Wood Dale launches the holiday season with a tree-lighting event

All eyes belonging to anyone under 5-feet tall shot open as the man in the red and white suit with the long beard entered Wood Dale city hall Sunday afternoon.

Santa and Mrs. Claus were on hand to jot down all the holiday wishes of a line of children that stretched down a short hall, around the corner and into the lobby.

Most children arrived with a friend or sibling to act as a buffer against the annual judging of a year's worth of behavior. Even then, some gingerly approached Santa with tears streaming down their face. Other children could manage only a whisper of their hopes for presents under the tree while their legs swung nervously from Santa's lap.

The wishes revealed the hot gifts of the 2007 holiday season, plus a couple surprises.

By far, the most asked for gift were video game systems. Nintendo Wii consoles were the most-asked-for system, followed closely by the handheld Nintendo DS and Playstation Portable (PSP).

Indeed, the age of an electronic Christmas was clearly on display as most parents preferred camera phones to capture the moment over more traditional point-and-shoot devices.

But there were still some of the traditional requests: a Hungry Hungry Hippos game, drum sets and guitars, makeup and candy.

Of course, there's no telling what children will say sometimes. Most children came prepared with a handful of requests. But Santa usually opened the door to secret desires with the question, "What else do you want for Christmas?"

That's when the bolder, and perhaps more practical, requests came, such as: "a load of money" and "big girl underpants."

"Did she just ask for leather underpants?" Asked one of Santa's helpers just a little too far away to hear the request.

"I sure hope not," replied the little girl's mother.

All children walked away with a candy cane and Christmas goodie bag.