By HILLARY RHODES
Associated Press Writer

Fathers sleep a lot, and they snore loudly. When they’re awake, they like to fish or golf, but they’re comically bad at both. They drink so much beer they’re practically alcoholics, and they’re complete couch potatoes, always watching television and hogging the remote.

At least, that’s the less-than-favorable image of Dad on Father’s Day greeting cards. It’s a striking contrast to the poetic praise often expressed at Mother’s Day. Many men say they are tired of the “put-down” cards and would like some affirmation for a change -- and at least one greeting-card company is listening.

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By MORRIS and JAMES CAREY
Associated Press

Whether you’ve got a handy man, a gadget freak or a dad with dreams of DIY, there are plenty of cool tools to add to his arsenal. Here are five Father’s Day favorites:

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By J.M. HIRSCH
AP Food Editor

Use St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to get the kids into the kitchen to help with this easy, hands-on recipe for sweet soda bread studded with golden raisins.

The recipe calls for baking the dough as two loaves, but it could be divided into four to accommodate multiple baker’s helpers. And be prepared for a (fun) mess; the dough is sticky.

Posted in Cooking Entertaining Forum Gifts Parenting Playtime Smart Ideas Web exclusive

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By NICKI LEFEVER for Smart

After having 10 babies, Susan Wood learned what works and what doesn’t. She knows new moms should walk past the baby oil and buy a big tube of Balmex. They should register for the swing and skip the bouncy seat.

The York New Salem mom took a trip down the baby aisle at Target in West Manchester Township and shared what her shopping list would be if she were to go for No. 11.

Posted in Babies Forum Gifts Parenting Playtime Smart Ideas

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Here is our gift to you: Gift tags you can download and print. Happy holidays!

Posted in Entertaining From this issue Gifts

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By JENNIFER VOGELSONG for Smart

Do you think your friends and relatives really mean it when they tell you to “make yourself at home” while spending a few days at their place? Of course not.

During the holidays, a good many folks find themselves either hosting or being a house-guest. Unfortunately, way too many people have no idea what either role really entails.

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By TRACEY CULLEN for Smart

For some special people in your life, a gift card just won’t do as a present. You want it to be personal. You want the recipient to know you really made an effort this time.

Maybe something handmade? . . . but there’s no time for that now! Aha . . . that computer of yours can be used for more than just checking e-mail and downloading music. You can actually create gifts online!

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By BETH BENCE REINKE for Smart

The holidays are just around the corner, and that means Christmas shopping.

You need gifts for friends, family members and the special kids in your life. But what about the mailman, the trash collectors, the baby sitter, your hairstylist, the bus driver . . . ?

Without some kind of criteria for deciding which service providers you really want to give a gift, things can get out of hand — and out of wallet! How do you decide?

Posted in Entertaining Gifts Parenting

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PAUL KUEHNEL for Smart

Shawn Brady of Manchester Township takes his family's three Christmas trees to Solid Waste and Refuse Authority's yard waste compost site off of Flour Mill Road in Manchester Township last year. Recycling live trees is one way to have a 'green Christmas.'

By ERIN ESMONT for Smart

When compiling this year’s holiday to-do list, take a moment to consider the environmental impact of your annual shopping and decorating rituals.

Posted in Entertaining Gifts Parenting

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By ERIN ESMONT for Smart

Caryn Bilotta directs a credit counseling office that serves 5,000 people, mostly Pennsylvanians, and teaches them how to get out of debt and live on a budget. There are 150 York County residents enrolled in a local version of the class.
Bilotta sees people every day struggling with money-management issues.
She knows that the coming months — November, December, January and February — will be the most fiscally challenging times for these clients and many others, who are either teetering on the financial brink, or simply caught up in the retail adrenaline rush known as the holiday season.

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By ERIN ESMONT
For Smart

Christopher Glass for Smart

This care package was prepared by Sealed With a Kiss, a company that prepares made-to-order care packages for all occasions. The package pictured contains items for both boys and girls.

Some will travel within the county; others will venture to faraway states in search of fun, fitness and friendship.

No matter their age or destination, all campers crave that little bit of love that comes in a corrugated box: The care package from home.

Posted in From this issue Gifts Parenting Playtime Travel

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The Barbeque Bible

Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue SR8003 Ultimate Luma Tongs with Grab-Light

By SUSAN HALLER
For Smart

If summertime in your house means dad takes all the cooking outdoors, make sure he's properly outfitted this Father’s Day (June 17). Here are five must-have grilling gadgets to kick the season off right:

Posted in Cooking From this issue Gifts

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Children who love playing with the satin tags on blankets or stuffed animals will love Taggies, a company that makes a variety of playthings covered in tags.

By ERIN ESMONT
For Smart

Fifi Spangler’s educational philosophy reverberates off the walls of the York Jewish Community Center five days a week.

The noise of children playing is just that — the noise of children playing: the clanking of wooden blocks or toy train pieces, the chatter of a child talking to her baby doll, the collision of play cars.

There’s no electronic gadgetry whirring. No talking dolls, no battery-operated beeping toys, no fancy learning systems with handheld styluses. No computers. No TVs. No DVDs.

Posted in Babies From this issue Gifts Parenting Playtime

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