While some hard-to-find toys emerge every holiday season, toymakers are heading into this one without a monster hit. Indeed, there has not been a Furby-style frenzy in years. Of 10 toy segments yes folks, there are that many to the people who take toys seriously only two, arts and crafts, and dolls, have generated sales growth over a recent 12-month period, according to investment firm Harris Nesbitt. Some of the weakest categories like construction sets (down 10%) and action figures (down 9%) are the ones aimed at boys, who suffer the most blisters from video games. Analysts expect one of the top stocking stuffers this season to be not a traditional toy but the new generation of Nintendo's Game Boy, the DS, which hit stores last week. Next year will bring more competition in handheld gaming, when Sony launches the PSP. Cell-phone makers like Nokia are also targeting kids with game gadgets. A recent Roper poll found that parents plan to curtail toy purchases this season in favor of gifts such as video games and consumer electronics.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101041206-832235,00.html