Cheryl Shops

Gifts for Dad
For the love of Pete, don't get him a tie this year. Some alternatives...

For the dad who has too many freakin' ties: The Container Store's Fast Track Tie Rack has a snappy name, is only $20, and holds up to 36 of the ties you've given him over the years that he never wears.

For the indoor/outdoor dad: Crate and Barrel's Leather Log Tote will prevent nasty spills during the long trip through the house, from the garage to the fireplace.

For the retired dad (like mine): Armand Diradourian cashmere slippers. If he's going to lounge around the house, why not do so in style?

For the dapper dad: Penhaligon's Shoe Cleaning Kit. When my dad cleans his shoes, it's a process. This swanky kit will enhance the mystique.

For the dad who's a kid at heart: Neiman Marcus' factory-sealed baseball packs may contain some treasures (and definitely some gum).

For the dad who's a bit hairy: The Sharper Image's Turbo-Groomer 5.0 sounds all high-tech and manly, which is good, because it's for the unmanly task of clipping stray hairs.

For the old-school dad: Ashford's sterling silver money clip is a little more elegant and innovative than the typical flat clip.

For the dad with a very dry sense of humor: The Complete Far Side is 18 pounds of Gary Larson's bizzarely humorous world.

For the fairly hip dad: Ben Sherman's Beatles Paperback Writer T-shirt is a throwback to his generation, but still considered cool.

For the connoisseur dad: The Rabbit is a contraption that a lot of people make fun of (OK, $85 for a corkscrew is a bit exorbitant), but it does open bottles of wine faster than anything else. Which, to me, is a good thing.

For the traveling dad: Dopp Mariner is the manly version of a toiletry bag.

For pretty much any dad: The Godfather Collection DVD. Who doesn't love The Godfather?