1. Buy him some decent clothes. Spallone's has all of the beautiful and well-made clothes Dad won't buy for himself. My favorite item is a reversible(!) Tommy Bahama half-zip sweater that regularly retails for $99.95, and is now 30 percent off. The store stocks clothes in all price ranges, from a gorgeous striped lambswool scarf for $75 to luxurious, cushiony socks, 2 for $12. Did I mention the unbelievably soft Woolrich micro-fleece sweatshirt for $30?

2. Give Dad the gift of health this year. Midtown Family Fitness is offering a holiday special: a gift certificate, good for a 3-month membership for $99.95 with no joining fee. That's a savings of $75, and we know dads love savings!

3. Remember all those hours of video Dad took of you as a kid? Neither does he, because nobody plays videotapes anymore. Bring those dusty tapes into Morin's and have them converted to DVD for $19.95 for up to one hour and $34.95 for one to two hours worth of video. Plus, they'll make copies for $12 each so you can spread the joy to the rest of the family. And if Dad is really old-school, they can also convert film reels to digital format.

4. On the other hand, if the Dad in question is under the age of 50, chances are good that he's a gamer. Shoot 'em ups like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Assassins Creed Revelations were big releases this fall in the "Mature" category. For games Dad can share with the whole family, sports games are a good choice. Updates of popular franchises like Madden12, NBA 2K12, FIFA Soccer12, and NHL12 were released this fall. And the latest release in a classic franchise, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is sure to be a hit with everyone. Target and Best Buy carry all these games for around $50 to $60, as well as any accessories necessary to play them.

5. And finally, like any good New Englander, Dad needs some team gear! Celebrate the Celtics opening day with a new jersey. How about a Patriots hat for those (fingers crossed) chilly home playoff games? The big chain stores like Sports Authority, Olympia and TJ Maxx cover all the major sports, and Bolio's can hook you up with Scarlet Hawks gear to give Dad the opener he needs to brag about his kids.