The CMCH Guide to Holiday Gifts

Media have become increasingly central to the holiday season - they are used to motivate consumers to buy and, from video games and DVDs to MP3 players and cell phones, media are among the most popular gifts given.

This trend is continuing and the Center on Media and Child Health (CMCH) at Children’s Hospital Boston is concerned that the well-being of children remains foremost in our gifting decisions. CMCH researchers have compiled a list of gift ideas for parents and caregivers to consider when shopping for children this holiday season:

>>What do children really want? Hint: It's free!

>>I really don't want to give the kids mp3 gift certificates or computer games like I did last year; what can I give that's different?

>>The only things they want are media-related; what kinds of things should I consider before buying them?