Notably one of the things women want most, and are least likely to get, is time alone. They want this more than a trip to the spa, more than a vacation alone (which none of them are going to get), more even than getting that nagging household chore done. They want to be left alone.

The good news for women is that if they’re wishing for a car repair, an engagement ring, an appliance, or jewelry or clothing, they’re likely in luck. Men and women seem to be on the same page.

If however, women are wishing for a pet, time alone, a trip alone, a household repair or a car, they should not be holding their collective breath. And if they’re wishing for nothing, well they’re not even going to get that, odds are they’re probably going to get something anyway.

They might just end up with home decorating items, books, a computer or other electronic device, or, of course, the jewelry or clothing that 25% of women want and 30% of men are buying.

In our quest to help the beleaguered male shopper, we asked women about their designer choices. Our polling shows that Liz Claiborne is the designer of choice with 14% of American women. And as age increases, so does the preference for Lizwear. Among 18-29 year olds, just 2% prefer Liz, but 7% of 30-49 year olds, 10% of 50-64 year olds and 13% of women over the age of 65 agree that Liz Claiborne is their preferred label. The next choice would be Jones New York, preferred by 8% of women nationwide.

Younger women, those ages 18-29, prefer Ralph Lauren (9%), Polo (6%), and 6% of them let nothing get between them and their Calvins.

And, to keep everyone on the right path to holiday bliss, we polled for favorite Designer stores as well.

Anne Taylor is the preferred outlet among 10% of women, Old Navy comes in second with 8% of women, and Eddie Bauer is the next choice with 7% of women preferring this as their designer store.

However, according to our most recent interactive consumer survey, the Internet will be receiving a lot of business this holiday season. Of more than a thousand Americans polled from December 12 to December 13 of this year, a remarkable 83% of those answering this Zogby Interactive poll intend to shop online.

With various offers of free shipping, overnight delivery, and later and later shopping deadlines before the holiday, consumers are obviously feeling that the Internet shopping experience is well worth their time and effort. This trend is led by the young, as 95% of 18-29 year old respondents are planning to do some of their shopping on the Internet. As age increases the likelihood of shopping online decreases somewhat, but in spite of that a still respectable 60% of those over the age of 70 are planning to shop online.

The Internet has cut a wide swath through the shopping habits of Americans in general and has very specifically locked up the youth market. It seems clear that online consumerism is solidly planted in the American consciousness.

Heading into the Christmas Crush – the biggest shopping week of the year – technology has direct-dialed straight to the hearts of American consumers, a new Zogby Interactive survey shows.

The poll, conducted Dec. 12 and 13, shows that 92% of American adults own cell phones, and that nearly half their children (44%) have one as well. No big surprise, perhaps, since it seems everyone in the car ahead of you is talking on one.

And those little do-dads have made an impact. Cell phones were identified by survey takers as the single piece of technology that has changed their life the most. While 44% agreed with that assessment, 24% said their laptop computer plays a more important role in their life. About the same percentages of respondents said that, if they had to go through life with just one piece of modern technology, they would choose their phone or their computer.

But 6% said they would forsake all other technology if only we let them keep their DVD player. Hooray for Hollywood.

And there’s evidence people are loading up on technology for the holiday season – 25% said they purchased their newest gadget within the last month. Nearly half said they have purchased a new piece of technology in the last three months, and 85% have made such a purchase in the last year.

While 57% of respondents said they think the price they have to pay for their high-tech gadgets is too high, and that the quality could be better, 39% said that, generally, the price for the gadgets is a bargain because the advanced technology and the usefulness is worth the price.

Nearly a third (30%) said they think Americans are too preoccupied with technology and that life could be better if we did not have all these gadgets, but 59% disagreed with that idea. However, most people (83%) said they think people have become more rude or discourteous because of the way they use their gadgets in public places.

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Interestingly, the 1,090 adult respondents in the survey appear to be just a little selfish when it comes to technology. While 33% said they owned an iPod, just 27% of their kids owned them. And 17% said they had satellite radios, but just 5% of their kids did. Asked about a PDA, 25% said they had one, while just 12% said their children did.

And, the poll indicates, most pre-purchase research is done using what else? – technology. Eight in ten people say they rely most on the Internet to find out about technology products before they buy them. Another 13% said they talk with friends and family members to figure out what to buy. Hardly anyone relied on printed material like magazines or books.

The survey results indicate that adults may be growing more confident in dealing with technology – a slight majority of those with children in the household said they rely very little or not at all on the younger set when making a decision about buying a tech gadget. The same is true of actually learning to operate the thing – 60% said they are not inclined to run to their kid’s bedroom to ask for help, which may mean the days of the blinking DVD clock may be numbered.

There is, however, an enormous techie gender gap. While 52% of women said they rely on help from their children in operating such equipment, just 27% of men admit to it. But then, men never ask for directions while driving, either. Even when they are lost. In fact, 52% of men said they rely on their children “not at all,” while another 22% acknowledge they take a little help from kids.

As you might expect, older respondents ask for more help than younger parents, but the difference is not dramatic. While 47% of those age 65 and older say they rely on their children for help, 34% of those age 30 to 49 do the same.

If there’s a “war on Christmas” across America this shopping season, the motivation for it isn’t coming from the consumer, a new Zogby Interactive survey shows.

Asked if they are offended when someone says “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays,” just 5% answered in the affirmative. The rest of the 1,090 adults surveyed on Dec. 12 and 13 said they are “not at all offended” by the Christian greeting.

On the other hand, if retailers are enforcing a “Happy Holidays” rule at their establishment, they risk an insult to nearly one-third of their customers. The poll showed that 30% said they were either very or somewhat offended when someone offers them the bland, one-size-fits-all holiday greeting instead of coming right out with a “Merry Christmas” expression.

Asked if government-sponsored displays celebrating the season are appropriate, most thought they were: