ESCANABA — Ahead of Christmas 2024, the large stores in the area have seen sales up for toys, puzzles, electronics, power tools, and gift cards.

Menards increased their toy selection this year, with a major portion of the front of the store devoted to the department.

“We up our selection of toys every year. …Toys have been big sellers this year,” said First Assistant General Manager David Kluger at the Escanaba Menards.

John Deere toys — small bulldozers and tractors and the like — are popular choices for shoppers at L&M Fleet Supply, reported Store Manager Jim Beauchamp. However, children’s gift items that are moving even better than toys overall at L&M are puzzles and games — “things you have to think about,” Beauchamp said.

This is L&M’s second Christmas season here after the Escanaba store became the Minnesota chain’s first Michigan location in summer 2023.

Walmart reported that top trending toys included those for long-standing and beloved brands like LEGO, Disney, HotWheels and Barbie.

“We’re seeing customers love building sets, play sets, plush toys, collectibles and bikes,” said Walmart U.S. Chief Merchandising Officer Latriece Watkins.

At Meijer, the top toys this year are LEGO sets, Squishmallows (soft, plush, simplistic egg-shaped critters), and the Nintendo Switch (a convertible gaming console that launched in 2017).

“In the Escanaba store specifically, this year’s top gift items are currently blankets … as well as air fryers and TVs, all on sale to help shoppers find the perfect gift at a great value,” relayed Meijer External Communications Manager Erin Cataldo.

Of Walmart’s electronics, “televisions are always in high demand during Black Friday, and this year is no different,” said Watkins, remarking that people have been taking advantage of the curbside claim option that Walmart added this year for large items. “Customer response to deals on large and oversized televisions, like the TCL 65-inch 4K UHD Smart TV with Roku, has been overwhelmingly positive,” Watkins said.

At both Menards and L&M, power tools are moving well; the Masterforce brand is particularly popular at Menards, while DeWalt and Milwaukee are big at L&M.

As people look forward to winter activities, some of the best selling items at L&M right now are ice fishing-related, Beauchamp said.

Kluger said that the uptick in sales of Menards gift cards this holiday season has been particularly noticeable, too.

“When somebody’s not sure what to get someone, gift cards are always a good option,” he said.