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Photo credit by Wolfgang Lonien

Giving toys to children is one of the best parts of Christmas. When the children love their gifts, it makes the entire holiday season feel even better. If you have some ideas about the toys that are the most popular this year, your gifts will be a hit with all of the children on your list.

While youngsters in the mid-age range may seem harder to buy gifts for, it is usually quite the opposite. Kids who are ten to fourteen years old are those who will be the most delighted with gifts and toys focusing on the latest media trends. If the toy or game is about a popular movie or television show, the child will love it. Some of the top toys this year focus on Where the Wild Things Are, and Twilight. Board games, action figures, stuffed toys, books, and DVD's of these popular movies rank amongst the top toys for Christmas. Twilight journals, jewelry boxes, and calendars are as appropriate for older teens as their younger counterparts. There is even a special Twilight-design Barbie, for the Barbie collectors on your gift list.

As younger children like toys that they can tinker with, there are some nice top-rated toys in this category. Transformers, which delighted a generation of little boys a few decades ago, have made a comeback. GI Joe action figures are also as popular today as they were in the past. The little girl on your list is sure to love a kitchen play set. There are many to choose from, with sizes and features to suit girls from preschool to preteen. Kidcraft makes a number of different styles, with all of the accessories your little girl could possibly want.

You may remember Atari games from your own childhood. If so, you may not be surprised to find that they continue to be amongst the top-selling toys today. There are Atari games suitable for every age group and every interest, so it will be easy to find one or more for the special child in your life. Hearts of Iron 2: the Doomsday Expansion Pack is educational and exciting for older children and teens. The two versions of Rollercoaster are also appropriate for this age group. There is also an assortment of Dora the Explorer games for the younger children.

Your preschooler's room will come alive with Fisher Price's Stack Around Sillytown. As safety, fun, and learning have long been priorities with this company, this toy is no exception. It is the ideal toy for babies as well as preschoolers.

Pretend pets are also popular amongst kids of all ages. A top-seller in this category is the Zhu Zhu Hamster. For an even more realistic effect, these toys can be given with accessories. There are five different Zhu Zhu Hamsters from which to choose, each with its own unique personality. Your child, whether a toddler or a teen, will love to receive one.

Not surprisingly, some of the most long-time popular toys continue to be bestsellers. Elmo and Hello Kitty rank as high as favorites this Christmas season as they did in the past.