The Consumer Electronics Association has taken the pulse of the holiday shopper and, not surprisingly, discovered we want a lot of technology. In their 19th annual Holiday Purchase Patterns Study, the CEA found:

Consumer electronics continue to be among the most wanted gifts this holiday and are expected to account for nearly a third of all gift spending. On average, consumers plan to spend $1,634 overall this holiday, up 11 percent from last year. Consumers plan to allocate $842 from their overall budget towards gifts, up nine percent from 2011. Consumers plan to spend $252 on CE this year, on par with last year's number of $246, and three in four (76 percent) of gift giving adults plan to purchase CE products as a gift this year.

Here's what we want, in order of most to least desired: tablets, televisions, phones, smartphone, notebooks. Interestingly, when paired against a general holiday wishlist, tablets still come out on top - over "money" and "peace/happiness."

Who says we're a hopelessly materialistic culture?