The Top Toys for Christmas 2005:

Grace Galloway here, (aka 'The Gift Guru') with my predictions for the top toys for Christmas 2005.

Trends for Christmas 2005

The experts are all agreeing on a couple of things about the top toys for Christmas 2005: 1) you'll be able to get great discounts on most hot Christmas toys (except for the few most popular ones) since competition will be fierce; 2) there are lots of great Christmas toys to choose from this year; 3) and classic toys and techno toys will both be big hits.

This is an especially important year to get a jumpstart on your Christmas shopping for the top toys for Christmas 2005 because toy retailers are again being more conservative due to the economy, and almost everyone is predicting Christmas toy shortages. For example, the Sony xBox 360 sold out in hours.

So, check out the top toys for Christmas 2005...

1. The first, and probably the cutest, hot Christmas toy this year, no doubt, is iZ. Yes, you read that right - iZ is. :-) iZ is part creature, part gizmo, and all fun -- an adorable alien that is also destined to be your child's favorite music source! Kids can create their own music by tweaking its ears or flicking its antennae. iZ is pose-able, and contains a speaker so it can be hooked up to your iPod or other MP3 player. You can find a lot more about the iZ here.

2. Another must-have toy this season is Roboraptor, an electronic dinosaur with attitude! Roboraptor is almost two feet long, moves on its own, and reacts with five 'emotions': hunting mode, docile, angry, cautious and playful. For example, if you stroke Robo's face when it's in 'docile' mood, it will 'snuggle up' to you. Roboraptor weighs almost 90 pounds, so take that into consideration when you shop.

3. Another 'toy' that's not very toy-like, but will be universally loved by youngsters of any age, is the iPod nano. The iPod nano is tiny, but with a big sound! This portable music player holds about five hundred or a thousand tunes -- and is good for up to 14 hours worth of music. It weighs in at just over an ounce, and measures 3.5" x 1.6" x 0.27". The new iPod video is also terrific.

4. The last toy that's not really a toy, but WILL prove to be VERY popular this Christmas, is the Xbox 360, an updated version of Microsoft's first independent video game console. It's the only new console this year. Expect to have a LOT of trouble, though, getting your hands on the xBox 360 since it sold out in hours on its launch date.

5. For the little 'moms' in your family, the Amazing Amanda is unlike any doll you've ever seen. She recognizes her "Mommy's" voice (after hearing it only 3 times), and then she responds with 'life-like' facial expressions! The Amazing Amanda doll might be the closest a little girl will get to the bond between a mother and her baby, yet still be considered a toy!

Other dolls that will be very popular this year include the ageless Barbie, the 'Bratz' collection (especially the new Bratz Big Babyz) and Annabell. Check them all out!

6. Not a doll, but still a huge hit when it comes to the little 'caretakers' in your home, check out the all-new Furby. Furby, the Hasbro 'creature' that took the toy world by a storm a few years ago, is back and cuter than ever! Thanks to 'emoticons', that let Furby have expressions that reflect his many changing moods, Furby communicates in Furbish and English!

7. In the world of electronics, the i-Dog will be one of the hottest toys - even though it's more of a gizmo than a toy! iDog can be plugged in to play music (it is compatible with most portable music devices such as Discman, iPod, or MP3 players.), or you can simply use iDog as your speaker, if you want. However you are listening to music through your headphones, iDog will dance to the beat of it!

Other electronic gizmos that will be hot this year include i-Cybie, another electronic dog that doesn't play music, but DOES do all sorts of other things! i-Cybie recognizes its owner's voice, edges and obstacles, movement, and changes in light; knows when you're petting it, and plugs itself in to be re-charged when the batteries get low!

8. Another electronic top Christmas toy is the Hasbro's VCamNow -- the coolest 'real' toy movie camera you can imagine. Your children can take pictures and make their own movies, and then show them on TV!

9. The V.Smile TV Learning System, for kids aged 3 and up, is an educational video gaming system that makes learning fun! Plug in any number of "smartridges" and your children can learn skills ranging from language development & phonics, to basic math, memory, problem solving and science.

Leapfrog's latest offering, the Leapster L-Max computer, is another option that promises to make learning maximum fun for kindergarten through 4th grade kids. Plug in any of several learning cartridges, and get ready to have fun watching your child have fun learning!

10. Last, but certainly not least, Harry Potter paraphernalia will certainly very popular for Christmas 2005. especially since Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is now in movie theaters.

So, there you have it -- our list of the top toys for Christmas 2005. We hope it makes your Christmas shopping for hot Christmas toys a lot easier...

To find more of the top toys for Christmas 2005 -- in dozens of different categories -- check out this best selling Christmas toys website.