Zhu Zhu

Are they not adorable? These little toy hamsters are the hottest gifts for children this Christmas. Their listed price is $10 per hamster. And yet they are going for more than three times that amount online. Shoppers are scrambling to purchase these tiny critters, and paying big bucks for them. The demand is so high that retailers just cannot seem to keep the pets in stock.

A recent report announced that an estimated 6 million Zhu Zhu hamsters have been sold this season. The toys are interactive, emitting chirps, little phrases, and soft noises when their backs are stroked or their tiny pink nose is pressed. The Zhu Zhu's wheels allows them to zoom in all directions - if they happen to bump into something, they simply back up and strike out in a different direction.

It should come as no surprise that they have accessories out the wazoo. For crying out loud, they even snore. Another plus: they don't bite, they aren't smelly, and [my personal favorite feature] they don't poo. That is my kind of pet. Low maintenance.

Good luck if you want to find one. They are just GONE. As I said, retailers cannot keep them in stock. I really wanted to purchase some of these cute critters for my younger sisters, but I can't seem to find Zhu Zhu's anywhere. And I am really not to keen on paying $42.50, which is how much they are selling for on the Web. I think I'll just bide my time... When the dust settles, I'll walk out of Target with my very own virtual pet. Then I'll stroke my little Zhu Zhu's back just to hear its response. And I'll smile, remembering the frantic frenzy of the holidays, and recall all the fuss that people made over such a silly little toy.