• MSNBC/AP, Tuesday, October 16, 2007 11:15 AM

The most popular answer to the Consumer Electronics Association's annual, open-ended survey about respondents' holiday wishes last year was clothing, followed by peace and happiness, money and then computers. This year, computers top the list, followed by peace and happiness, big-screen TVs, clothes and then money.

Such enthusiasm for computers, TVs and other electronics will help drive electronics sales up 7% to $48.1 billion in the fourth quarter from $44.8 billion a year ago, the CEA forecasts. By comparison, the overall retail industry is expected to see holiday sales grow 4%, according to the National Retail Federation.

People are doing more with their computers, such as posting videos or writing blogs, says Joe Bates, the CEA's director of research. The demand for laptops is particularly strong. The survey also indicates that consumers plan to spend bit more on gadget gifts this year: $358 per household versus $337 in 2006.

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