And Topping the List: A Lump of Coal!

For Immediate Release from the Mall of America:

TEENS SAY YES TO MONEY, CUZ' [sic] RELATIVES ARE CLUELESS ABOUT BUYING GIFTS

Bloomington, Minnesota--Teenagers want gift certificates or money this year because they don't like gifts they receive from grandparents, aunts, and uncles. And if not money, buy teens their favorite clothing: Tommy Hilfiger or Nike. These are just some of the findings of a teen survey conducted recently by Mall of America, the nation's largest retail and entertainment complex.

Whether wrapped in a box or tucked away in a card, 46 percent of teenagers said they want gift certificates or money to make their own purchases this year. Another 15 percent said they'd like a new computer; 12 percent want a phone and a personal phone line; 11 percent hope for concert tickets to see their favorite band, and 3 percent said sports gear and equipment was tops on their wish list.

Clothing is always a holiday favorite among teens and Tommy Hilfiger is clearly this year's top choice. Twenty-seven percent of teens said Tommy Hilfiger is the hottest brand name, followed by Nike (19 percent), Abercrombie & Fitch (12 percent), and Gap (9.5 percent). Another 11 percent said the trend is to wear clothing that is not a leading brand name.

The study also found that more than one-third (33.6 percent) of teens don't like gifts from aunts and uncles, while another 31.7 percent regularly dislike what their grandparents buy them. Perhaps relatives should settle on that gift certificate or check with mom and dad before buying. According to the survey, only 5.4 percent of teens dislike the presents they receive from their parents, and 62 percent of teens said their parents more often than not are hip to the latest teen trends.

Some additional findings:

-Twenty-eight percent of teen girls indicated they had the hardest time buying a gift for their boyfriend.

-Twenty-three percent of teenage boys indicated they had the most difficult time buying gifts for grandparents and siblings.

The poll results were a combination of a national survey conducted October 27, 1997, by Market Facts, Inc. and an intercept mall survey conducted October 11-26 by Mall of America's Teen Fashion Board. Market Facts, Inc. conducted 300 telephone interviews with teens selected randomly for the survey, while another 228 surveys were collected from teenagers visiting the Mall of America.

Located in Bloomington, Minnesota, just 15 minutes from Minneapolis and St. Paul, Mall of America is the nation's largest retail and entertainment complex attracting more visits annually than Disney World, the Grand Canyon, and Graceland combined. Since opening in August, 1992, more than 200 million people have visited Mall of America...