XBox 360 Tops List of 2005 Holiday Gift Ideas

It's almost here, again. The dreaded gift-giving holiday season is creeping upon us once again. Retail stores, such as Hallmark, seem to promote their holiday displays earlier and earlier each year, sometimes displaying Christmas tree ornaments before even Halloween arrives! What are the hot, new trendy gifts for the 2005 holiday season? In speaking with several retail store managers and employees in order to get an early start on looking for great gift ideas, I've narrowed the list down to the most-requested items to grab before it's too late.

Unanimously, the hottest gift this year will be the XBOX 360 video game console, because demand will outnumber the product's supply. Microsoft's console has been continually hyped with publicity and has sent video game fanatics scrambling to new heights in order to reserve the latest in high-end entertainment. The biggest problem for Microsoft isn't reaching out for early technology adapters, but overcoming Microsoft's self-created hype. Even though there's no official word on how many units will be delivered on the release date of November 22, stores such as Toys R Us, Electronics Boutique and GameStop have many pre-order purchases reserving individual units, which store employees quickly admit most likely won't not receive enough units to fulfill demand.�

Target Manager Matt Crisafulli is doubtful his store will receive many units. "I don't know how many we'll receive. Based on historical sales, my educated guess is that we'll receive 50 cases of both XBOX 360 bundles."

Wal-Mart takes a different stance on selling merchandise. No pre-order purchases are allowed, the only policy the store has is for people to arrive at the store in person at midnight of its release date, creating long lines of impatient customers ready to snatch the few available units. Many websites list XBOX 360 as already being sold out, hinting there most likely will be a shortage of the console before December arrives. Websites, such as eBay, list the elusive console more than 10 times the suggested manufacturer's suggested retail price.

Yiannis Tirikos prepares to travel in the Toys R Us exclusive, Cadillac Escalade.

Credit: Matthew Kelsey

Copyright: Matthew Kelsey