Marketers elect Obama to hot-selling holiday brand

— -- President-elect Barack Obama will be showing up under a lot of Christmas trees this holiday.

Obama gifts are all the rage. Or, in some cases, the outrage. There are Obama wineglasses, Christmas tree ornaments, pajamas and doggie dishes.

"It's all about peace, love — and let's make money," trends guru Marian Salzman says. "Every savvy marketer is trying to hitch their holiday star to this fabulous first family."

Well in advance of Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, marketers are slapping Obama's image on every imaginable product. Why wait for the inauguration when Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa all come first?

"Obama is the one little bit of hope in an otherwise dreadful holiday season," Salzman says.

Holiday Obamamania goods:

• Christmas cards. Some 87,000 possible Obama holiday cards are for sale at CafePress.com, says Amy Maniatis, marketing chief. A pack of eight costs $10.99.

• Ornaments. CafePress also sells Obama Christmas ornaments for $8.99. "I don't remember a season when people wanted their president" on their Christmas tree, Maniatis says.

• Coffee. The owner of a small coffee house chain in northern New Jersey has rolled out a $14.65-a-pound Obama Blend, roasted with coffee beans from three places closely associated with Obama: Kenya, Hawaii and Indonesia. It's also selling by the case for holiday orders: $289.50 for 30 bags.

"I certainly hope I do well enough with this blend that I can have my taxes raised," says Bruce Jed, co-owner of Longfellow's Coffee.

• Wineglasses. Obama wineglasses are $17, and folks are buying them in multiples "to toast the change in history," says Christine Gosney, vice president at VictoryStore.com, which operates the website ObamaZen.com.

• Pajamas. Women's PJs at $19 have a photo of Obama under this headline: "The other man I love." They're also sold at ObamaZen.com.

• Cardboard stand-ups. Six-foot Obama cardboard stand-ups fetch $30.88 at IncredibleGifts.com. People are buying them for holiday parties," co-owner David Lassoff says.