Father's Day Quiz: How much dad trivia do you know?
Nobody knows exactly when Father’s Day arrived in the UK. Steve Roud, our most distinguished historian of popular customs, is uncharacteristically vague on the subject, writing in The English Year (2006) that it appeared “sometime after the Second World War, not without opposition”. This suggests two things: firstly, that we probably nicked the idea wholesale from our cousins across pond, where it had been established since 1910, and secondly, that what drove its slightly furtive introduction here - as in the USA - was the enthusiastic endorsement of retailers.
Accusations of venality continue to dog Father’s Day, as many still rail against it as an invented marketing gimmick. But a broader perspective reveals a different story. Long before the US nominated the third Sunday in June, Catholic countries including Italy, Spain and Belgium had celebrated fatherhood on St Joseph’s Day (March 19), presumably because Joseph – Mary’s husband – was a pretty good role model, raising Jesus as though he were his own son. So, the idea of having a special day for dads isn’t new and doesn’t have to be tacky. Test out some more of your Fathers Day misconceptions in this quiz, devised by the QI team.
1,234 QI Facts to Leave You Speechless> by John Lloyd, John Mitchinson & James Harkin is published in paperback by Faber & Faber. To order your copy for £4.99 plus p&p call 0844 871 1514 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk
