American Family Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August, which falls on August 6 this year. Specifically, this day honours the ties that formed the basis of our lives, be they blood or otherwise. In contrast to other festivals, however, this day discourages gift-giving unless the gift is time. The creators of this holiday intended for it to be all about family relationships and celebrating them in person.
The background of American Family Day
Throughout history, numerous cultures have been patriarchal. While this practise persisted during the Roman era, women were granted marginally more freedom than in the past, although they were not permitted to manage their own affairs.
By the time Europe entered the Middle Ages, two distinct family structures had begun to emerge. In the southern and eastern regions of Europe, it was common for elderly men to marry younger women. Typically, both would reside with their parents for an extended period of time, and their combined household would include multiple generations. In Northwestern Europe, couples typically shared the same age and married in their early 20s. As a precursor to the nuclear family, they would then establish an independent residence.
Although some historians believe this change had already begun prior to the Industrial Revolution, the Industrial Revolution brought about a change in family units. People, primarily unmarried youth, fled their homes to work in industrial facilities, causing the previous joint or extended family to disband. Also altered was the male-female dynamic in the home. More ground was gained for gender equality, and gender roles began to blur. The modern concept of family consists of both physical and mental structures and familial and emotional ties.
This day was established by a proclamation signed by the former governor of Arizona, Ral Héctor Castro. The 7th of August was designated American Family Day by this proclamation. Many sources cite John Makkai, an Arizona resident, as the driving force behind this legislation, but little else is known about how this occurred. The following year, Governor Bruce Babbitt signed this day into law, making it an official Arizona holiday. This marks American Family Day Arizona’s fourteenth state-recognized holiday. Growing interest spread this holiday to North Carolina, then Georgia, and now the entire nation observes it annually.
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5 Interesting Animal Families Facts
Female African elephants and their infants remain together for life and care for one another’s offspring.
They are each other’s closest companions for the first eight years of the infant’s existence, which is longer than any other mammal except humans.
Many penguins remain faithful to one another during mating season and for the majority of their lives; both parents are responsible for rearing the chick.
Numerous primates, including marmosets, tamarins, and pygmy lorises, regularly give birth to twins.
This species is frequently in the news for assisting its own kind and humans; a BBC report depicted five dolphins forming a canoe with their bodies to support an injured dolphin.
AMERICAN FAMILY DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | August 7 | Sunday |
| 2023 | August 6 | Sunday |
| 2024 | August 4 | Sunday |
| 2025 | August 3 | Sunday |
| 2026 | August 2 | Sunday |
