Xia-Xia the crab set to be children’s Christmas favourite as one is sold every SEVEN SECONDS i

Xia-Xia the crab set to be children’s Christmas favourite as one is sold every SEVEN SECONDS i

Mangalore Today News Network

It’s that time of year again when children are drafting up their Christmas wish lists and parents should expect Xia-Xia the crab to nab the top spot.

Because this cute plastic crustacean, pronounced Shah Shah, has already taken the United States by storm, with one selling every seven seconds.

And ahead of its official release in Britain in January, parents have been desperately trying to buy the toy online in time for Christmas.

Collectible crabs: Xia-Xia’s are available in four different colorful, collectible hermit crabs, each with their own personality

 

In hot demand: The plastic crustaceans are being bought every seven seconds in the United States

The massive demand has forced some parents to pay over double the recommended retail price of £8 in an effort to get their hands on the crab.

Xia-Xia, which is manufactured by Cepia - the firm behind the 2009 hit Go Go Hamsters, has already overtaken its predecessor by selling 20 per cent faster.

Cepia describes the colourful hermit crab toy as: ‘Skitter-scattering, pitter-pattering, loveable, crazy crabs with shells and kooky friends to collect and trade.

‘Kids find the hermit crabs appealing for numerous reasons, including their colourful shells, tropical habitats and silly crawl.’

The toy consists for four collectible crabs that dance after children press its claw.

Toys R Us has named Xia-Xia on its 2011 Holiday Hot Toy List and because of its popularity distributor Character Options has booked an air freight delivery of 150,000 of them into the UK to arrive before Christmas.

Cepia’s CEO James Russell Hornsby said: ‘We are honoured to be included on this list. Just as it was for ZhuZhu Pets in 2009, we feel this is a very positive sign for Xia-Xia.’

Paul Mitchell, a spokesperson for Toys R Us, told The Sun: ‘If the last few days in the U.S. are anything to go by, Xia-Xia is going to be the big hit this Christmas.’

 

Tropical habitat: The crabs are collectible and can live in this plastic marine world