There's Still Time To Get Elmo Live. But HURRY!

Elmo Live by Fisher-Price is here just in time to spark another buying frenzy. Sesame Street's little red monster, who's been three years old every year since 1975, will take this holiday season by storm, no matter how questionable the economy.

Released in October by Fisher-Price, the new Elmo Live dances, tells jokes, laughs, asks for hugs, crosses his legs and provides hours of entertainment for toddlers 18 months and older.

Elmo has become very interactive

Elmo is programmed with advanced interactive features that respond to your child's actions, so playtime also offers your child fun (and valuable) socializing skills. When Elmo falls over, he asks for help and, when vertical again, responds with an always welcome "Thank you!"

Elmo Live is an appropriate name because this little guy, with his amazing repertoire of on-point expressions, comments, and movements, is the most naturally lifelike toy on the market. Make that the planet. Yes, according to the script, he's a baby monster, but his behavior and personality are all human. I'll be darned, but even the smallest toddlers just seem to grasp his human nature intuitively.

Elmo is all about fun

Well, enough psycho-babble, Elmo Live is just a ton of fun. He's exactly the same character we see on Sesame Street. Bubbly, funny, silly, spontaneous, loving...probably the way you see you own child/nephew/niece/grandchild.

Squeeze his foot, hand, tummy or back and you'll get a full menu of different reactions. Elmo Live will leave no doubt in your mind that he loves your attention.

He comes with a little blue plastic chair, which he uses for storytelling. When he sits down, he crosses his legs. It's very cute, and, again, very naturally human. I'll bet that your child will eventually try to mimic that same leg-crossing thing. Ours granddaughter did (or tried to anyway). Gosh, it was funny.

Your child has a fuzzy friend for life

Fisher-Price understands the bond between child and toy. And this one goes deep. Elmo Live will become your child's constant companion. And Elmo can go just about anywhere except the bathtub.

We got our Elmo Live from Buy.com. About $60. I knew of one parent who waited for hours at Walmart the day Elmo Live was released back in October. Not sure what the market is like right now. I still remember the Tickle Me Elmo craze/hysteria of Christmas 1996. Moral? Don't wait. Get your Elmo Live ASAP.

Other notes: Elmo runs on 6 AA batteries which are included in the package. Shocking, I know. Also, Elmo Live has an automatic power-down feature (thank you Fisher-Price!) which shuts him off if he gets no attention for a few minutes. I told you he was interactive!