'Tis the season for giving, and for many families Christmas gifts for kids are the top priority. However, knowing what toys are trending (and where to get them) is easier said than done. From the latest electronic gadgets to classic favorites, it can be difficult to find out which ones are the must-have items this season.
Legos are still popular as are dinosaurs, Squishmallows, Hot Wheels, Barbie and her popular Barbie dream house and of course all the ever-popular gaming systems such as PlayStation 5, X Box and the various games that go with them.
However, Christmas toys have changed over the years. Christmas toys of the past were not quite so elaborate and yet were very cherished. Some of the most cherished didn’t even need batteries or electricity.
Audara Lutjen remembered a special doll and bear she received at Christmas.
“When I was around nine or ten years old, the Care Bear and Cabbage Patch Kids craze swept the nation. I so desperately wanted one of each but they were nowhere to be found. I remember the nightly news reporting on how bad the lines were to get them and how stores would sell out instantly once these toys hit the floor. My mother somehow pulled off the miracle of the decade and made sure that both of these toys were under the Christmas tree for me that year. As a parent myself now, I have no idea how she pulled this feat off. I still have both of them today and smile and think of her every time I see them on the shelf,” said Lutjen.
Cabbage Patch Kids were very popular back in the day.
“I really wanted a Cabbage Patch kid like all the other girls, but they were very expensive. My mom made me one that looked just like the store-bought dolls and I loved it just as much not knowing the difference. She even hand sewed clothes for it,” said Kari Winters.
The Cabbage Patch Kids craze was real back in the 80's.
Amy Spunaugle received a special Cabbage Patch Kid as well.
“My mom searched for the doll just like many other moms were doing that Christmas. She was talking to my sister on the telephone who was with her husband in Germany about her search. He was stationed there in the Army. In Germany, they had plenty of dolls. My mom paid my sister to mail one to our home in Independence, so I would be able to open that special gift on Christmas. I was shocked and elated when I opened the doll. Her name on the adoption papers was Giesla Ute. I was a little perplexed by that name. I had never heard of that name. My mom then proceeded to tell me that we adopted a German Cabbage Patch Kid,” said Spunaugle.
Amber Glenn received a Cabbage Patch Kid as well.
“My favorite gift would be a tie between a Pillow Pet or a Cabbage Patch Kid. Both were gifts from my parents and I still remember them more than any other gift as a child. I’m not sure what was so special about them, but they’re the most memorable,” said Glenn.
Amanda Adler recalled getting a Cabbage Patch Kid for Christmas during a year that her mother warned her that there might not be enough Cabbage Patch Kids to go around.
“I had three sisters so I am sure my mother panicked thinking of whether or not Santa could find four Cabbage Patch Kids,” said Adler. “I never realized what my mom went through until I became a mother. Another favorite gift was a huge Barbie Dream House. Of course, I had to share it with my sisters, but I didn’t care because we had a Barbie Dream House,” said Adler!
Stephanie Adair recalled special dolls.
“When I was a child my Aunt that lived in Arizona would send me a box with all kinds of stuff in it. I was so excited when the box would come. One year she made me Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls and I still have them,” said Adair.
Kristi Henderson remembered a special doll too.
“I remember receiving a baby doll and a doll bed when I was around 5 years old," she said. "As I recall, it was probably the first Christmas that I remember as a child, and that's what made it special. We always opened presents on Christmas Eve because my dad was a veterinarian, and often, he would get calls to come out for an emergency calving situation, so the evening gave us more time to celebrate. We didn't get a lot of presents because there were nine kids in my family. But that night, the older kids distracted us younger ones, and Santa delivered our presents while we were in the other part of the house. I thought it was magical walking into the living room and seeing all those gifts there. We always read the story of the first Christmas from the Bible and often acted it out, dressing up all the kids and our dogs and cats as stable animals. We usually attended midnight Mass as well. My mom really went out of her way to make it special even though we didn't have much money. The true story of Christmas and our family being together was always deemed more important than the gifts."
Ally Richardson remembered special wash cloths she received.
“I don’t remember a lot of toys that I received, but more memories of things that happened," said Richardson. "I remember one specific year my sister and I received Disney themed wash cloths in our stockings. They were the ones you’d set in warm water for a certain amount of time, and they’d unfold and display a scene from a Disney movie or a Disney character. When I was in third or fourth grade, Santa left a note letting my sister and I know that he enjoyed his cookies and milk, but made a mess. He had to open the washcloths in our stockings to clean up the mess. I remember there were crumbs and everything.”
Marsha Eaton remembered a very special gift that she had to wait for.
“I wanted a palomino horse for as long as I could remember. Finally, one Christmas morning when I was 12, I came into the living room and under the Christmas tree was a bale of hay and a plastic horse. That was it. I was so disappointed and my mom and dad could see how sad I was, for there was no way on earth I could hide it," Eaton said. "However, the next year on Christmas morning, they took me out to the neighbors’ stable on the edge of town and surprised me with a real horse who I named Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."
Lori Schroder had a similar experience at Christmas.
“For me, I never received a toy nearly as special or memorable as when my parents and grandparents got my brother and I ponies," Schroder said. "I remember that so clearly; I was 5 years old and they had gotten each of us a pony. Especially for me, that was literally the beginning of a life of loving horses. I got involved in 4-H where I learned all the responsibilities of raising and caring for animals. As soon as I was able to drive, I went all over several states showing horses in state and national circuits. That special Christmas gift took me through the next 17 years of my life showing them and setting goals for myself that I most likely would not have set had I not been in love with them from the beginning. I can honestly say I don’t remember asking for toys after that, most likely what I asked for would pertain to my horses,” said Schroder.
Maureen Lane remembered a special stuffed animal.
"I remember waking up very early one Christmas. I was probably 5, and going into the living room. Santa had been there and the presents were under the tree. We always had a tradition of leaving the tree lights and outside lights on all night on Christmas Eve so everything was lit by the glow of the tree. There was a black and white stuffed puppy dog and I knew it was for me, so I picked it up and cuddled it. It was snowing pretty hard and I watched the snow falling in the light of the corner street lamp. It is such a vivid memory and gives me so much joy just to remember that Christmas,” said Lane.
Charlene Million remembered a special bicycle from Santa.
“I received a bicycle and it was special because that’s how we kids in town got everywhere! Back when I was a kid, moms didn’t drive us everywhere; we were told to ride our bikes! And so all summer, that’s what we did; we rode to the swimming pool and to the basketball court and to the soda shop,” said Million.
Bikes have always been a favorite gift. Amanda Kreisel remembered a special bike in her life.
“I remember when I was 6 or 7 asking for a bike with black tires and gears. I was so excited when Santa left it under the tree, he even left it inside his Santa sack,” said Kreisel.
Kimberly Pearcy recalled her special gift as handmade.
“I remember getting a dollhouse that was handmade by my parents, it even had an elevator! I got to decorate it however I wanted,” said Pearcy.
Katie Johnson also remembered a cherished home-made gift.
“My favorite toy was a dollhouse that my father built for me when I was 5. It was 4 feet wide by 3 feet tall. The outside had logs painted on just like the log house I grew up in, leftover pieces of wallpaper from our house were placed on the inside rooms, and he even put in an elevator. Then it was furnished with furniture and kitchen appliances, etc. It is still in the family today being enjoyed by younger members. It currently sits at Robert and Karen’s house. I refurbished it for the twins when they were smaller and now Robert and Karen’s grandkids play with it. My only request was to pass it back when I have grandkids. It is nearly 50 years old,” said Johnson.
Beth Halsey also remembered a special gift.
“My mother was a very good cook and baker. There were always, pies, cakes, and cookies in our home. I always wanted to roll out the pie crust but wasn’t big enough to handle a large rolling pin. One Christmas, Santa left a rolling pin that was just my size in my stocking. From then on, I would roll out bits of leftover pie dough or sugar cookie dough and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake them for a treat! This rolling pin is 67 years old this Christmas. My sons and grandchildren have all used it and it continues to be a staple in my kitchen gadget drawer,” said Halsey.
Eryn Kellner still has her special Christmas gift as well.
“When I was about 5, Santa brought me a kitchen set that was solid wood and was painted Holly Hobby. Santa came early that year when my family was at the house and I went looking for Santa with my aunt. I still have the whole set which was a stove, fridge, sink and hutch,” said Kellner.
Jonna Arnett still has her favorite Christmas toy as well.
“My favorite gift I ever received was a wooden block puzzle with my name engraved on the top of the box. I played with it so much the pictures wore off the puzzle pieces and I still have it for my daughter,” said Arnett.
Venecia Roesener remembered a special gift.
“I can’t remember a toy I received but I do remember when I was 11, my mom (or Santa) bought me a stereo system, the one that had a record player on top, two cassette decks and the tall speakers," she said. "My first cassette tape for it was Pearl Jam, which started my love for the band and music overall. I can’t tell you how many times I got yelled at to ‘turn that thing down’! I had it for years until CD players came out. That was my favorite gift I ever received,” said Roesener!
Scott Gemes said his favorite Christmas gift wasn’t a toy.
“It is not a toy, but I got a waterbed for Christmas. It was special because I had wanted one for a long time, and it was heated,” said Gemes.
Heath Cunningham fondly remembers a Red Ryder bb gun, telling the Enterprise, "It's something I still have."
Many Christmas gifts from the past are held dear to our hearts. May we all add to those lists of memorable gifts again when we wake up to see what Santa brought this year.
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