Would you (if you’re a father) rather have a pair of pliers or a handmade card? These and other consideration by a father in the article below…

Must gifts for dad always be so practical?
Times & Democrat Correspondent
By John Ott

Like most fathers, I enjoy Father's Day. It's one of the rare days of the year that everyone in the family tries especially hard to be nice to me. And some years, all the children work extra hard to be nice to each other and not fuss and bicker as children are prone to do. That is the nicest Father's Day gift of all.

Speaking of gifts, why in our society is it considered wrong, if not downright rude, to buy women "practical" gifts, but perfectly acceptable, even desirable, to buy men screwdrivers and hammers? Ever notice the ads that come out just before Mother's Day? Compare them to the ones that come out before Father's Day. You'd think men and women were different species.

I admit I once bought my mother a steam iron for Mother's Day, but I have the excuse of having only been 10 at the time. Ever since I reached adulthood, I have been told by television, by magazines and newspapers and by well meaning friends and loved ones that the only proper gifts for women are frivolous ones, such as flowers, candy and jewelry, not necessarily in that order. More...