A few new things are making the "wish list" of some this holiday season. According to the Consumer Reports National Research Center, boots, purses, pajamas and guns showed up on the favorite's list this year.

Charlie Kernodle, of the Personal Defense and Handgun Safety Center, says the latter really doesn't surprise him.

"More and more people now are learning how to shoot; a lot of couples learn to shoot," he said. "A lot of 40, 50 and 60 year-olds who have never fired weapons are coming in to take lessons."

"I would say that's probably tripled. One of the other instructors would do as many as 15 to 30 people in one week that are new to shooting."

According to the Wall Street Journal, gun sales were up earlier in the year: 27 percent for the first few months compared to the same time the year before. It meant 4 million background checks, which is one of the best measures of gun sales, according to the journal.

Kernodle said gift cards are popular here at the center; that giving a gun blindly for Christmas is not the best idea.

"You need to know how to use that particular gun," he said. "People should look at it as a sport. If you've never fired a gun before - to some people - it can be sort of frightening."

Jenny Jump came here to the center to fire a weapon for the third time. She doesn't want to own one. But she said she wants to protect herself by knowing how they work.

"The majority of things go wrong when you don't know what to do," Jump said.
"Even those who don't want a gun - too many safety issues for children or whatever - at least become knowledgeable as to how to operate one. So if one is ever in your distance, you're going to know. It's something worth taking the time if it's going to save your life."

Click here to read more about what people want this Christmas.