Most children are hoping to find new toys under the Christmas tree.
But for the friends and family shopping for those toys, things are looking different in the stores this year.
Major US retailers such Target and Toys R Us have introduced "gender neutral" toy shelving... no longer splitting their products into "boy toys" and "girl toys," but instead marketing to everyone, as our U-S correspondent Priscilla Huff reports:
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One of the hottest toys this holiday season comes from a galaxy far far away
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BB-8 is the loveable orange rolling 'droid from Star Wars the Force Awakens
and spheero is selling thousands of them.
But what do boys and girls really like to play with?
I asked my niece T about what girls like to play with.
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Her preferences sound kind of traditional...
but some toy manufacturers and retailers think that that when it comes to toys, they should be gender neutral
Steve Errands owns Barston's Child's Play in Washington DC
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"We arrange them by types of play. So we have building toys all together-hopefully with all building toys they have more of an appeal to either boy or girl they shouldn't be sex related necessarily."
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According to the National Association for the Education of young children, most toys linked to boys are related to aggression, such as guns or soldiers,
Or, maybe fierce animals, as my niece T observes
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and those associated with girls are related to appearance, like jewelry and dolls.
Child psychologists say say it's good for kids to play with a broad range of toys because different products help them learn different sets of skills.
For example, research shows that playing with dolls can teach nurturing skills, while using building blocks helps with spacial learning.
Jennifer Streaks is a finance and lifestyle expert
She says
The aim of the gender neutral toy movement is to put an end to stereotypes about children's toy preferences.
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"We are getting away from stereotypes, it is no longer the fifties, we are not sort of tunneling kids into where we think they should go, its really based on their interest".
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For major retailers, such as Target, they say that times change, and now, products will be placed on store shelves by age groups, such as kids or adults, not boys or girls.
Jennifer Streaks again
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"Now you have a broader audience for any toy. Its not I made a doll, so now it can only be sold or marketed to girls... now it can just be marketed... its a great product. Its a great toy, play with our product.
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The thing is, kids are aware that choices are being made about their toys.
Last year, I gave my niece and nephew one of the first Lego sets that only had female figurines
the research institute - with a chemist, astronomer and palentologist.
Now, my nephew loved assembling the dinosaur -
but he also wanted to know why there were no boys in this set.
Priscilla Huff, Washington
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