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DALLAS, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Shop till you drop doesn't have to be the reason for the season this year. Participating 7-Eleven(R) stores are full of holiday gifts that are easy to purchase on the way to work, while grabbing lunch or on the drive home, giving consumers more time for other holiday activities and festivities.
7-Eleven customers can pick up a toy Slurpee(R) Drink Machine while getting an afternoon Slurpee fix ... a ready-to-use wireless phone after filling up with gas ... gift cards for everyone on their list while buying a lottery ticket ... a donut and DVDs, sandwich and St. Jude teddy bear, coffee and Christmas mini-tree, Big Gulp(R) and boxer shorts, wine and wireless phone, a pack of gum and poker set, or milk and Mariah Carey holiday CD.
"7-Eleven doesn't need to be the last place people look for gifts as the shopping days dwindle," said David Podeschi, 7-Eleven senior vice president of merchandising. "Why wait? Our stores have many items that have been reported by the media to be on people's 'most- wanted' gift lists, and shopping can be done in short spurts instead of shopping marathons at the malls on weekends."
In its annual holiday survey, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that 55 percent of Americans list CDs and DVDs, along with books and electronic games in the top spot on their Christmas list. Clothing comes in second with gift cards close behind. The NRF is the world's largest retail trade association.
In a separate survey on gift card sales, the NRF found that gift card sales will increase 6.6 percent this year over 2004 for a total of $18.48 billion spent during the holiday season. On average, consumers will spend almost $90 on gift cards, 15.6 percent of their holiday gift budget. Deloitte's 20th Annual Holiday Mood Survey goes even further, projecting that gift cards will remain the top gift purchase. Almost 70 percent of respondents said they would purchase approximately five gift cards, showing continued growth in popularity of this convenient gift option.
Participants in a "FamilyFun" magazine survey don't answer questions, they play. This year's top toys were tested by 1,400 kids, who logged in 30,000 hours of playtime to select their favorites....