreciation for Dad's day-to-day efforts and style of parenting that works as a complement to Mom. Let's remember those men who played an important role in shaping our lives.