When many people in the Teche Area say Merry Christmas this year, they’ll also be saying Geaux Tigers.

Ane abundance of LSU items arebeing sold in stores. And, people are buying them up to give out as Christmas presents this year.

“It’s just because of the national championship that they’re selling so fast,” said Anne-Marie Jumonville, an employee at Lipari Sporting Goods in New Iberia.

12/21//07 Sean Tullier, left, slips into a LSU jacket as Desire DeRise of Lipari Sporting Goods & Specialties assists. LEE BALL/The Daily Iberian Advertisement

Desire DeRise, a retail manager at Lipari Sporting Goods, said customers have a lot more products to choose from this year.

“Companies are making more stuff this year. (Last year) they didn’t have the bathing suits, clocks, umbrellas, book sacks,” DeRise said.

The LSU Tigers will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes Jan. 7 in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. DeRise said customers started buying items even before LSU was chosen to play in the championship game.

“The (SEC) championship hats, they went crazy for. And, the SEC Championship shirts,” she said.

Even workers at Lipari had to admit they too had purchased some LSU items as Christmas presents.

“I’m a last-minute shopper and I bought LSU stuff for my brother,” said Jeri Maturin, an employee at the store.

At Hibbett Sporting Goods in New Iberia, employees said many people were coming in for LSU Christmas presents, even for items the store doesn’t have.

“We have a lot of people coming in asking for Christmas ornaments, but we don’t carry them,” said Perilla Landry, coach and trainer at Hibbett.

Like Lipari, Hibbett sells many not-so-typical LSU items like baby’s pacifiers, clothes and sippy cups.

“They even had someone ask for toothpaste and a toothbrush,” said Daeon Dugas, a Hibbett employee. “They want everything purple and gold.”

Terry Etie of New Iberia, who was at Hibbett to buy a baby’s LSU sweatshirt for his 12-month-old cousin for Christmas, said he would have bought the shirt even if the team was not in the national championship game.

“No matter what they did on or off the field, you still have to support the Tigers,” he said. “It’s like the Saints.”

And, Cecilia Labauve, owner of the Party People Place on Main Street in New Iberia, said those who aren’t shopping for LSU Christmas presents are buying items for the big game.

“Now that they (the Tigers) are going to be in the big bowl game, many people will not be able to get in, so they’ll have to throw parties at home,” Labauve said.