When it comes to holiday shopping, sales at Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) usually provide an excellent gauge of product popularity. After all, Wal-Mart is the nation's largest retailer and if there is a potential must-have gift of the season, you can look to the retailer to see just how popular it really is.

Although the Nintendo Wii continues to be the hot gift this season, there's a surprising player in town that is seeing just as much success. Well, on a limited-availability scale, anyway. The "Talking Jesus Messenger of Faith" doll has sold out at all 600 Wal-Mart locations where it was available.

The company behind the doll, one2believe of California, says that the doll won't be restocked before Christmas. The company probably did not imagine the immense popularity of the doll when it allotted inventory to 600 Wal-Mart locations. The holiday gift is on Target's (NYSE: TGT) website as well.

Or it was -- it's sold out there too. In other words, the Talking Jesus is no longer available at the highest-profile retailer outlets, whether brick-and-mortar or online. One2believe's press release about the toy's shortage asked if there were any doubters "who wondered if a 12-inch tall talking Jesus doll that speaks Bible stories and scripture would sell well." Question answered. Do parents want alternatives in the toy aisles of the nation's retailers this year? According to sales figures of the Talking Jesus, that answer would have to be yes.