The Final Word: 2008's hot new trend: Wait for it... wait for it...

By Craig Wilson, USA TODAY

Every year around this time, prognosticators love to tell us what's going to happen next year.

Not to disappoint, a trend-spotting group at JWT, one of America's largest ad agencies, already has compiled its list of the 10 new trends it sees popping up in 2008. The growing power of women. Blue (think sky and sea) being the new green when it comes to the environment. Tequila replacing wine as a cheaper, trendier alternative. Just to name a few.

I'll confess I'm not much good at trend-spotting. Blasphemous, I know, in this hip and happening world, but by the time I recognize a trend, it's pretty much over. I'm not sure what I'm doing in the meantime, but give me a break. These things happen quickly.

My theory is this: Why get all worked up about something that will be history before my next haircut?

So I was pleased to see the JWT trendmeisters list one trend for the new year that I think might actually be worth investigating. They call it "Rethinking Instant Gratification."

According to the experts, " 'Custom-made and one-of-a-kind' will rise above the mass-produced din of 'now.' Marketers are asking for commitment from consumers who've become accustomed to flitting from one product to another for quick fixes."

Translation: We're upping the snob stakes, willing to wait eons for a handmade, one-of-a-kind handbag since high-end designers such as Vera Wang are now going mass-market.

I'm not sure this is true at all. I have friends who still get impatient when they have to wait for a sofa to be delivered, but I'm willing to go along for the ride. Maybe this is a good trend. Maybe it's time we all slow down and wait for a change.

After watching people get antsy when their five-adjective coffees aren't offered up quickly enough at Starbucks, won't it be interesting to see whether people actually are willing to wait for their pleasures next year?

Including me. I'll admit I can be as impatient as the next guy. Maybe because for years now, I've been told I don't have to wait for anything. Order something online today, and you can pretty much have it the next day. Window blinds included. You've seen the commercials.

Considering how "now" our world is, I'm kind of surprised people still put up with waiting nine months for a baby.

So I was amused the other day when I read about the surge in sales of mega-yachts and how the über-rich have to wait years for them to be custom-built, something the shipbuilders concede is one of the industry's problems. Rich people don't like to wait for things. Will their sorrows never end?

Obviously, they haven't heard about this delayed-gratification trend.

The problem is, how do we go about this? How do we learn to enjoy the joys of not getting everything we want right away? How do we embrace that old lesson that good things come to those who wait?

Like yachts.

And babies.

Will 2008 really be the year of delayed gratification?

We'll just have to wait and see.

Happy new year.

E-mail cwilson@usatoday.com