Custom is older than expected
Why packs of men are out with handcarts and beer on Father’s Day
This is how Father’s Day is often celebrated: with handcarts and drinks. In most cases, the journey is the goal here
© Chris Emil Janßen / Imago Images
It is often called Father’s Day: Ascension Day has become a day of honor for men in Germany. Wet and happy hikes have been a custom for centuries.
The origin of Ascension Day
In Germany, Men’s Day, Men’s Day or Father’s Day falls on Ascension Day. Since the 4th century, Christians have celebrated Jesus’ ascension to heaven on this day. Today, on the 40th day after his resurrection at Easter, the return of the Son of God to the Father is commemorated.
Since the early Middle Ages, believers have taken part in processions on the three days before Ascension to ask for a good harvest and protection from natural disasters. In addition, the custom of organizing magnificent parades for the festival, such as the traditional Gymnich ride in Erftstadt near Cologne, has been preserved to this day.
There was already a kind of Father’s Day in the Middle Ages
Even in the Middle Ages and early modern times, the religious background was often lost. Even back then there was a lot of drinking. In the late 19th century, the first “men’s tours” to the countryside became fashionable, but women were not included. In 1967, the Austrian “Volksblatt” even warmly recommended this day to fathers: “A Sunday drive in the car where no one says a word.”
Ascension Day has been a public holiday in Germany since 1934 – but with a gap from GDR times: With the introduction of the general five-day week in the summer of 1967, In the East, Ascension Day was canceled alongside Easter Monday and Liberation Day. It was only in the last year of the GDR, 1990, that the Council of Ministers reintroduced the holiday.
Today’s Father’s Day comes from the USA
Like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day also has its roots in the USA. At the beginning of the 20th century, a woman made a strong case for this: Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane, Washington, wanted to have a special day to honor her father, who was raising six children alone after the early death of his mother.
The day was celebrated for the first time in 1910, and since 1972 it has been on the US calendar every year on the third Sunday in June. As with Mother’s Day, the commercial idea is involved. Early on there were newspaper advertisements that were particularly aimed at gifts for men. Father’s Day is also becoming popular in Europe due to the economic aspect.
It is well known that beer is not necessarily something for the slim figure. A small bottle of Pils has 140 calories – about the same as Coke. In the non-alcoholic version, you can save some energy when drinking beer; according to the Schleswig-Holstein Consumer Center, there are still around 80 calories per 0.33 liter bottle.
Speaking of alcohol: It’s better to leave your car or bike at home if you’re going on a fun-filled Men’s Day outing. Every year on Ascension Day there are more alcohol-related accidents than on comparable days. According to the Federal Statistical Office, there were 182 accidents on Father’s Day in 2021, and by far the most in the lockdown year of 2020: 312 accidents, followed by New Year’s Day with 232 accidents.
Who knows?
Ten sentences that only fathers really say
Read the photo series: “Better ask mom”: In keeping with the upcoming Father’s Day, we have collected sentences that you only hear from fathers. Thank you, dear dad, for your words. We will definitely never forget them.