1. I need coffee - Now!
Across the board, the new K-Cup coffeemakers came up in conversation as the greatest invention since the automatic drip. And now, they’re available as single-serve machines. In this category, Keurig is the leader, with models starting around $75.

2. Kindle Fire Is Hot
At $200, the Kindle Fire was huge when it is released November 15. On Black Friday, it was Amazon's top-selling item.

3. Headphones Go High-Def
You see them on all the superstars and NBA basketball players—those high-end headphones with amazing sound quality that makes you feel like you’re right in the room with the band. Sarah Rohlfing, marketing manager of Rymax Marketing, Pine Brook, N.J., predicts that high-definition headphones will be one of the top-three corporate gifts this holiday season. Monster Beats SoloHigh Definition On-ear Headphones with ControlTalk sell for around $175.

4. Newer and Better MP3s
Even if you have an MP3, you probably don’t have the latest MP3. And of course, in this category, Apple takes the spot with its new iPod Touch, which is now available in white. The latest features include a second camera for shooting high-definition video and a 960x640 backlit LCD display, making it the highest- resolution iPod screen ever. Prices start at $199 (depending on capacity).

5. Tablets, Tablets, Everywhere
“We’re showing the iPad on top, but any tablet will be hot this season,” reports Mary Anne Comotto, president, Partners for Incentives, in Cleveland, Ohio. Shown here, the iPad 

6. Point and Shoot
Even though the cameras on our phones now have the capacity for high-resolution photos, people still love their point-andshoot cameras, predicted by Hinda Incentives, Chicago, to be a top gift choice this holiday season. Canon’s PowerShot line of digital cameras start at $200.

7. 3-D In Your Living Room
3-D movies used to mean going to the theater and donning those silly glasses. Not any more. Prices on 3-D televisions have finally come down from the stratosphere and they’re sure to be one of the top holiday gifts and 2012 incentive awards. Pricing depends on size, around $1,500 for a 55-inch model. Shown here, the Sony LED 3D HDTV.

8. Display Those Digital Pics
Everyone has a computer full of digital photos but no way to display them. Enter frames and other gifts for the home or office that rotate a slide show of your favorite family photos. One of the top three sellers this season at e-CorporateGifts.com is this elegant pen holder/cellphone holder by Zumba, which can load up to 120 photos, $26.50

9. Gifts That Give Back
Hinda Incentives’ Helping Hand Rewards are products made by grassroots organizations that create opportunities for disadvantaged people to improve their lives. Among the organizations: The Enterprising Kitchen, which provides jobs and support services to lower-income women working toward self-sufficiency; and Mary Fisher, whose products are created to help AIDS-affected women earn a living. Maritz, ITA Group, and Meridien Enterprises include Helping Hand Rewards in their offerings. For more information, visit www.helpinghandrewards.org

10. Trend-Setting Watches
Bulova's Precisionist Champlain Collection watch is right on top of one of 2012's hottest jewelry trends (according to The Jewelry Information Center)—blackened silver—with its carbon fiber accents, rotating bezel, and multiple-layer black carbon fiber, charcoal gray, and silver dial. Not only that, but it's the most accurate watch in the world. $625

For more info: The Incentive Marketing Association offers best practices, research, and resources for companies that purchase merchandise incentives and gift cards. Its member directory is available online at www.incentivemarketing.org.

You Might Also Be Interested In

2011 Incentive Trends Survey

Holiday Gifts and the Tax Man