(MS)-Somewhere between when Father's Day was first established in June of 1910 and present day, the tie has become synonymous with the holiday. One may never know just who introduced the tie into the picture.
It certainly wasn't the person who created the idea of Father's
Day.  Sonora Dodd, of Washington, came up with the concept
for a "father's day," after listening to a Mother's Day sermon
in 1909. She realized there should be a similar day set aside
to honour fathers, most especially her father, William Smart, a
Civil War veteran and widower who raised his six children all
on his own.
When Dodd became an adult, she realized how selfless her
father had acted and how difficult it must have been to raise
such a large family. In his honour, she held a father's day in
Spokane, Washington on June 10 - her father's birthday.
President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of the holiday in
1924. But it wasn't until 1966, when President Lyndon Johnson
signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday
of June as Father's Day, and subsequently when President
Richard Nixon signed the law in 1972 that the holiday became
permanent.
Since then, Father's Day has been celebrated annually
worldwide. The sale of ties spikes considerably at this time of
year since, after all,  could there possibly be a gift
that fits Dad more perfectly than a tie? The answer is a
resounding yes.
By now your father may have enough ties to fill his closet.
So this year, consider a gift that may be more heartfelt and
unique. Here are some ideas:
- Music and movies: Research dad's favorite musical
artists or actors and put together a care package filled with
DVDs or CDs. If he's a high-tech sort of fellow, download MP3
tunes that he can use on his iPod or similar player.
- Food: It's often been said that the way to a man's
heart is through his stomach. Play upon this notion by cooking
dad his favourite foods or treating him to a night out at a
restaurant he's wild about.
- Family portrait: What dad doesn't like to brag about
his kids? Set up a photo opportunity with a local photographer
or enlist another family member to take a picture when the gang
is all together. Enlarge the image and frame it for his desk,
workshop, or any place dad loves to hang out.
- Detail his car: Give dad a gift certificate to a car
wash or auto spa. He'll leave with his prized set of wheels
sparkling clean.
- Novelty ties: If giving a tie is a family tradition, try any number of novelty ties that might fit dad's personality. Or better yet, purchase a light-coloured tie in a solid shade. Design a greeting or picture on your computer and print it out on iron-on transfer paper. Adhere to the tie with a warm iron and you'll have a one-of-a-kind personalized gift.
