Photo by Kathryn Bender
Sandy Yamada, 2, checks out "Randy Ribbet" outside the Nature
Company at Ala Moana Center. The plastic frog with a motion
sensor in its mouth is one of this year's hot sellers.

At the Nature Company store at Ala Moana Center, "Randy Ribbet," a small plastic frog that bleeps out three "ribbets" when someone passes the motion sensor in its mouth, is keeping cashiers hopping.

Merle Somers, associate store manager, said they are selling hundreds of the $18 frogs a day. "They are for your front door or placed somewhere in your garden."

The Nature Company also sells about 100 to 200 oil table lamps from Poland every day, Somers said. They go for $10 to $15. "They have sort of an art deco look, circular or pyramid shaped," she added.

Glass Christmas ornaments in the shape of vegetables are another big seller, for those who like the look of eggplant dangling from their tree.

At the other end of Ala Moana Center, Liberty House is selling thousands of "Hawaii-oply," the Hawaiian version of the Monopoly, said Barbara Tunno, vice president for marketing. The store expects to sell 20,000 of the games during the holidays.

"Board shorts for all ages are also very popular," she said. The shorts are made of nylon and other synthetic fabrics. Nail-polish gift sets with "glitter polish" are also going very fast, she said.

As for overall sales this season, Liberty House is optimistic. "It appears to be pretty steady," Tunno said. "Weekends are better than weekdays. We're anticipating ending the season better than last year."

Associated Press
Tickle Me Elmo dolls are hot items
this season, reported to be scarce
across the country.

Sears expects a "moderate increase" this year despite the shorter selling season with fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, said Phil Chang, Sears' district advertising director. The hot sellers at Sears fall more into the category of "practical gifts" like cordless drills and other cordless tools, bread makers, and drip-coffee makers.

Chang said Sears also is seeing a big demand for all of the themed products from the "Space Jam" and "101 Dalmatians" movies.

In mainland stores, the Happy Holidays Barbie is a sellout, so Mattel Inc. will again issue vouchers that can be traded in later for a doll. But at Toys 'R' Us at Pearlridge Mall, Barbie lovers won't be disappointed. "We have plenty of those," said cashier Sandy Markham.

But don't try to get Tickle Me Elmo, a plush doll based on the Sesame Street character that giggles when you press its stomach; Buzz Lightyear, a doll from the movie Toy Story; or Nintendo 64, the new video game system that creates three-dimensional games.

The Pearlridge store is sold out, and all of the vouchers for reservations are sold, Markham said.

Meanwhile at Sports Authority on Ward Avenue, it's Nike wind-breakers and exercise weight benches that are burning up the cash registers, said manager Eric Acoba.

Nearby at Borders Books and Music at Ward Centre, is selling plenty of the new Sam Choy cookbook, "The Choy of Cooking," and 365-page-a-day calendars featuring Dilbert and other comic strip characters, said Fiona Dempster, the store's assistant manager.

Music lovers are turning to Madonna's "Evita" soundtrack and the "Iz" album by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, she said.

And at Crazy Shirts, one of the most popular sellers is the shirts and sweat shirts with Hawaiian quilt designs featuring local flowers and fruits. Cost is from $22 to $48, said Wayne Marques, Ala Moana store manager.