PEOPLE

The Southeast Missourian asked area retailers what are some of the hottest Christmas gifts this year?

Terry Godwin, Wal-Mart manager:

"The hottest-selling video game this Christmas is the Nintendo Aladdin video game. The hottest-selling item in the toy category in the nation this year is the Power Rangers, which is action figures and all the accessories that go along with them. The little cars and stuff they drive in. They're (Power Rangers) based on Saturday morning cartoons. They're hotter than Cabbage Patch dolls were a couple of years ago."

David Likens, Zickfield's Gift Box:

"The hot items this year are (collector figurines) Precious Moments, Sugar Town, Cherished Teddys, Disney ornaments, unique Christmas ornaments, colonial villages and, strangely enough, elephant figurines are the hot items this Christmas season."

Sara Lee Parus, Toys R Us:

"The hottest items are action figures of all kinds: X-men, Batman, all those sorts of things are always hot. All the Little Tykes products -- toy boxes, table and chair sets, all kinds of trucks, doll houses, swing sets. Talk Boy from the movie "Home Alone II." Leggo tables...Nintendo, Super Nintendo, action figures are really popular this year."

Amy Crismon, Walden Books:

"In the non-fiction category, Rush Limbaugh ("See, I Told You So") is flying off the shelves. In fiction, "Slow Waltz at Cedar Bend," and lots of Far Side calendars are going out. Rush's (Limbaugh) audio tape is selling....we're having trouble getting that one back in. Michael Jordan has a book out called "Rare Air" that we sold out of and we're getting more in. There is so many... Stephen King has a new book out... Anne Rice, Susan Powter -- "Stop the Insanity" is a hard back that's selling really well. Stephen King has a new hard back and a new paperback, "Dolores Claiborne."

Heidi Stause, J. Riggins:

"Well, I'd say a lot of sweaters, leather coats, rugby, a polo-type sports shirt, buttondowns, a casual dress shirt. Not as many accessories are as popular as the clothing items. We have a lot of sweaters moving out. Our leathers are doing pretty good. We're having a good sale on those...leather coats, bombers, below-the-waist types with cloth and leather mixed."

Ken Young, Camelot Music:

"Boxsets...three CDs and three video cassettes along with a bunch of Metallica merchandising stuff like a book about them, a stencil..collector's stuff. Snoop Doggie Dog, a rap (group) that's the biggest seller so far all Christmas long. The Eagles Tribute, the "Common Thread" CD, Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell II," all the Beavis and Butthead stuff, Reba McEntire's "Greatest Hits II."