Today marks Father’s Day in the United States, but you might be surprised to learn that this isn’t a universal date. In the Azores and the rest of Portugal, for instance, Father’s Day is celebrated on March 19th, a date chosen to coincide with St. Joseph’s Day, the patron saint of fathers.

The varied dates for this holiday highlight an interesting point about global traditions. While it’s easy to assume that universal holidays are celebrated on the same day everywhere, that’s often not the case. In the U.S., the third Sunday in June was only officially designated as Father’s Day by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966, and it wasn’t until 1972 that it became a permanent national holiday under President Richard Nixon.

This difference in dates reminds us that holidays, even those with similar meanings, have unique histories and cultural contexts around the world.

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Anthony “Tiger” Liu is an American expat and the operator of Golden Mermaid Villa and Longevity Habit retreat, where he shares a passion for the vibrant culture and nourishing lifestyle of São Miguel.