This Is Cheshire

All I want for Christmas is...

From the Guardian Series, first published Thursday 28th Nov 2002.

IT is that time of year again when kids get excited and parents dread having to queue for hours to buy that perfect present.

During the run up to Christmas you can guarantee that the most popular toys will sell out so to avoid disappointment start making your list now - just don't expect to get everything you want!

The chances are that the items you hope to get in your stocking will depend on your age and how much your parents will be spending on you.

When Young Guardian interviewed children in Warrington the most popular presents were to do with music (CDs, stereo systems, karaoke machines) and computers/ games consoles.

The children interviewed were 10 and 11 years old, so they were definitely interested in receiving grown up presents rather than toys.

Every child who had access to a computer at home wanted to add to their Sims collections.

Now the best-selling PC game of all time, The Sims allows you to control a group of virtual reality characters and choose everything for them - from what clothes they wear to who they go on dates with.

The latest add-on to hit the shelves is The Sims Unleashed. The fifth add-on pack allows the virtual families to add a range of animals to their households.

There is a wide variety of pets to choose from, and while you can pick a cat or dog, there is nothing to stop you from taking in a lizard if you choose - something your parents are unlikely to let you do in reality!

Other popular games this Christmas include Dancing Stage Party Edition (for PlayStation), which includes music by Kylie and S-Club.

Younger children are also catered for with Ratchet & Clank (for PS2), which has a group of cartoon characters getting involved in action adventure, exploration, puzzle solving and all-out combat. Yet despite computer games taking off in a big way, toys are still top of the wish list for younger children.

The most hi-tech toy currently on sale is Micropets. The smallest voice recognition toys in the world, Micropets are just 3.5cm tall and will flash their eyes, flap their ears and make sounds when you talk to them.

There are 10 to choose from and they all cost under £10. This is good news for parents - but kids must remember that if they decide they want all the Micropets it could get very expensive!