11.12.2009

Zhu what?

Every year there is "the" toy of the year. You know the one that stores can't keep on the shelves. The toy that parents all over stand in line (on days other than Black Friday) for new shipments with the hope that they will score "the toy that their child must have or will die". When I was a child the toy I remember most was the Cabbage Patch doll. Everyone wanted one and they were impossible to find.

A few years ago it was the Tickle me Elmo doll. Even the Wii was impossible to find one year. So this year the toy that everyone is talking about is called the Zhu Zhu pet. WTH? I apparently missed the boat on this one this year cause several moms that I know landed their child's Zhu Zhu pet a few months ago before word really got out how hot of an item they were going to be. These pets are toy hamsters that can move. They can run in an exercise ball or through mazes. The best part is that they don't stink, need to be fed, and of course their cages never need changing. To be honest they really do look pretty neat and the price isn't too bad either ($8.99 for the hamster and $15-$40 for the accessories like the fun house).

Except that now no store has them in stock. Not online or in the stores. People are going nuts over the whole thing and of course they are now showing up on ebay for $40 a hamster and up to $200 for the fun house. Crazy. Needless to say we have been gearing Emily away from the hamster for this Christmas.

We have talked that maybe after Christmas she could use some of her money she has been saving and go pick out one herself. We have even talked about waiting until her birthday when it is much warmer. That's not to say I'm not still trying. I know a guy who knows a guy...lol. Actually the best sources are people who actually work at Walmart, Target, etc. I have put a few feelers out and if we get one great...if not Emily is not expecting one. Instead we have focused her wish list on other things that she has been wanting for a while now (and things that are in our price range and that she is very likely to get). Bret gives me a hard time for getting her excitement up over things I'm pretty sure she is going to get but I figure why not while I still can. Eventually I will have no influence or say in what she asks for (of course I will always have say in what she gets). So if you know where I can get a Zhu Zhu pet let me know but realize that I'm not going to pay any more than the retail price.

Every now and then I get a glimpse of why some people dread Christmas shopping but then I shrug it off and smile.

3 comments:

Angie 'n Will said...

We are now on the hunt for one of these pets. My sister has explained to her daughter that they are all out at all the stores and she thinks that is so cool and is not expecting one. But we are all stilling looking nonetheless.

Toys R Us told my Mom that if she calls @ 8:00am and they have them in stock they will put a 24 hours hold on one for her. Just an FYI!

Angie 'n Will said...

We are now on the hunt for one of these pets. My sister has explained to her daughter that they are all out at all the stores and she thinks that is so cool and is not expecting one. But we are all stilling looking nonetheless.

Toys R Us told my Mom that if she calls @ 8:00am and they have them in stock they will put a 24 hours hold on one for her. Just an FYI!

Samantha Laury said...

those Zhu Zhu pets are almost impossible to find at this point, i spent most of my "cyber monday" searching for one (that wasn't excessively overpriced) and couldn't find one