Top Christmas Gifts of 2009

It's Thanksgiving again, and today, the official race towards Christmas begins. But what are this year's most wanted gifts? Amazon has released its list of the most requested items. As expected, they are heavily focused on electronic games; the days of beanie babies and cabbage patch dolls seem to be over.

Many of the games are remarkably violent. Modern Warfare 2 is heavily in demand, as is Assassins Creed II.

Yet all is not lost. Wii Fit is a top contender, potentially indicating a trend toward more health-focused, active games. And parents may be pleased to see that two popular games are based on old, Nintendo-based favorites: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks and Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games. True to the idea that the health habits of mainland Europe outshine those of both the United States and United Kingdom, the Wii Fit games have become exceptionally popular in France and Germany.

Here is a list of the top games by country:

France
Wii Fit Plus - Game Only (Wii)
New Super Mario Bros Wii (Wii)
Wii Sports Resort with Wii MotionPlus (Wii)
Wii Fit Plus with Wii Balance Board (Wii)
Professeur Layton et la Boite de Pandore (Professor Layton and Pandora's Box) (DS)
Mario & Sonic aux J.O. d'hiver (Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games) (Wii)
Nintendo Wii, Black
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS)
Nintendo Wii, White
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)UK
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360)
New Super Mario Bros Wii (Wii)
Wii Fit Plus - Game Only (Wii)
Wii Sports Resort with Wii MotionPlus (Wii)
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)
Professor Layton and Pandora's Box (DS)
Assassin's Creed II (360)
Assassin's Creed II (PS3)
Wii Fit Plus with Wii Balance Board (Wii)Germany
Wii Fit Plus - Game Only (Wii)
New Super Mario Bros Wii (Wii)
PlayStation 3 Slim, 120GB
Nintendo Wii, Black
Assassin's Creed 2 (360)
Nintendo Wii, White
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
Wii Sports Resort with Wii MotionPlus (Wii)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PC)USA
New Super Mario Bros (Wii)
Nintendo Wii, White
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (360)
Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board
PlayStation 3 Slim, 120GB
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
Wii Fit Plus (Wii)
Assassin's Creed II (360)

And, with the release of this list, let the games begin. Kids lay on the guilt and the good behavior, while parents panic that they may not be able to purchase the gifts that their kids really want. The expectations of the holiday season weigh heavily on all of us. Best of luck as you navigate this intimidating territory.