It's not something I will mourn: the passing of the necktie. I used to have quite a few, but for the last decade or so I've been down to one -- a Dilbert tie still in the package in which my mother-in-law gave it to me. I gave up on ties a long time ago, and now, in a sign that shows I was simply ahead of my time (and not just an uncultured buffoon), the Men's Dress Furnishings Association has closed its doors. The MDFA is or, rather, was the group that, for the last sixty years, represented the makers of all those silken father's day gifts.

So why has the MDFA packed up and gone home? The simple answer is that men don't wear ties anymore. In fact, only 6% of men wore a tie to work every day last year, according to a recent poll. Even the tie makers aren't wearing ties. "Power is being able to dress the way you want," says Marty Staff, CEO of JA Apparel Corp, who showed up to the MDFA's annual luncheon sans tie two years ago.

I do know guys -- dads included -- who enjoy wearing a tie, but they are far more the exception than the rule. And while it will still be quite a while before the tie disappears completely from men's wardrobes, I do think that you might want to reconsider giving one as a father's day gift.

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I know at least one dad who says that being laid off from his job and becoming a stay-at-home dad is the best thing that's ever happened to him. (I'm not sure his wife would agree). Not only does he get to spend his days with his children, he's lost 50 pounds, lowered his blood pressure, and is no longer suffering the daily stress that came with his job. Roger recently wrote about wanting to be a stay-at-home dad himself, and how many other fathers feel the same way.

At our own preschool pickup, there were usually more dads than moms waiting out in the hallway everyday. In general, I've found that most of the activities my kids participate in have a good number of dads involved, and in many, at least half of the adults are men. Sarah Gilbert over at WalletPop wonders if part of the reason dads are more involved today has to do with the economy. Are dads spending more time with their kids right now because they aren't working? Or are dads just more involved in general?

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Perhaps it was the end-of-the-school year activities that threw you off. Maybe it was the start of travel baseball, because you haven't had electricity most of the week due to storms.

Whatever your week held, here's a quick and easy, yet memorable Father's Day gift (or graduation or birthday) that can be put together in minutes and is a great way to present gift cards, tickets, or special photographs.

Materials list:

• 2 paper lunch sacks (any color will do)
• hole punch
• string of some kind (yarn, ribbon, shoe lace, even garbage bag ties will do the trick if that's all you can find)
• assorted artwork and photos of Dad

Check out the gallery for the easy peasy last-minute-squeezy directions! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

When I completed the survey I wrote about last week on the subject of "Sex and the American Dad," there was one question I felt I was not qualified to answer. The question asked whether my wife found me more, less or equally attractive compared to before we had kids. Actually, I can't imagine that anyone would find me attractive, let alone a hot babe like my wife, so I just assumed she married me for my Land Rovers. When I asked her, however, she paused and then provided a measured, calculated answer: "More, because you are such a good father." Thanks, dear, you've got my vote.

So I asked a few other moms I know. One mom told me, simply, "I'm too tired to think about that." I can understand that, and suspect a lot of others can too. Having kids doesn't leave a lot of time for adult activities.

Another mom wrote back to say "I find my husband more attractive when he helps with our son, less attractive when he hides out with the computer or TV (you know, general avoidance behavior) while the rest of the house is unraveling." Raising kids is a lot of work and it's definitely easier when you've got two people helping out -- which leaves more time and energy for aesthetic considerations.

It seems to me that the best kind of gift is something that is totally cool but also totally unnecessary. Clothes are definitely a necessity; they're no fun to get. The same goes with ordinary tools-of-the-trade sort of thing, even if they're for a favorite hobby. A new set of screwdrivers, no matter how needed or nice, just isn't all that exciting, even to the serious woodworker.

On the other hand, somewhere, I have a night-vision monocular -- one half of a pair of binoculars that lets you see in the dark. It was a gift from my girlfriend at a time when such technologies were just beginning to become available. I probably used it twice at most, but it was a totally cool gift because, well, heck, we're talking night-vision! You can see why I married her, can't you?

To give you an idea of what makes a cool gift for Father's Day, here are three items I've come across that qualify as really cool gifts, with an explanation of why.

Here's an easy and useful craft idea-a handmade owl that will keep the bird from crashing into the windows and scaring dad when he's hard at work at the office or relaxing at home.

The materials list:

• some sort of base for the owl's face (we used two different colors of construction paper glued to a hunk of cereal box to give it strength, but you could use card stock, poster board, foam paper, or even a painted piece of cardboard)
• two unwanted CD's
• two wiggle eyes
• a piece of string
• glue
• scissors
• embellishments (feathers, yarn, pipe cleaners, more paper, etc) if desired

Check out the gallery to see how we made ours!

Think that Dad wants a big, fancy present for Father's Day? Think again. According to a recent survey by Discover Card, what Dad really wants is a nice dinner out and something handmade by Mom or the kids. Dads also reported wanting:

• gift cards
• DVDs, books, or music
• tools or appliances
• sports or hobby-related gifts
• travel

Unfortunately, the survey also found that dads weren't always getting what they wanted. The most commonly given gift was hobby or sports-related, which ranked sixth on Dad's list. And homemade gifts ranked way down on the list of gifts Dad usually receives, even though most respondents claimed to love those the most.

So if you haven't yet shopped for Father's Day, you might just want to try making something (even though there's not much time left). Check out Angie's recent crafty posts or visit DIYLife for more ideas about homemade gifts for the father in your life.

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Here's a Father's Day gift most of us cannot give: Megan McCain, daughter of Presidential hopeful Senator John McCain, has changed her voter registration from Independent to Republican, for her dad. "I did this as a symbol of my commitment to my dad and to represent the faith I have in his ability to be an effective leader for our country and to grow and strengthen the Republican Party when he is elected president of the United States," she wrote on her blog. "Happy Father's Day, Dad!"

Top that.

Megan is also writing a children's book for kids ages five to 10 about her father, tentatively titled "My Dad, John McCain." In a press release from publisher Simon & Schuster, Megan says, "I am truly excited about the opportunity to write a children's book about my father, who is not only a fantastic dad, but also a great American."

John McCain must be very proud of his daughter; she is clearly proud of him. We wish them both a happy Father's Day.

Let's face it--the economy stinks. Or, maybe, we never had any money anyway. Still, we love dad and want to get him something special--or at least useful and not (too) gimmicky--for Father's Day. We don't have the money for the new watch he deserves or the new car he could really use (to haul us around in to our various activities). So, what can we get him that will show him how much we love and appreciate him and that's not another tie or t-shirt without breaking the piggy bank?

Wayne Parker over at About.com has some ideas for frugal--not cheap--Father's Day gifts. I appreciate the fact that this list was compiled by a man. Not that a woman couldn't pick out just the thing for her baby daddy, but there is something appealing about the idea that this man would recommend and possibly actually want--let alone approve of--these choices. I especially like the notion of the baseball cap organizer--I know a dad (massive Angels fan) who could use one of those. Also fun and unique was the secret safe. Who would have thought? My only assumption is that the safe isn't big enough for certain kinds of videos or magazines, but rather for extra car keys and the like. Depends on the dad, I suppose.

Other ideas include buying dad a DVD of one of his favorite movies or TV shows, or perhaps getting him a subscription to his favorite magazine (but not the kind that would go in the secret safe). Honestly, some dads might prefer a gift certificate to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts or wherever they get their morning coffee/tea. If dad is athletic, sports socks are actually a good gift--they're not cheap, they're very comfortable and they will be used. Pair them with some wrist sweat bands and you're good to go. Get dad a new water bottle to take with him--just make sure it's free of bisphenol-A.

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It comes as no surprise to me -- I said essentially the same thing a year ago -- that dads want to stay home with the kids. According to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder.com, thirty-seven percent of working dads said they would quit working to be able to take care of the kids, if their spouse's income could support their family. In my household, that number is more like 100%.

Nearly half of the dads surveyed spend less than three hours a day with their kids on weekdays and more than a fifth of the dads said they get to spend less than two hours a day with their little ones. Sadly, I'm in the former category and I can tell you that it sucks. Sara, of the Work it, Mom site, is surprised by this revelation. I don't know why -- unless you are totally in love with what you do, why would you want to spend eight hours a day (plus commute time) away from your kids, regardless of whether you're a man or a woman?

If school districts suddenly started paying teachers what they're really worth, I would quit my day job in an instant to stay home with the kids. When they were in school, I'd volunteer in the classroom or spend my time keeping house and making healthy meals from scratch. When they weren't, we would be at the beach or the museum or even just the neighborhood playground. And there are a lot of other men who would love to be there with me.

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19-year-old Kevin Tway has a great Father's Day planned for his dad: the two will be together for the US Open at Torrey Pines, in San Diego. But they won't be watching -- Kevin is playing in the tournament, and his dad, PGA Champion Bob Tway, is caddying for him.

That wasn't the original plan; Bob, who is himself a professional golfer with 18 US Opens to his credit, was scheduled to play in a US Open qualifying tournament in Columbus, Ohio. But he chose to withdraw and caddy for Kevin instead, watching his son beat out PGA veterans Fred Couples and Tom Lehman for a spot at Torrey Pines.

"I'd much rather be doing this than playing," Bob said after carrying Kevin's bag during a practice round on Tuesday. "I'm 49 years old, and at this point, playing another U.S. Open doesn't matter to me."

Kevin agrees: "It's really nice to have him here. He's been through this before."

We wish the Tways a happy Father's Day; we know golfing dads nationwide are envious of them both.

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The 2 little boys, Avery and Bennett, sit at the kitchen table and Tom is there and big brother Carter, too, and we are the perfect birthday scene: me carrying the homemade layer cake on a big white plate across the kitchen, everyone singing the "Happy Birthday" song. It's like a picture from a dream I had a long time ago, only it's real.

Of course, the day involved the usual mishaps. I'd briefly wondered if I should make 2 cakes, one for each boy, but quickly dismissed the idea when I realized I only had enough flour for one cake, whole wheat at that. And then there was the birthday candles gone missing, which we solved by lighting long, thin tapers in two silver candlesticks. And the fact that everyone had sniffles and what appeared to be the beginnings of a summer cold.

All of these things, blessedly ordinary.

When it was time to blow out the candles, each boy staring intently at his flame, concentrating on making the perfect wish, I wanted to make one, too, a wish and a prayer--a thank you, sent up to the heavens on the curling smoke of the twins' birthday candles.

Five years ago, it was a sunny June Sunday, an azure-blue day, a lemon-yellow day, only the babies were too small and I was whisked away in the back of an ambulance to a far-off hospital that would become the babies' first home. Days stacked up, dozens of them, and only on occasion, when I was feeling especially brave and hopeful, would I allow myself a dream like the one at my kitchen table. A day of songs and cakes and misplaced birthday candles--ordinary sniffles, the common cold and nothing else. A regular life.

Five days after the ambulance ride and the early delivery, our pediatrician touched her hand to my sleeve and said, in the nicest possible way, "Avery has Down syndrome." I didn't know what those words meant, then, and I repeated them to her, and myself, and anyone who would listen--a question and its own answer: "Avery has Down syndrome? Avery has Down syndrome."

Shortly after, it was Father's Day. Another June Sunday, this one meant to celebrate fatherhood and children and family, only that year, it felt like a cruel joke. The dream of the birthday cake and twin candles was one we only sometimes believed--there was, then, the possibility of an equally real scenario that involved another kind of day, one of grief and loss.

Five years ago and five days. Life and death, love and loss, twinned together. And fathers to celebrate. Tom's parents were helping out and we all--Tom and I, his folks, and our 4-year-old son Carter--made the trip to the NICU to see the babies that Father's Day. After, we ate at a steakhouse where they served us a giant fried onion, open like a flower, blooming in the middle of us.

What I remember most about that time is kindness washing over me like rain; kindness tucking in around me like a blanket. Strangers stopped me to tell me of another family they knew with a baby in the NICU, or with a child with Down syndrome. Books carefully placed in the black nylon pocket of the breast pump, or on top of my pile of paperwork. Words, too, like "I'm proud of you" and "I love you."

And the kindest of all was Tom with his gentle steadiness, his constant presence. Packing up the plastic baggies of milk for the babies; cooking grilled cheese sandwiches for Carter, pickle on the side, slicing the pickle into long spears, so no one would choke. Washing dishes, picking up the house, stuffing dirty clothes into the machine and dumping the powdered soap on top. All this without being asked, or asking anything in return.

We went out to eat that Father's Day five years ago because it seemed like the right thing to do. Tom said he didn't want to remember it as the day we didn't celebrate--the one year in a long string of years remarkable for what didn't happen. So we went--part bravado, part stubbornness, part desperation, part hope--which is the worst combination for digesting a rich meal. I don't think anyone ate very much.

And now we are 5. Many of the details of those early beginnings have already grown dim; what remains is vivid and bright. I see the love of a father for his grown son. I see the love of another father for his small children--a fragile situation, a precarious time, but his love is real and strong and steady. And I see that onion, unlikely flower, blooming anyway--a sign of things to come.

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Since Father's Day occurs after school has let out for the summer, dads frequently miss out on the handcrafted goodness mothers enjoy on their special day. This year ParentDish is setting out to right that crafting wrong with ideas and directions for projects children can create at home with just a little bit of help.

Today's project requires only a piece of paper and a few folds. Any sort of paper will do, but it might be a good idea to start with a regular size sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper before attempting it on a smaller scale. After you've created your shirt, jazz it up by drawing (or gluing!) on buttons and a tie.

Once this fold it mastered, it can also be used as a memorable way to present a gift of money for birthday boys or graduates in your life. Cash is always nice, but cash folded up to resemble a shirt and tucked int a card is memorable!

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Be they conservative or liberal, atheist or devout, young or old, there's one thing almost all dads can agree on: We like sex. To find out a little more about what the average American dad thinks about the subject, AOL and Cookie magazine are running a poll right now for dads. Just in time for Father's Day, we guys can share how often we do it, whether we'd like to do it more or less, and who we've thought about doing it with.

So far, the results show that we are pretty evenly split over how often we have it, be it once a week, more than that, a few times a month, or less than once a month. Pretty overwhelmingly, however, we'd all like it more often, with 1% saying they'd like it less often and about one in five happy with the status quo. Probably, this is because we all used to get it on a lot more before we had kids. Well, duh. Not much better birth control than a kid sleeping between the two of you. And even if they're all in their own room, it seems to me that parents are going to be way too tired from chasing the kids all day to do much more than kiss each other good night.

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There are compromises in every marriage, and renting videos as a couple definitely takes compromise. This Father's Day, why not give your spouse the gift of freedom to watch his favorite movies in peace? The gift of free time is often one of the most important gifts you can give, and video rentals are a pretty inexpensive form of entertainment, for those of you who are gift giving on a budget.

There are two ways to let Dad enjoy his favorite rentals:

1) Sit him in his favorite arm chair. Place his favorite beverage and snack food nearby. Pack up the kids and leave him alone with the remote control for the day.

2) Wait until the kids are in bed, then plug in his favorite DVD. Vow to watch it without complaint or sarcastic commentary.

Either method will be highly appreciated, I'm sure. Check out the gallery for some movie ideas before you hit the video store!