A phone call to make your dad the happiest one on Father's Day

Father's Day is set up to pay tribute to all the dads out there and celebrate their role in the family. The origin of Father's Day dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century, and today it's widely celebrated around the world, falling on different dates in different regions.

The most widely acknowledged date is the third Sunday in June, with 52 countries and regions celebrating on this day. There are various ways to spend the holiday, most of which involve gifts and family gatherings.

(Xinhua Photo)

In the US, the first official Father's Day took place in 1972. In 1966, American President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law.

Father's Day is not an official holiday in the Chinese mainland, but people still celebrate the special holiday on the third Sunday in June. In Taiwan, Father's Day falls on August 8, so it is named "Baba Jie" (in Chinese, eight is pronounced as "ba" and father as "baba"). Moreover, if you put two "ba" together, one on top of the other, you get the character "fu", which means father. As a result, in Taiwan, August 8 is the holiday for fathers. 

When it comes to being a father, both Chinese and foreign fathers share some common ideas. 

Fathers have different reactions when they first become a dad. There are those who are genuinely concerned that they are going to be surpassed by their kids on an intellectual level: How soon will my kids become more intelligent than me?