It’s good news for Santa this year, as most Americans are tipped to ask for a gift that is highly portable and suitable for even the sleekest of chimneystacks.

The iPod is predicted to be the top electronic gift this Christmas, with stockings set to be filled with the slim-line contours of the iPod nano and iPod mini.

Macnewsworlds reports that US consumers are predicted to spend more than $17 billion on electronic gifts between now and Christmas, with a significant chunk of this spent on iPods and related accessories.

The craze for iPods has been aided by a trend for US shoppers to give more expensive gadgets this year, with the $200 iPod nano tipped to be more popular than a $50 DVD player.

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