OK, your dad’s big day is nearly here and maybe you and your family have finally gotten the message that neckties are no longer &uot;one size fits all&uot; when it comes to Father’s Day gifts. But don’t count on it. This year, 32 percent of all Father’s Day gift-givers will be presenting their dads with clothing items. It’s a sure bet a lot of those items of clothing will be – you guessed it – neckties.

Since 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday of June to be Father’s Day, the necktie has been the ubiquitous gift of the occasion. But dads can take heart in knowing that in addition to clothing, special outings and gift certificates round out the top three Father’s Day gifts of 2006, according to a recent National Retail Federation survey.

Here are some fun facts about Father’s Day and what Americans will be giving their &uot;SuperStar&uot; dads, their &uot;all-American backyard quarterback&uot; dads, or their &uot;big cheese of my childhood&uot; dads on his special day:

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The survey says: You rate, Dad. Not quite as much as Mom, but we still love you. Americans are forecasted to spend a hefty $9 billion on Father’s Day gifts this year, compared to the estimated $13 billion spent for Mother’s Day.

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The Greeting Card Catch 22.

The good news is most Americans – 75 percent – plan to celebrate Father’s Day. The less good news is that the majority of those (nearly 69 percent) intend to give their fathers a greeting card, meaning he either gets that and nothing else, or he has to save the card for an undetermined time to demonstrate his appreciation of the gesture.

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Chow down, Dad. Food apparently remains a key way to a dad’s heart, with 38 percent of Father’s Day gift-givers planning to take their fathers on a special outing, such as dinner or brunch.

This year, you may get something you can really use. Gift certificates are the third most-popular gift this year, with 27 percent of the NRF poll respondents saying they’ll spend an average of $39 to buy Dad this truly one-size-fits all gift. That equates to roughly $1 billion that won’t be spent on neckties this year.

&#8220Gift certificates, like the SuperCertificate from GiftCertificates.com, are popular in part because you don’t risk buying a specific item Dad may or may not like,&uot; says gift certificate expert Jill K. Ambrose of GiftCertificates.com.

&uot;Instead of giving Dad a tool or fishing lure he may already have, or a tie he’ll never wear, a gift certificate shows you care about what he really wants. Plus, it’s the only gift on the list of top 10 that has the potential to become one or all of the other nine!&uot;

n Gift certificates can also be purchased online – the fourth most popular purchasing method of choice for Father’s Day gift-givers, the NRF survey shows.

Gift certificates also don’t limit the giver to a single store; the SuperCertificate from GiftCertificates.com can be exchanged for one or a combination of gift certificates from more than 200 national and local merchants, including famous brand clothing sellers, jewelers, restaurants and more.

They never expire and are available in denominations from $25 to $1,000 online or over the phone. Gift-givers can add a personal message to their order and have the SuperCertificate gift delivered via e-mail within several hours, or by traditional postal service. Recipients can redeem the certificates at www.GiftCertificates.com. – Courtesy of ARA Content