Gift cards and clothes top holiday lists

Gift cards and clothing top the lists of holiday shoppers this year, according to a new Harris Poll conducted for Macy's.

“The research is very consistent with the items that have been trending in popularity at Macy’s this holiday season,” said Louis Mastrogiacomo, Macy’s senior vice president of fashion and product. “Outerwear, like our Tommy Hilfiger packable down jackets, is tracking high in popularity this time of year. In addition, Charter Club cashmere zip hoodies and Calvin Klein performance fleece have been favorites with our customers, and these basics make for great gifts as we head into the height of the winter season. We’ve seen that shoes are among this year’s popular gifts – from cozy slippers to cold weather boots to brave the elements. Mini fragrances, such as rollerballs for women and travel sprays for men, have also been among the hottest gifts of the year.”

Other popular holiday items include:

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  Toys and games, 48%


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  Electronics, 33%


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  Jewelry and watches,29%


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  Cosmetics and fragrances, 26%


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  Home goods, 25%

The survey also found that seven out of 10 (71%) holiday shoppers research online for holiday gifts to buy, whether by desktop, mobile device or tablet. Fifty-six percent like to do their holiday shopping research browsing in person at the stores.

The survey found that among holiday shoppers, 43% of men have searched for hidden gifts at home or tried to figure out what was inside a gift intended for them, compared with 35%of women. The difference is even greater among Millennials: 44% of Millennial men (ages 18-34) have searched for hidden gifts at home compared to 19% of their female counterparts. When it comes to hiding gifts to keep them a surprise, nearly three in five (58%) holiday shoppers have hidden gifts for family members.