Press

As noted by perennial holiday authority Hallmark, Father's Day is an annual opportunity for families to show appreciation, reaffirm relationships, or connect anew with Fathers, Grandfathers, Stepfathers, and Godfathers. This year it falls on June 18th and buyers are flocking to the Internet to order ideal specials for fathers.

According to the National Retail Federation's survey of 7,000 consumers, shoppers plan to spend $9 billion on Father's Day gifts, up from a planned $8.2 billion a year ago.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Marshal Cohen, chief analyst at NPD Group Inc., a market research firm based in Port Washington, NY, stated that traditionally Father's Day shopping has lagged behind Mother's Day shopping because buyers were uncertain what type of gift a father might want.

Forbes writer Glenn Derene advises in his current Lifestyle Feature that the days of the afterthought Father's Day gifts of ridiculous clothing and collect call well wishes are over. Derene instead advises gifting one's favorite father figure with impressive goodies and high-tech toys.

"One of the favorite high-tech gifts for Dads this year is the NewerTech miniStack storage solution," advises Jen Soule, sales manager of Other World Computing which operates the popular e-commerce portal www.macsales.com. "The miniStack adds up to 750GB of storage capacity to any PC or Mac computer plus extra FireWire and USB ports - that's why it's so popular. It's an ideal complement to every kind of interest a dad can have from home entertainment video storage, to digital music, to gaming, to general computing."

Larry O'Connor, president of Newer Technology Inc. and himself a recent father, advises that products for all budgets are popular gifts this year.

"NewerTech NuPower iPod replacement batteries are a very affordable big seller because they are a way to breathe new life into something Dad already enjoys," says O'Connor.

Although Internet stores like macsales.com and computer and iPod enhancement products might be the modern way to celebrate father figures, the history of Father's Day can be traced back Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd, of Spokane, Washington, who made the initial suggestion in 1909 for a national celebration of Father's Day after being inspired by the efforts of Anna Jarvis to institute Mother's Day. Dodd's own father, William Jackson Smart, was a Civil War veteran who raised six children as a single parent.

Dodd initially suggested June 5, the anniversary of her own father's death, for Father's Day. The first Father's Day was unofficially celebrated June 19, 1909, in Dodd's hometown church. The observation of Father's Day gained popularity, and in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father's Day.

Studies consistently demonstrate the impact and long-term importance of a father in a child's life. According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, children with involved, loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in school, have healthy self-esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior, and avoid high-risk behaviors such as drug use, truancy, and criminal activity compared to children who have uninvolved fathers.

"Fathers provide the rock-steady support that is essential for every child to succeed. My own success in business springs from my father's support," says O'Connor. "No matter if the gift is big or small, celebrating fatherhood and family on Father's Day is a tradition that makes everyone feel good inside."

Father Facts
According to by Stephen F. Duncan, Ph.D., Professor, Family and Human Development Specialist, Montana State University:

• Children whose fathers are highly involved with them during their first eight weeks of life manage stress better in school.
• Sons of nurturing fathers are more likely to internalize and imitate their father's modes of thinking and problem-solving.
• A close and warm relationship with a father helps daughters secure a sense of femininity and foster a sense of competence, especially in math skills.
• Children of highly involved fathers show increased cognitive competence, increased empathy, enhanced school performance, greater motivation to succeed, and enhanced social development.