Come on all of you families, fathers day spending is lagging behind, its not the retailers fault, spend away. Really, just have a great day and thanks to all of the great Dad's out there.

This year, dads are battling it out with moms for their loved ones' wallet. The nation's major retailers are turning their attention to Father's Day, which has long lagged behind Mother's Day among the most important holiday sales periods. By expanding shopping hours and advertising earlier and more aggressively for Father's Day - which this year falls on June 18 - merchants are hoping to provide a big sales boost during summer's lull.

Sears Holdings Corp.'s Sears, Roebuck and Co. stores declared June the season for dads, elevating it to a "Christmas-like status," according to Corinne Gudovic, a company spokeswoman. The retailer recently dispatched caroling dads who sing holiday jingles with Father's Day themes - "O' Plasma Screen" - at malls in the New York and Chicago area. It broke its Father's Day ad campaign on June 4, three weeks earlier than a year ago and is offering a Father's Day gift card for the first time.

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