Kids Go Wild for Zhu Zhu Pets

Move over Elmo, there’s a new kid — or rather new hamsters — in town.

Parents have been lining up at toy stores to get their hands on this year’s hot new holiday gift item: Zhu Zhu Pets. Toys R Us listed the furry, electronic hamsters on its “2009 Holiday Hot Toy List,” released in September, making them one of the most sought-after gifts of the season.  (Elmo fans will be tickled to know their old friend also made this year's list.)

"These are definitely a hot item," Toys R Us spokesman Bob Friedland told Scripps News of the Zhu Zhu Pets.

The hamsters, which come in four styles, retail for around $10. But demand is pushing the going rate up to three times that amount on Web sites like Amazon, eBay and Craigslist.

Other toys expected to be popular this year include Disney's Just One Kiss Princess Tiana Doll, Wii Sports Resort, Disney Netpal (a netbook computer), and Little Superstar Jammin' Band Musical Microphone from Fisher Price, according to Toys R Us. (Am I alone in never having heard of any of this stuff?)

PayPal and eBay are predicting the season's top items to be Twilight Barbie dolls, Beatles: Rock Band Limited Edition Premium Bundle and the "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen" DVD, according to PayPal’s online personal shopper Beth Strobel.

Meanwhile, back in adult land, Amazon’s Kindle is tops. (Now that’s something I've heard of!)

Then of course, there’s the requisite iPod Touch and iPhone by Apple, and Wii game systems.

Shoppers looking to scoop up some great recession deals might be in for a surprise. According to the National Retail Federation, retailers have cut back on inventory in anticipation of lower demand this year.

"Once the most popular items are gone, retailers won't have anywhere to get them, so if there was ever a holiday season to buy early, this is it,” the organization’s president Tracy Mullin told Scripps News.

Try as the retailers might, they won't get me into the stores any earlier than Dec. 24. That's how I roll, inventory be damned! Luckily, no one on my list is asking for those Zhu Zhu things.

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com.