Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is…..

NOISE levels on Christmas morning could reach frenzied heights with this year's "must have" toys for children including an electric guitar, a gun and a yapping puppy.

The annual prediction of Christmas bestsellers from the Toy Retailers Association (TRA) is packed with junior versions of adult pastimes such as a movie-making kit and a pets grooming parlour as well as new takes on traditional favourites such as Lego and Monopoly.

However, the TRA's two separate "Dream Dozen" lists for girls and boys for the 21st century also include plenty of gender stereotyping items.

The girls' list includes a Baby Born Magic Feeding Doll, (34.99) the ZhuZhu Grooming Salon (22.99) for toy hamsters and a Barbie Fashion Fairytale doll (21.99) while the boys have a Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear toy (39.99), a Beyblade Super Vortex Battle Set (24.99) and the Kung Zhu Battle Arena (29.99). More adventurous little girls will be pleased to see their list includes the more daring Sylvanian Families Motorcycle and Sidecar set (24.99). The toy includes two racoons and accessories such as a helmet and goggles.

Despite the credit crunch leaving many families cash-strapped this year the TRA's overall annual top 12 Dream Toys list features an 84.99 Lego airport and the FurReal Go Go Walking Pup and VTech Kidizoom VideoCam, both selling for 59.99.

Gary Grant, chairman of the TRA, said: "The technological advancements in many of the toys we reviewed this year were simply amazing, and demonstrate how forward thinking manufacturers are. In what has been a challenging yet extremely positive year for the toy industry, it is also refreshing to see faithful brands continuing to perform well to keep classic toys in the hearts of children everywhere."

• I think girls wouldn't want the toys boys like

The top 12 also includes Nerf N Strike Stampede ECS blaster gun (54.99) and the Monopoly Revolution (29.99), a new version of the family classic with a circular board and plastic bank cards in place of paper money.

Mr Grant added: "With licensed toys combining the fun and familiarity of popular characters as well as family games enjoying a resurgence, the list of top toys is a truly eclectic mix that will appeal to all ages."

A new category this year is the "Cool Toyz list" celebrating the "coolest, hippest toys on the market". These include the Air Hogs@Laser Zero Gravity (30.99) vehicles which chase a light beam pointed on a floor or wall and can operate on ceilings.

But Janice McGovern, 36, from Edinburgh, who has three children - Ruby, ten, Hamish, eight, and four-year-old Rose - had a warning for parents who shell out on top toys."Once they've played with a battery-operated robot for half an hour the novelty can wear off and they go back to their DVDs or toy fort that's been in the house for years.

"I get the children to write to Santa and tell them they might get one of the bigger toys, usually the highly advertised ones rather than traditional things like a bike."