Calendars.com Predicts Top-Selling Calendars for 2004 Holiday Season; Busy Families, Wacky Humor, Crafts and Dogs Most Popular Calendars for 2005.Just Three Months Until Christmas! Move over Shania, Bruce and Carmen -- the real celebrities are moms and dogs when it comes to top-selling calendars. Closely following in popularity are silly humor, hobbies and crafts calendars. This year's top-selling calendar is predicted to be Mom's Plan It, according to Calendars.com, the Web's biggest calendar store with the greatest variety of calendars available anywhere. "The Mom's Plan It calendar on the refrigerator door is the glue for many of today's families," says Hillel Levin, Calendars.com general manager. "It may be low tech, but its storage pocket, built-in magnetic hangar, and stickers for marking holidays, sleepovers, doctor appointments, games, and birthdays keep families on schedule and organized." Busy teens can keep track of their social activities, sports, sleepovers, birthdays and, of course, homework deadlines with the Teen Plan-It calendar. Expecting another second "nutty year" is last year's surprise seller, Nuns Having Fun, which includes photos of nuns caught in the act of letting go. Humor calendars historically have a strong following, including the popular Dilbert and Maxine cartoons. Scrapbooking, knitting, and other crafts or hobbies are gaining in popularity, with Easy Scrapbooking providing an easy way to collect memories and mark special occasions. Some of today's more popular hobby calendars illustrate cooking, model trains, quilts and knitting, with the Paper Airplanes craft calendar as the top hobbyist calendar last year. Rounding out the top list of 2005 calendars are the dog breeds. There are calendars for more than 120 different dog breeds on the market today, four times the number from 10 years ago, Levin says. The top breeds? Dachshund dachshund (dăks`h  nd, –ənd, dăsh`–), breed of small, short-legged hound developed in Germany over hundreds of years. It stands from 5 to 9 in. (13–23 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 5 to 20 lb (2–9 kg)., Golden Retriever golden retriever, breed of large sporting dog developed primarily in Scotland in the mid-19th cent. It stands about 23 in. (58.4 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 60 to 75 lb (27.2–34.1 kg). Its golden-brown, water-repellent coat is made up of a dense undercoat and a longer, straight or wavy outercoat that lies flat against the body. There is a moderate to heavy fringe, or feathering, of hair on the chest, back of legs, and tail., West Highland Terrier, Schnauzer schnauzer (shnou`zər), a sturdy, wirehaired dog developed in S Germany. There are three separate breeds of schnauzer distinguished by their size. The standard schnauzer is a medium-sized dog whose existence in Germany dates back to the 15th cent. It stands from 17 to 20 in. (43.1–50., Pug, German Shepherd, black Labrador Retriever Labrador retriever, breed of large sporting dog whose origins are obscure but whose immediate ancestors were developed in Newfoundland and brought to England in the early 1800s. It stands about 23 in. (58.4 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs between 60 and 75 lb (27.2–34.1 kg). The dense, short coat is flat and oily, providing great resistance to cold weather and icy water. Its color may be black, chocolate, or yellow., Boxer, Boston Terrier Boston terrier, breed of small, lively nonsporting dog developed in the United States in the second half of the 19th cent. It stands between 14 and 17 in. (35.6–43.2 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 13 to 25 lb (5.9–11.3 kg). Its short, smooth, glossy coat may be brindle or black, both with white markings., and Yorkshire Terrier Yorkshire terrier, breed of small, spirited toy dog originated and developed in Yorkshire, England, in the mid-19th cent. It stands about 9 in. (22.8 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 4 to 7 lb (1.8–3.2 kg). Its long, straight, glossy coat is finely textured and is dark steel blue and tan in color. make the Top 10 List of most popular dog breeds. "Calendars are a reflection of our lives and society as a whole," Levin says. "Experts saw a nesting trend after the 9/11 tragedy, and it seems that this focus on home, family, and hobbies is still the focus for many Americans. And people are serious about their dogs -- not just any dog, but their specific dog breed. They can't get enough of that." Levin estimates the 2004 calendar market was more than $600 million, up 10 percent over the previous year. With more than 45 million calendars sold annually, the market continues to experience 10 percent growth each year, even with the advent of PDAs, smart cell phones and computers. "Technology is great, but it's no match for the time-tested calendar," Levin says. "Calendars remain so popular because they allow individuals to express their personalities and interests," Levin says. One thing's for sure -- there is a calendar for every interest, Levin says. Take a look at some of the more unusual, wacky calendars for 2005: Bad Hair, Hula Honeys, Curious Classifieds, Outhouses (traditionally a big seller), Biddys and Coots COOTS - Conference on Object-Oriented Technologies and Systems coot, common name for a migratory marsh bird related to rails and gallinules and found in North America and Europe. The American coot (Fulica americana), or mud hen, is slate gray with a white bill, black head and neck, and white wing edgings and tail patch. It has lobed toes and is a skillful swimmer and diver but takes flight awkwardly, pattering the water to gain impetus. It eats aquatic plants and insects., Bitter with Baggage (from the love lives of real chicks), Doga (yoga for dogs), Ferret Frenzy, Spam, Wooly Willy (based on the childhood metal shavings toy), vintage travel trailers and lawn mowers. Founded in 1999, Austin, Texas-based Calendars.com is the largest online calendar store, with more than $10 million in sales and more than 5,000 titles in stock. Calendars.com is an affiliate of Calendar Club L.L.C., which has become the world's biggest retailer of calendars, selling millions of calendars each year primarily in shopping malls. During the holiday season, Calendar Club operates more than 1,000 stores throughout the United States and five other countries. (Note to Editors: A Calendars.com holiday gift guide and fact sheet about the quality calendar publishing business are available upon request.) |
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