What’s on your list?

By Peter Lonergan & Eve Schwartz

Zhu Zhu pets cheap but then come the accessories

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 11/28/2009 — With Christmas just around the bend, Jolly Old Saint Nick is hard at work shopping with his naughty and nice list in hand.  The naughty kids may get a coal filled stocking, or just socks and sweaters, but this year is sure to be different for those who have been nice.  With help from Toys R US, Target and Wal Mart’s  “Hottest Toys List” Santa is sure to come through this year.

Making almost every “hot toy list” are the Zhu Zhu pet hamsters. The little fuzzballs are from Cepia, a St Louis-based company.  Num Nums, Chunk, Mr. Squiggles and Pip Squeak make up the four, battery powered, hamsters that have already have eluded shoppers.  And what’s not to like? Kids love them, want them and parents pay only $8-10 dollars each.

They have been flying off the shelves faster than the stores can get them in and with still a month before Christmas Zhu Zhu’s have reportedly been sold on Craigslist for more than $50.

Did we say under $10? Well that’s the buy-in for the furball. Then you need the habitat with a whole house, the car for Zhu Zhu, the stakeboard, snowboard and the list goes on.  But good luck as accessories are almost as hard to get as the hamsters themselves.

New Moon rising over Barbie collection

If video games are more your thing than toy hamsters then both Wii and Fisher-Price are topping the lists.  Fisher-Price’s Smart Fit Park at $45 is a cheaper alternative to the Wii Fit and is geared to a slightly younger user.  Receiving high praise the Fit Park is a TV interactive game that combines fitness and fun for those who are still a little young for Wii.

Much like the last few years Wii is high on the charts with one of their new games, Wii Sports Resort.  At around $50 the game will be a winner this Christmas with all Wii fans.  The Sport Resort 8-in-1 sports pack, which gives the game a more realistic feeling, is also sure to bit a hit this year.

For the studious type both Sony and Amazon have the two hottest wireless reading devices out today.  The Sony reader, which ranked high on Toys R US’s hottest toys, carries a price tag of around $200 (the pocket reader) and $300 (normal size).  They may sound pricey, but reading is fundamental for parents who like the idea of their little ones using the 6-inch touch display with its ability to store hundreds of books. This is a fun way to get kids to read, a mix of tech and books.  Amazon’s Kindle carries a similar price tag to the Sony and will prove to be its toughest competition.  The Kindle is on my Wish list and with the text to speech function in which the Kindle will read out loud for you.  It will be one of the hottest gifts for all ages.

For the young ladies of the family, Barbie has come through again.  New Moon Barbie dolls are another must have this Christmas.  The hottest teen movie stars from the hottest movie of the year as Barbie dolls – It’s not tough to see how these will be a big item this year.  Edward Cullen and Bella Swan make up the two dolls, at around $25 they make the perfect gift for the young Twilight fan.  Barbie also topped many “hot toy “charts with the Toys R US exclusive- Barbie Doll’d up Nails Be Nails Digital Nail Printer.  Although it is one of the more expensive gifts at around $175, it has been a big ticket item for Toys R US, making their Hottest Toy List.  As the name explains the toy digitally prints out Nails, which can be applied directly to your fingernails. This Barbie toy makes the perfect gift for the young female fashionista of the family.

Tickle Me Elmo has also rebounded as Elmo Live Encore has lived up to its name and made a comeback for the 2009 holiday charts.

This year Santa has some amazing gifts to choose from for all budgets and for all types of children.  So remember “He sees you when you’re sleeping / He knows when you’re awake/ He knows if you’ve been bad or good / So be good for goodness sake.

And kids, if your toy boxes look slightly opened, it’s because the adults have been naughty and playing with them.