In June of last year, Timmy had Donuts with Dad at school. It was when the dads came to the gym at 7:40 in the morning, stood in line for Dunkin’ donuts, sat on the kids’ chairs with their knees higher than the table, and all pretended to be comfortable. Andrei also came, in a work shirt, ate two donuts, took a photo against a wall with paper ties and left for the office. Timmy was happy for three days. Then there was Father’s Day, donuts, a postcard from class showing Dad at the grill, and the grill was twice as big as Dad’s. The postcard hung on the fridge, under a magnet from Yellowstone, and it stayed there all summer. They live in Denver, the sun is harsh there, so by autumn the marker had noticeably faded.
Last autumn, in mid-October, a grandmother from Samara called on WhatsApp, as always, at the last moment; they had dinner; she had a very late night (she doesn’t sleep well anyway). And by the way, as we were saying goodbye, she said that Sunday is Father’s Day, so maybe Tim could say hello.
Olya passed it on. Tima chewed on the pasta and looked at her with great suspicion.
«We already congratulated them. There were donuts there too.
The second time
It was hard to argue. They did indeed congratulate us with donuts and pancakes. Just the Russians have their own day—the autumn one, the third Sunday of October—in 2026 it will be the 18th. And they don’t give you an extra day off here or there, so for adults there’s almost no difference—Sunday and Sunday.
For Tima, there was a difference. He decided that since it was the second holiday, the postcard had to be a second one, and he immediately went to get a sheet of paper. He drew a grill (again), a dad (again, with less grill), and asked how to say Happy Father’s Day in Russian. «Happy Father’s Day» was the easiest to say. Olya even opened her mouth. But she looked at the refrigerator, where the exact same picture was hanging, and somehow she changed her mind.
Two Sundays in the family calendar
Choose a year and see when to congratulate Dad according to the American and Russian calendars. You can mark both days on the family calendar with different colors.
USA and Canada
June 21, 2026
Third Sunday of June
Russia
October 18, 2026
Third Sunday of October
17 weeks between them
In the United States, the day is enshrined in a 1972 law as an annual day of honoring fathers. Canada celebrates on the same Sunday.
In Russia, the general date for the entire country was established by Presidential Decree No. 573 of October 4, 2021. For the first time since then, Father's Day was celebrated on October 17, 2021.
No separate day off is given in any of the three countries; the holiday always falls on Sunday.
About the chain
Instead, she asked what Tim was grateful for to his father. Just one thing, anything, but for the truth to be true.
At first it was «for everything.» Then «for being kind.» Then Tim got angry that his mom was being picky and went into the living room to watch cartoons. Olya didn’t touch him. About twenty minutes later he returned alone and said that he remembered.
August, the park by Lake Sloan, Timmy falls off his bike. There are no tools, of course. Andrey got on the balance board and put it back together with his fingers, for a long time, grumbling in English so that Timmy wouldn’t understand (Timmy understood). Both of their hands turned black to the elbow, and with those hands they went to buy ice cream in the van, and the seller at first didn’t want to give them napkins, but then gave them a whole pack.
Timma talked about this in a confused way, saying that one thing came first and the other later, and he repeated the phrase about the napkins twice. In the end, he said: «Thank you for the chain.».
In Russian. Without hints.
He redrew the postcard; he threw away the grill. The bike turned out more like glasses, but the two black palms were immediately recognizable. He signed it in print: THANK YOU FOR THE CHAIN, without the soft sign. Olya saw this and remained silent, although her hand was really tempted. She decided that the soft sign could wait until Monday.
One thank you
The ready-made phrase from the postcard is suitable for any father. Here the child recalls a real incident and thanks him in Russian with his own words. The adult can help with questions, but it is better to keep the words child-like, even if they are incorrect.
In the park, at home, in the car, on the lake
One thing you remember yourself
Dad,
Thank you for …!
The notes are saved in this browser, so you can finish the card later, by Sunday at the latest. If the sentence has gotten too long after the third step, you can ask the child to say the same thing in a shorter form.
Sunday
In June, Andrei found the postcard in his backpack on Thursday, so the surprise didn't happen. In October, Tima hid it under the mattress and checked it twice during the night to see if it was still there.
He handed it over at breakfast. Andrey read it, remained silent, then said that he had been putting the chain on for about forty minutes, not twenty at all, and that the ice cream vendor was from Odessa, by the way; he simply didn’t hear Timma. Timma didn’t believe it. They argued until the end of breakfast.
The postcard was hung on the fridge with the same magnet, right above the June one. Now only the leg of the grill sticks out. They sent a photo to Grandma; Grandma called back (again at night) and first asked why it was «stuck.».
At the classes at Palme School, children learn to talk about themselves in Russian: about a walk, about their dad, and about what happened over the weekend. They choose the words themselves, rather than memorizing ready-made phrases.
You can start with two free sessions: an introductory meeting with a methodologist and a trial lesson in a group with a teacher.
Try Russian for bilingualsFrequently asked questions about Father's Day
When is Father's Day in Russia in 2026?
In 2026, Russian Father's Day falls on October 18. It is celebrated on the third Sunday of October.
When is Father's Day in the USA and Canada?
In the United States and Canada, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. In 2026, it will be June 21. In the United States, this day is enshrined in law in 1972 as an annual day of honoring fathers.
Since when in Russia do they celebrate Father's Day?
The general date for the entire country was established by Presidential Decree No. 573 of October 4, 2021. For the first time since then, the holiday was celebrated on October 17, 2021. Regional celebrations could have taken place earlier as well.
Is Father's Day a day off?
No. In Russia, the USA, or Canada, there is no separate day off. The holiday always falls on Sunday.
Is it necessary to congratulate dad twice if the family lives in the USA?
The family decides this themselves. The second celebration can be used as an opportunity for the child to say a specific thank you to their father in Russian, for the event that he remembers himself.
What to give a dad on Father's Day from a child?
The most personal gift from a child is a postcard or drawing about a real common experience with a short note in their own words. Even with an error, such a signature says more than a ready-made greeting.
