Earnshaw's

New graduates can expect to be gifted with gift cards, apparel and electronics this graduation season. According to the National Retail Federation's latest graduation survey conducted by BIGinsight, families and friends will mark with occasion by spending on average $49 per recipient. Last year, the average gift ringed in at $51. The survey also found that most gift-givers are purchasing items for up to two graduates. Total spending on graduation gifts - mostly for high school and college students - will reach $4.6 billion this year. More than half of gift-givers will give cash.

Disney Consumer Products revealed its annual Top 10 list of gifts for the holiday season last week in New York, NY. The toys will begin arriving in U.S. stores in July. Some of the products coincide with re-releases, including the Diamond Edition Blu-Ray of Cinderella in October, and new releases, such as Spider-Man and Brave, which was No. 1 at the box office in its opening weekend earning $80 million worldwide.

Do yourself a favor and give the gift of gifts! I can pretty much write the script when I'm talking to retailers about what's selling these days. For most, sportswear is as slow as molasses, imports are risky business and even tween items aren't the sure things they used to be.

What almost everyone can agree on though is that gifts practically pay the rent. That's good news because as our vp of sales always says, almost anything can be considered a gift.. .