Nintendo Wii becomes season's hottest Christmas present

Cash registers in stores across the Tri-state are cooling off tonight.

Photo: Nintendo Wii becomes season's hottest Christmas present

They got a workout Christmas Eve as people headed out to the malls and discount stores for some last-minute deals.

One of the most sought after items: the Nintendo Wii.

While photographers were at the malls today they came across people who wished they had a Wii to give, 9News report.

However, the shoppers admit waiting until the last minute is not the way to find one of the season's hottest gifts.

In the United States, the Christmas/holiday shopping season, during which a quarter of all personal spending takes place, is traditionally considered to commence on the day after Thanksgiving, a Friday colloquially known as either Black Friday or Green Friday. This is widely reputed to be the busiest shopping day of the entire calendar year. However, in 2004 the VISA credit card organization reported that over the previous several years VISA credit card spending had in fact been 8 to 19 percent higher on the last Saturday before Christmas Day than on Black Friday. A survey conducted in 2005 by GfK NOP discovered that "Americans aren't as drawn to Black Friday as many retailers may think.", with only 17% of those polled saying that they will begin holiday shopping immediately after Thanksgiving, 13% saying that they plan to finish their shopping before November 24, and 10% waiting until the very last day before performing their holiday gift shopping.

According to a survey by the Canadian Toy Association, peak sales in the toy industry occur in the winter holiday season, but this peak has been occurring later and later in the season every year.