Hannah Montana Overtakes Bratz on Girls' Holiday List Boys still prefer video games as No.1 gift
Though Barbie continues to win the hearts of little girls across the country, she's got competition this year.
According to the National Retail Federation's 2008 Top Toys survey, conducted by BIGresearch, Barbie will retain her top spot on the hot toys list for girls, but Hannah Montana jumped four spots this year to the number two placeholder.
Hannah Montana replaces Bratz dolls, which dropped to the fourth spot. This year, video games and High School Musical merchandise also appeared for the first time on the top ten list for girls.
Top gifts for boys will be similar to last year, with electronics taking the top spots in the form of video games and Nintendo Wii. Boys will also ask for LEGOS, cars and Transformers. Traditional toys Star Wars and Hot Wheels reemerged on the top ten list this year after falling off of the list in previous years.
"Retailers have been scaling back inventory in anticipation of a challenging holiday season, so parents are encouraged to shop early to ensure they are able to find specific toys," said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin. "The good news for parents is that many retailers are featuring toys as loss leaders this year, heavily discounting and promoting these items to bring shoppers into stores."
According to NRF's holiday survey, 41.6 percent of consumers plan to purchase toys this year.
2008 top toys for girls
1. Barbie
2. Disney Hannah Montana
3. Dolls (generic)
4. Bratz
5. Nintendo Wii
6. Video Games
7. Elmo
8. Disney High School Musical
9. Disney Princess
10. American Girl
2008 Top Toys for Boys
1. Video Games
2. Nintendo Wii
3. LEGO
4. Cars (generic)
5. Transformers
6. Elmo
7. Star Wars
8. Hot Wheels
9. Remote Controlled Vehicles
10. Xbox 360
