Decorating, cooking, cleaning and more. When it comes to preparing for a picture perfect holiday season, there is one holiday elf that’s busy at work — Mom. According to the KidzEyes Holiday Wish List and Habits survey, 64 percent of kids say that their moms bear the brunt of responsibility for making sure the Christmas season is bright versus a mere 1 percent who say dad does his fair share.

While the stress associated with the multitude of seasonal tasks could easily turn mothers into Grinches, 50 percent of kids say their moms handle the holidays like snow angels. Girls are a little tougher on mom with 52 percent claiming mom is a little crankier during the hustle of the holiday season (less than 50 percent of boys say so).

This year’s KidzEyes Holiday Wish List & Habits survey — conducted annually by KidzEyes, a specialized youth market research division of C&R Research — uncovers how (and if) families share holiday-related responsibilities, what’s hot and what’s not on kids’ wish lists this year, whether kids really believe in the jolly man in red and what they believe is the true meaning of Christmas.

“Our annual Holiday Wish List and Habits survey has become a recognized vehicle that gets at the heart of what kids are thinking about, doing and wishing for during the holidays,” said Robbin Jaklin, president, C&R Research. “The results provide a glimpse into what is undoubtedly kids’ favorite time of year.”

As the primary holiday gift buyer, what should moms be shopping for to give their little angels? It is certainly not clothes, which again appears at the very bottom of kids’ wish lists. Electronics continue to take the top spot (37 percent) followed by hard, cold cash (30 percent) and toys (21 percent). Boys tend to want electronics more than girls, helping to vault them to the top spot among kids.

This year kids have gift giving ideas of their own. When asked what they would give their parents if they could give them just one “big” gift, 45 percent said a vacation, 27 percent said house cleaning assistance, 16 percent said money and 12 percent said time off work. Here are some of the other things kids are saying about the holidays this year:

Holiday Hustle — Mom versus Dad

* Where is Your Father? . . . According to the KidzEyes survey there is nothing on the family holiday to-do list that mom doesn’t do. Twenty-five percent of kids say their moms are responsible for buying the presents and decorating the house. According to kids, dad does not offer much of a helping hand with either holiday chore — only 1 percent and 3 percent respectively.

* A Woman’s Work is Never Done . . . More than half (54 percent) of kids say that moms are the chief holiday cook. Only 4 percent say dad dons an apron. And, moms (47 percent) not dads (one percent) clean the house in preparation for the big day.

* It’s a Guy Thing . . . Dad’s domain seems to be the tree with nearly one-quarter of kids saying that putting up the tree is their dad’s main job. But, the truth is, dad puts his little elves to work as 50 percent of kids say it’s really a job the whole family shares.

* It’s a Family Affair . . . Eight out of 10 kids (87 percent) say that decorating the tree is a family tradition — something they do together. Nearly two-thirds say the whole family pitches in when it comes to decking the halls.

* Shopping Styles — Mom versus Dad . . . According to kids, 25 percent of dads shop for their wives the week before Christmas, while another 13 percent say their dads are scouring the stores on Christmas Eve. In sharp contrast, 55 percent of kids say their moms shop for their loving husbands a month before the big day, with only 5 percent who say that their moms wait until one week before Christmas. Less than a percent say their moms are out shopping frantically on Christmas Eve.

The True Meaning of Christmas

* Christmas Spirit . . . Even kids as young as 6 years old have a solid idea of the “true meaning of Christmas.” According to 70 percent of kids, the true meaning is celebrating the birth of Christ. Another 39 percent say it is being thankful and 37 percent say it is spending time with family. Surprisingly, only 13 percent say the true meaning is about receiving gifts.

* Charitable Hearts . . . Nearly half of kids think of others during the holidays; 48 percent say they would ask their parents to donate some of their allocated “gift” money to charity. Of all kids surveyed, girls between the ages of 6 and 8 are the most likely to give up their presents (60 percent — 13 percent more than boys the same age). Gifts . . . What’s Hot and What’s Not

* Stop the Music! . . . Along with clothes (7 percent), kids don’t want to see music and videos (6 percent) in their heaping pile of gifts this year.

* Electronics are Tops . . . According to the survey, the best gifts are electronics (37 percent), with video game systems or handheld video games leading the category (57 percent). Those were closely followed by computers and software (53 percent), cellular telephones (38 percent), CD players (32 percent) and DVD players (31 percent).

* Boys and Machines . . . Fifty-three percent of boys age 6 to 11 want electronics versus only 18 percent of girls the same age. Conversely, girls that age wish for toys nearly twice as much as boys (39 percent versus 20 percent).

As the holiday season draws near, many Canadians will begin planning a festive get-together for family and friends. The team at Canadian Tire have put together entertaining ideas to add some flare to celebrations this year.

Formal dinner

• The table will be the focal point. Choose a festive colour – red or cranberry is the hot colour this year – then coordinate dinnerware, napkins, tablecloths and glassware for an elegant look.

• Make a festive centrepiece by arranging glass ornaments in a bowl or a tray with holiday candles.

• Personalize it. Place a name card at each setting or a trendy shatter-proof ornament on each plate as a special takeaway at the end of the evening.

Cocktail party

• Serve finger foods that people can eat easily while holding a drink. Food stations make for a more informal atmosphere.

• Adorn drinks with holiday-themed swizzle sticks and attach wine charms to glass stems to add some flare and help guests identify glasses.

• For a sleek look, Canadian Tire has a line of stainless steel bar accessories complete with bottle openers, utensils and drink shakers.

Cookie Exchange

• Great way to celebrate and round-up tasty treats for holiday entertaining.

• Decide on the number of guests. Ask each person to bring a dozen cookies or squares for each guest. Have guests package treats individually and gather together for a festive celebration to exchange goodies.

• Package up treats in holiday mugs, cookie jars and recipe boxes from Canadian Tire or send guests home with holiday-themed cookie cutters. A full range of festive food storage and baking accessories can be found in-store.

Skating party

• Perfect for those who enjoy the outdoors.

• Choose a local outdoor rink or arena and call ahead to reserve space or find out public skating hours.

• In the spirit of the season, invite guests to bring extra mitts, scarf or hat to donate to a local charity.

• Once the fresh air has worked its magic, invite guests back for warm apple cider, hot chocolate or mulled wine served in festive mugs and accompanied by some fresh, baked goods.