The idea that Christmas is a time for the children is long gone. Christmas Eve is a time for breathless anticipation and expectation for what lies in those presents under the tree. But more often than not, its grown men who have those sleepless nights wondering what items can be crossed off the wish list.

As the festive season looms before us once more, we can see the usual high street chaos as the masses descend upon our town centres. But if you look closer you will see that it is not parents scrambling around the store anxious to find this years hottest gift for their son or daughter, but young women in their 20’s and 30’s trying to win brownie points with the other half by getting the coolest gift or gadget.

Whilst the traditional presents for overgrown boys still persist (http://www.hsamuel.co.uk/webstore/watches.do), there is an obvious shift from the practical present that your Mum presented your Dad with on Christmas morning to something altogether more immature. Indeed this years’ most hotly tipped toy has a distinctly grown up feel as retailers both online and offline pin their hopes on the Robosapien V2 (http://www.justtoys.com/toy.asp/Toy/31/buy/robosapien-v2.htm) to fly off the shelves and into stockings in the run up to Christmas.

There may be some demographic trend that can be alluded to which helps explain this situation – people are generally having children later in life. But perhaps its’ just that young adults are more immature than they used to be and are taking longer to grow up. The internet is a fertile breeding ground for retailers looking to capitalise on the increasing grown up toys and gadgets market. Everything from pool tables (http://intensegames.co.uk/acatalog/Pool_Tables.html) to elaborate stands to house the hi-fi (http://www.standanddeliver.com/acatalog/minihifistands.html)
- traditionally a lads most treasured possession – are presenting their offerings with a distinctly festive spin. All of which indicates that the kids may be marginalised this Christmas with their older male contemporaries taking centre stage.