ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Finding the perfect gift for Father’s Day can be a daunting challenge, but that labor of love becomes simpler if you keep Dad’s interests and hobbies in mind.

The options are seemingly endless. Online retailers and brick and mortar stores of all types are currently holding sales and promotions, urging consumers to choose their merchandise.

At the Ohio Valley Mall, for example, stores such as BAM! Books-A-Million, Hallmark Gold Crown and Ulta Beauty have big signs posted, tempting shoppers with gift ideas such as “The Art of Winning” by Bill Belichick, specialty barbecue sauces and colognes. Dozens of other mall shops offer gift ideas including new clothes, shoes, gift baskets filled with snacks, watches and jewelry or games, puzzles and toys.

In addition to considering what kinds of things your father might enjoy, some retailers suggest thinking about what he needs. Is there something out there that would make his daily life easier? If your dad happens to be older, are there options to help him stay safe or accomplish things in a more convenient manner?

Perhaps a personalized gift would appeal to your dad. The Lids store at the mall can customize a hat for just about any wearer or occasion.

Another idea is to aim to provide enjoyable experiences rather than material things. Gift cards for local restaurants are popular this time of year. Some dads might enjoy receiving concert tickets or a nice round of golf.

Buyers should also keep the recipient’s personality in mind. A laid-back jokester of a dad might appreciate a fun or practical item, while a more sentimental guy may prefer a gift that touches the heart.

One way to figure out what the perfect gift might be is to just ask. And you might be surprised at just how simple the answer may be.

Ezra Hamilton of Wheeling dined with his sons Eli, 12, and Van, 10, at Fabio’s Pizza at the mall on Tuesday. While the boys said their dad deserved a trophy for Father’s Day, he said he had a different preference.

“I always like coffee cups,” Ezra said.

Gregg Bonar of Shadyside, who was shopping with his wife Rosemary and granddaughter Rosa Bell, 7, isn’t interested in receiving material things. When asked what he would like to receive for Father’s Day, he responded: “For all my kids to be in town, and that’s going to happen.”

Father’s Day is observed on the third Sunday of June each year, falling this year on June 15. It is a day set aside for honoring fathers, grandfathers and all of the father figures in our lives. According to nationaldaycalendar.com, the first Father’s Day was observed after the Monongah Mining Disaster in West Virginia that killed 361 men and left around 1,000 children fatherless in December 1907. Grace Golden Clayton suggested a day honoring all those fathers to her pastor, Robert Thomas Webb. On July 5, 1908, the community gathered in their honor at Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South in Fairmont, West Virginia.

The holiday’s origins may also date to 1910, when the YMCA in Spokane, Washington, recruited clergymen with the help of Sonora Smart Dodd to honor fathers throughout the city. The date was set for June 5 but was later changed to June 19, which was the third Sunday in June at the time, to allow clergymen to prepare.

Harry C. Meek, a member of Lions Clubs International, also claimed that he first had the idea for Father’s Day in 1915. Meek claimed the third Sunday of June was chosen because it was his birthday. The Lions Club has named him “Originator of Father’s Day.” Meek made many efforts to promote Father’s Day and make it an official holiday.

In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers on the third Sunday in June. The holiday became an annual event when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.