The first Father's Day celebration was held on June 19, 1910, making Father's Day a century old this year. Father's Day is a day to recognize and honor the men and father figures in our lives that have made a difference. This year we celebrate Father's Day on June 20, 2010. MERIC has compiled some fun facts and stats about the Father’s Day holiday.

Father's Day Facts:

67.8 Million
Estimated number of fathers across the nation.

Mr. Mom
There are 158,000 stay-at-home dads in the U.S. according to U.S. Census Bureau 2009 data. These married fathers with children younger than 15 have remained out of the labor force for at least one year to care for the family while their wives work outside the home.

Spokane, Washington 
The city that held the first Father's Day Celebration.

1966
The year President Lyndon Johnson signed a Presidential Proclamation on the declaring the third Sunday of June as Father's Day.

Richard Nixon 
Signed the law in 1972, making Father's Day a national day of recognition.

3,217
The number of clothing and department stores in Missouri to find Dad the perfect tie.

$9.8 Billion
The number of dollars Americans plan to spend on Father's Day this year.

$78.12
The amount each Midwesterner, including Missourians, plans to spend on Father's Day this year.

Electronics
Top item that Americans plan to purchase for Father's Day. Consumers can shop the 2,315 electronic retail stores in Missouri.