Do people in S’pore see Father’s Day as a “proper” special occasion, or is it too commercialised?

Latest data indicates that residents are almost equally split between being fans and sceptics of the occasion

Father’s Day is a time for children and adults alike to let their fathers know how much they mean to them. But are people prompted to say thank you to their patriarchs by the spirit of the day itself, or because they are being bombarded by companies telling them to express their affection through the medium of buying things?

A new YouGov survey in 18 countries and territories shows a mixed picture regarding Father’s Day. Out of over 19,000 respondents, four in nine said the day is celebrated because it is a “proper” special occasion (45%), and slightly fewer said the festivities are a result of pressure from commercial entities (43%).

People in Poland (78%), China (59%) and India (55%) were most likely to say that Father’s Day is celebrated for the right reasons. Singapore came closer to the global average, with just under half sharing this sentiment (46%).

In Singapore, belief that Father’s Day is still being celebrated as a “proper” special occasion is generally higher in younger adults, with more than half of those aged 18-24 (56%) and 25-34 (53%) feeling that Father’s Day as something that is still celebrated on its own terms.

On the other hand, those aged 45-54 were most likely to be sceptical about people’s motivations on the occasion, with almost half thinking it is celebrated as a commercialised event (48%).