(NAPSA)—Anincreasing number of Americans are piling up presents right at the breakfast table. They’re finding easy and inexpensive alternatives in the cereal aisle, from valuable giveawaysto creative items focused on America’s favorite cereal brands. According to the National Retail Federation, nearly 17 percent of consumers say that a convenient location is the most important factor in deciding where to go holiday shopping. Among the easiest options is the grocery store, where a wide variety of gifts are available free with the purchase of specially marked cereals. For instance, three new hourlong holiday music CDs are now attached to select boxes of Rice Chex, Corn Chex and Wheat Chex cereals. The first features popular pianist Lorie Line and her Pop Chamber Orchestra playing holiday favorites such as “Away in a Manger” and “Joy to the World,” the second highlights the acclaimed jazz group Moore By Four singing eleven tunes and the third features 20 holiday classics by numerous performers from Perry Como to Gladys Knight & the Pips. Meanwhile, Golden Grahams cereal will ring in the New Year with a special pet project. Specially marked boxes of Golden Grahams now include a 2002 calendar with photos of celebrities and their pets, animal care and safety tips, and information on The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and its youth education division. Photos include Brendan Fraser lounging with wife Afton and dogs Lucy and Wiley, Rosanna Arquette cuddling with her dog Bisou, and Lisa Rinna with her dogs Annie and Buddy. Martin Sloane, consumer smart-shopping expert, says premium offers made by grocery product manufacturers are a great S 7) solution for families faced with a long holidaygift list. “The merchandise is usually of excellent quality because the manufacturer’s nameis associated with theoffer,” says Sloane, who writes the nationally syndicated “Supermarket Shopper” newspaper column for United Features Syndicate. “And most important, the price is right.” There are also several new licensed products available that celebrate popular breakfast brands, including America’s No. 1 cereal, Cheerios. New this year is the Cheerios Christmas Play Book, a colorful holiday addition to Simon & Schuster’s line of Cheerios books, which have sold over one million copies nationwide. With cutout holes on each page, the board book is handy for boosting toddlers’ hand-eye coordination. For kids ages seven and up, the new Honey Nut Cheerios Spelling Bee Game, available at toy stores nationwide, is raking in rave reviews. Already honored with the Parents’ Choice Recommended Award and a Silver Honor by the National Parenting Publications Awards, the board game is a spelling bee with a game show twist, hosted by the Honey Nut Cheerios Bee. “Don’t worry about the gift having a grocery product nameonit,” says Sloane. “A brand like Cheerios is a trusted, household name. For children as well as adults, it often adds to the appeal.”
