About Movie

Everybody remembers the Cabbage Patch Doll, Furby, Tickle Me Elmo, Nintendo Wii, and other impossible-to-find gifts of Christmases past. There seems to be one or two products every year that people (mostly kids, but some grown-ups) just have to have under their tree on Christmas day. Nobody knows exactly why these products go viral - maybe it's scarcity, maybe it's great marketing, or maybe they just strike a chord with the masses - but every Christmas season there are one or two that become the must-have gifts.

Mommy, I Have to Have That!

So if you haven't already completed your 2009 shopping, just what are the hot Christmas gifts this year? Here is a list of the Top 10 (and maybe a couple more) that will vie for the title of Must-Have 2009:

• Nintendo Wii ($199.99) - yes, this physically interactive game console is still popular and hard to find for 2009
• Canon Digital Rebel XTi ($1499.95) - this 10.1 mp digital SLR has a 2.5 inch display
• Pleo the Dinosaur ($349.99) - this UGOBE life form is a robot with a personality
• Transformers Movie Optimus Prime ($149.99) - battery operated robot-to-vehicle figure
• Hasbro FurReal Friends Butterscotch Pony ($299.99) - interactive plush pony that responds to its owner
• Spinmaster Air Hogs Battling Havoc R/C Helicopters ($169.99) - radio controlled copters that battle for air superiority
• Fisher-Price Power Wheels Jeep Hurricane ($775) - battery operated ride-on vehicle that your child can drive at up to 5 mph
• Creative Zen Vision W 60GB Widescreen Multimedia Player ($299.99) - holds photos, video, and music and has a 4.3 inch LCD screen
• Fisher-Price TMX Tickle Me Ernie ($24.99) - just like Elmo, but with Ernie's personality
• Zhu Zhu Pet Hampster ($9.99) - interactive mechanical rodent (enough said)
• Motorola T505 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone ($82.64) - this allows you to connect your phone to talk and listen to music hands free
• Kindle 2 ($259) - this wireless reading device is hot for book lovers

Okay, maybe you don't need them all -- and maybe you don't need any of them! But these are going to be the big items for 2009 and if you have that special someone that has to have one of these, you better act fast to get them by the time Santa comes down the chimney. Traditionally the hot Christmas gifts are scarce and people scramble to find them in time. But don't get carried away and pay huge mark-ups to buy them by December 25th. Anyone who paid $500 for a Tickle-Me-Elmo probably regretted it by January 1st. Most of these products will be available at retail prices in January, so if you don't mind giving an IOU and being a little late with your gift; wait until they are widely available and at regular prices.

Remember, Christmas is about more than gifts - and chances are your loved ones will be satisfied with whatever you choose to give them - as long as it comes from the heart. So happy hunting and good luck spotting the last Zhu Zhu on the shelf at the local mega-mart. Just make sure that the rodent you grab is a robotic one.