You know your old when they come out with the BEST OF’s… Some of the bands you listened to in college are now considered CLASSIC ROCK. So in the spirit of the Holiday, I’d like to take a stroll down memory lane. Yes, to those wonder years of the Holidays when you spent sleepless nights praying for that one toy you’ve been dying to have.
Now that I am a parent, I can appreciate my parents fighting through the stores during the holiday mad rush to get that last toy box on the shelf. Thankfully, shopping rage wasn’t as common back then, although I do remember a news team filming parents fighting over the last Cabbage Patch doll on the shelves. Oh, the yesteryears. What fond memories….
So let us take a look at what we grew up with:
~1970’s ~
Can anyone guess what this is???
I’ll give the youngins a hint out there. PONG was one of the first video games. The Atari VCS 2600 was released in 1977 for $199 dollars. There were 9 game cartridges. I remember playing this at my best friends house for hours on end. It was a home video game revolution.
RUBIX CUBE
Oh, yes. Who could forget the Rubix Cube. Hell, if I couldn’t get but 4-sides and that was using a cheat book. Hey, don’t give me a hard time. I was only 7 at the time. The Creator of this wonder was from Budapest, Hungary. His design took the world by storm and has started to show back up in the stores. I better go back and see if my mom still has the cheat book in her basement.
Honorable Mentions: SIMON, Star Wars Action Figures, Uno.
~ 1980 ~
Cabbage Patch Dolls
The oh so loveable Cabbage Patch Dolls. Now these things caused riots in the streets. I honestly think these things were sold on the black market. I know my sister tried to sell me for one, just kidding. According to the website (click on picture) depending upon the edition, adoption fees begin at $199.00 and go up. Geez. I’m glad I have boys.
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
Okay, for our male blog hoppers out there. Who didn’t have a HE MAN or Battle Cat. This Blogger has a dedicated site that I think you need to see. It is an amazing collection of photographs. You have to see it for yourself. Click HERE. There are rumors there is a new movie in the works. He Man is not dead.
Other Honorable Mentions: Pound Puppies, Care Bears, My Little Pony, Glo Worms
~1990~
POKEMON
Okay, I have to say I never quite understood the cards, but my nephew probably amassed well over $500 worth of these things. Not only were the cards an enormous hit, the cartoon was also.
BEANIE BABIES
I admit I had a few of these. More that five, less than ten. I’m not sure where they ended up over the years, certainly not at any auctions or trading parties. We, humans, do have the strangest fixation with collections.
Honorable Mentions: Rollarblades, Nintendo’s Gameboy, Tickle Me Elmo
So, I hope this has brought back some great Holiday memories. To be eligible to enter the Blog Hop give away, you must leave a comment on the blog, so I’d love to hear what your favorite Holiday toy was growing up.
If you’d like 10 extra entries into the drawing (no obligation), please do one of the following: subscribe to Wicked Romance, follow me on twitter, or ADD my novel SOUL REBORN on your Goodreads TBR. Please let me know in your comment which you chose, so that I can give you credit.
See Contest details below:
Welcome to the 2011 Holiday Blog Hop. We’re having some fun during this crazy holiday time talking music, movies, and more. Best of all, we’re giving away over $80.00 worth of prizes!
Two days. Tuesday December 13 and Wednesday December 14, 2011. Four blogs each day. All you have to do is show up and comment on each blog to be entered for the grand prize drawing of eight e-books and a $40 Amazon Gift Card! Just in time for the holiday season!
Guidelines:
Day One December 13th:
Lynn Rush: http://lynnrush.com/
Kendall Grey: http://www.kendallgrey.com/
Caridad Piñeiro: http://www.caridad.com/blog/
Rebecca Zanetti: http://rebeccazanetti.com/blog-2/
Day Two December 14th:
Rachel Firasek: http://www.rachelfirasek.com/
Ciara Knight: http://www.ciaraknight.com/
Lisa Kessler: http://lisakessler.wordpress.com/
Guidelines:
à Open internationally
à Contest runs from 2am (Eastern Standard Time) Tuesday December 13th, 2011 to Midnight (Eastern Standard Time) Wednesday December 14th, 2011. Winner announced Monday December 19th, 2011 on all of the blogs in the hop.
à Winner: You will have ten days (10) to contact us to claim your prize: (lynnrush@cox.net) Failure to contact us within allotted time will forfeit your prize. We can then choose either to re-award the prize to another entrant or not.
à To earn the twenty-five (25) entries toward the grand prize you must comment on each of the eight blogs participating in the Holiday Blog Hop.
à Please remember it is illegal to sell, forward, give away or copy electronic books in anyway. Doing so violates copyright.
Wicked Romance Blog 
Oh, my brother and I got the Atari for Christmas when it came out. Talk about fun. I kinda miss the simplicity of it though…LOL
My favorite toy was the Charlies Angels Dolls and their townhouse. I played with that thing forever it seemed. Thank you for the trip down memory lane.
It is kind of weird to see our stuff on The Best of… or Back In the….
So not fun….
Michelle,
OMG. We used to watch Charlies Angels every day after school. Did the townhouse come with its own office with the little black speaker?? What was the name of the “manager?” Boslie??
Jean
My favorite holiday toy was when I received the Barbie Townhouse for Christmas when I was about 8 or 9. I adored Barbies and that house was my dream come true.
Yes, I’m a child of the 70s/80s. I was hooked on Atari, I puzzled over the Rubik’s cube, and I had a Cabbage Patch doll (though I was really too old for it). Those were some wonderful toys. I also had the bionic woman doll. 🙂
I follow on Twitter @truebookaddict
Michelle,
I think my cousin had one of those. It was huge with an elevator, if I’m thinking of the right one. We had the Barbie camper as a hand me down from my cousin.
Jean
I loved Atari! Great games, I played them in the 80’s. My favorite toy in the 80’s was my Care Bear. I wanted Tender Heart Bear when they first came out and my mom somehow found him (they were very popular that year). I actually still have him, along with many more, lol. And I was a girl who loved He-Man & his sister She-Ra! Actually, on some channels really late at night, you might find He-Man (you can also watch online).
I am following now on twitter (JuneAnnM) & on facebook (June Manning)
Hope you have a terrific and safe holiday season!
June M.
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
June,
I can’t remember the name of the Atari game. The one where you had to hunt for treasure and jump over the gators. It was very Indiana Jones-like. Speaking of old cartoons, my kids love the old Godzilla cartoon’s with Zooki. It’s hysterical to watch them now.
Thank you for the follows.
Jean
Oh my goodness! This post brings back so many memories. lol My favorites were probably the Cabbage Patch dolls. I even got one of the horses as a present one year. 🙂
theresa(at)fadeintofantasy(dot)com
Theresa,
I forgot that they had Cabbage Patch animals. Holy cow! Lol. It was shortly after that craze that Garbage Pail Kids came out. I remember the boys in my class loved those things.
Jean
Oh man those toys bring back memories! I think my family still has that Atari at the cabin. That Rubix cube, ugghh! Never did figure it out, the only way I could do it was to disassemble it, them put it back together. Took mt a while to realize you could take it apart.LOL My favorite toy that I got, was my Baby Alive. Best thing ever, until I fed it mushy graham crackers and plugged her up! The Sunshine family dolls were another favorite.
follow on twitter @mnjcarter
mnjcarter@charter.net
Hi Missy.
I remember being able to snap out the corner pieces. I’m cracking up reading about the stopped up baby. To think that actually happens in real life is funny. Thank you for sharing.
Jean
I never had a toy that was constantly in my hand when I was a kid. I was more a reader. The toy I remembered liking the most was the baby doll I got when I was about 3. My grandfather made me a wooden cradle for it which I have 45 years later. I tried to get my cats to sleep in it when I was a kid with no luck.
Anne
Hi Anne.
Thank you so much for sharing. We had one baby that we would bring out every year and dress up as baby Jesus. He would sit in the cradle next to the tree. I do think we tried stuffing the dog into it one year.
Jean
My mother told me the hardest thing to find me that I wanted was a muncheche. i think that is how you spell it. They were little monkeys that sucked their thumbs. I remember strawberry shortcake, rainbow Bright, Smurfs. My favorite was a easy bake oven. I only have boys so my dreams of a easy bake oven are gone. They do want a gross candy making machine this year that makes candy brains. i guess that is as close as I will get so I will just have to enjoy it,—Rachel
Rachel,
I forgot all about those. I have all boys myself. Although, they would probably love the Easy Bake Oven. I’m off to look for the brain candy machine.
Jean
My favorite holiday toy was the Cabbage Patch. Everyone had one and as an adult I realized how hard it was for my grandmother to find me not one but two cabbage patch dolls. Grandma’s Rock!!
+10 following on Twitter
subscriberd to Wicked Romance
Lateefa,
They still sell the dolls today. I posted the link and was shocked to see the prices. I think for a new version the “adoption” cost is around $40-60, but you can get some of the originals for $125. Yikes. If only we had kept them.
Thank you so much for the follow.
Jean
AWESOME! Thanks for that blast from the past. My faves on your list were Rubix cube and the Masters of the Universe dolls. I swear, I had every He-man and She-Ra doll they ever made! And I was *way* too old to be collecting action figures. Hahahaha!
Happy holidays, Jean!
Came back to read these comments, OMG. Did you see mine? 🙂 Fated!
Kendall,
My parents were very practical, so no matter how much a I begged for a She-Ra, they just wouldn’t give. I think they were very sorry after they gave me a drum instead. Meeehaaa.
Jean
Oh, I adored He-Man! OMG! Like I was devoted to that cartoon. We had all the figurines and I was always Skeletor. Go figure. Great post! No cabbage patch dolls for this little demon!
Rachel,
Skeletor, huh. He might be a great villian for your next book 🙂 We were tomboys growing up, so our parents knew better than to get us dolls. They’d ended up swinging from the ceiling fan. I always wanted a BMX bike, personally.
Jean
I always loved getting Legos. Such a tomboy here!
I am follow you on twitter.
Lisa,
Legos were huge at my house. I think my mother still has them in her basement. Tomboys are cool. I won’t mention that I use to wear flannel shirts. Thankfully, there are no pictures of that.
Thank you for the follow. I’m off to follow you back.
Jean
Do you remember Rockem’ Sockem’ Robots? That may have been in the late 60s. My sisters and l loved playing with those things. I was such not a girlie girl. They were in a boxing ring and when you landed a punch just right, the heads would fly up about two inches. They were a blast.
They have such cool toys now but I still love those Rockem’ Sockem’ Robots. Acckkkk! I just did a search for them, and found them at http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2265719 if you want to see a picture. You have to click on the second little picture. Ours was a little different but close enough. I can’t believe they still sell them.
Thanks for participating in this blog hop and the opportunity to win.
Hi WildAboutBones.
OMG. I loved Rockem’ Sockem’ Robots. Remember the Wrestler toys that were also pretty popular- the ones with the stretchy arms and legs. I remember at my cousins house we use to play tug of war by pulling the Hulks arms try to break him.
Thank you for the adding Soul Reborn to your TBR.
Jean
Forgot to tell you Soul Reborn is on my Goodreads TBR list for 10 extra points. http://www.goodreads.com/wildaboutbones
My Tiny Tears doll when I was about 5. Someone had spilled the beans about Santa Clause. It was painful to try to pretend, since my grandfather told me if I didn’t believe in Santa, all his presents would disappear. I knew it was a TT doll because I’d untaped it. But I was so conflicted, I hardly enjoyed it. Trying to act surprised, trying not to let down some tradition I somehow felt responsible for promoting, since I had a younger brother.
Hi Sharon.
You found out at 5? That is so unfair. I think I may have been a little older. It was the worse Christmas ever.
Jean
Wow! great memories here… Both my kids were little in the 90’s and it was ALL about the Pokemons! Yikes!!! LOL
Great blog Jean!!! Thanks for being in the blog hop!
Lisa 🙂
Hi Lisa.
Right now my kids are just into dinosaurs. We could have our own Natural History Museum at this rate. LOL. My sister just mention the other day that her son who is six was asking for Pokemons. Maybe the little yellow guy still lives.
Jean
Great post! My oldest is only 10 so I dont think he knows what they are. I remember Cabbage Patch and Masters Of The Universe.
Nat,
Thank you for the follow. It will be interesting to see if they don’t resurrect some of the oldies but goodies. Have a great holiday with your son.
Jean
OOOPS meant to say I follow on Twitter @natcleary
Hehehe the interesting thing is that some of those toys still look and sound familiar to me and I’m a 90s child. 🙂
My memorable gifts from the 90s: Star Castles (had/still have 5) and Puppy in My Pocket (had something like 80 and the hotel)…
Misha,
Oh, I remember the Puppy in my Pocket. My niece had quite a few. How fun. I don’t remember the Star Castles. I’m going to have to do internet search on those. Thanks for sharing.
Jean
How about Pound Puppy? I loved that one
Lindsay,
I had one pound puppy. I loved that thing. It was black and white. I just remember the ears being so soft.
Jean
Favorite toy was the old Betsy Wetsy and Dapper Dan!!
books4me67 at ymail dot com
Hi Books4me,
A friend of mine had the doll that wet. We were facinated to see it wet its pants. Boy, nothing like the real thing. At All! 🙂
Jean
My favorite toy was Playmobil. I had a huge collection. I don’t know where I have it?
My twitter name: @artdem83
Thank you for the great giveaway and Happy Holidays!!!
Diana,
Playmobils were awesome. We had a few. I think we lost some of the parts though. Hope you find yours.
Jean
I can remember how excited I was the year I got an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas. Looking back, the food pretty much tasted like dust, lol, but it was so much fun.
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
Cathy,
Easy Bake Ovens are a must for every household. It always facinated me that the slot was so small. We were shock to find out it was just a lightbulb inside.
jean
Well I was born in the early 60’s, and favorite toy that I received on Christmas was a doll called Baby Tender Love, I will never forget the joy that came to me when I walked into the living room that morning and seen her sitting at the table and chairs I also received that year.
Oh and speaking of my favorite band while growing up well this is an oldie but a goodie lol lol….. The Bay city Rollers they were very popular in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Thank you for a very nice look back at things I have not thought of for along time.
I wish you and your family A very Merry Christmas & A Happy and Safe New Year
God Bless!!!
Teresa
tess102063@yahoo.com
Teresa,
I think they still made those dolls in the 70’s too. It use to crawl on all fours. Scared the heck out of our dog. I think it use to turn its head too.
Thank you so much for sharing and have a great holiday.
Jean
I was addicted to our Atari. I loved Kaboom. 🙂
Hi Ciara.
Kaboom was great and Frogger too.
Jean
I really don’t remember being crazy for any specific toy at christmas time.
In my family, we were huge board game players, so every year for Christmas we would get a new board game. The most unusual one I remember getting was called Bonkers. I can still sing the song from the commercials & my folks still have it in the game closet, so when the nieces & nephews come to visit, we get it out & play it again.
If you’ve never heard of it, here is a link to the Wikipedia page. The game board pictured is the one we have.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonkers!_(game)
drainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com
Kathryn,
I loved Bonkers. Do you remember Pictionary? They would have been in the late 80’s.
Thanks for sharing and have a great holiday.
Jean
Oh how fun this was to see these toys again! I had quite a few and remember them all. Hmmm, am I getting old? ha ha!
Heather,
Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Have a Happy Holiday.
Jean
OMG, I LOVED Pound Puppies, My Little Pony, Barbie, and Cabbage Patch dolls when i was growing up. There was also a life size doll, My Buddy and My Sister (I think they were named). And my husband had every HE MAN figure ever made (yes I wish he would have kept them. We’d be rich! lol) What great memories to think of all of those things now…
Erin,
Do you remember the Barbie head? Her hair would grow. You could comb and braid her hair and put makeup on her. But it was just her head. Just the head.
Jean
I’m dating myself but when I was very little I LOVED the Bionic Woman doll I got for Christmas. I loved that show. I also got a Mr T doll a few years later (I was a TomBoy). 🙂
Stacie,
That was another TV show we used to watch all the time. Lee Majors was such a hunk. The A-Team was so cool too. Thanks for sharing.
Jean
Tomboys are awesome.
Oh, awesome toys! Ive had most of them. I remember getting a barbie dream house one year and adored it! But one thing i remember getter that was so cool, was a cry baby. You fed it, and it cryed and went potty. lol Boy, was that a long time ago! 😉
i follow your blog and added you on twitter- LuvToRead09
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Shadow,
The dream house was the one with the elevator, right? We had the Barbie Camper. Of course Ken had to sit in the passenger seat 🙂
Thank you for the follow. I’m off to follow you back.
Jean
My favorite toy was a doll that drank and wet. I don’t remember what brand it was, but I called her Susie. I kept that doll until I was married and when I moved I left it with my mother and somehow she got lost. I loved that doll.
+10 Twitter follow as @BookOwner
seriousreader at live dot com
Linda,
I’m so sorry for your loss. My mom luckily saved my Raggedy Ann doll. She is going bald unfortunately.
Thank you for the follow. I’m will follow you back.
Jean
Okay, that rubix cube. I think I’ve chucked a handful of those across the room in my lifetime! LOL. So frustrating yet addicting. LOL!
Lynn,
I see them in the stores again. Now they can frustrate a new generation.
Jean
My favorite toy was my Easy Bake Oven. I loved making the chocolate cakes in it! Yum! I remember I used to sneak it upstairs and “bake” when I was supposed to be sleeping. To this day, I always bake cookies & cakes at night. lol
Following your blog via email:
harlan_michelle(at)yahoo(dot)com
Michelle,
The Easy Bake Oven has survived all the toy trends. I think it is one of those tried and true traditions that just has to happen to every girl. I love that you used to sneak baking in at night. How did you every get away with it? LOL.
Thank you so much for following Wicked Romance. I have some great author interviews/giveaways coming up. Stay tuned.
Jean
My favorite toy was the Hug-A-Bunch doll! Does anyone remember those? I think I was 2 or 3 when I got mine! I was this soft cute doll with wild curly purple hair and a little baby that came with it 🙂 I loved that thing! That and Carebears and Rainbow Bright toys 🙂
I follow this blog now too 🙂
Hi Ashley.
I remember the name, but I can’t think of what they looked like. I did have one Care Bear and a My Little Pony. And oh, Strawberry Shortcake doll.
Thank you for following Wicked Romance. I try not to overload your inbox, but I’ve got some great interviews and giveaways coming up.
Jean
We didn’t have too many toys when I grew up but I remember one year my Mom and Dad had managed to save some money and a got a doll; it was beautiful to me. My brother got a set of cowboy plastic guns and my older sister got the shoes she wanted.
Diane,
My parents were practical, since there were four of us. Sometimes its those special toys/dolls that mean more than a truck load of presents.
Have a great holiday.
Jean
Mine was a stuffed black panther I got when I was six. I think they’d call it a plushie these days. I named her Darkness, Hey, I was six. Had her for 20 years, until my baby sister’s dog ate her. A few years later, the first Christmas after she got a job, my sister bought me a version that made growling noises. My son, then four years old, named her Really. No, I don’t know why, but she’s downstairs now, keeping my grandkids happy.
Paula,
What a great story! I love that your sister remembered and got you a new one. That is very special.
Have a great Holiday and thanks for sharing.
Jean
I wanted a Cabbage Patch doll when they first came out so badly. My cousins were getting one but we didn’t have the money to buy one for me. I never got one but my granddaughter is getting one this year for Christmas so I would say that is my favorite gift.
SOUL REBORN ROCKS!!! I’ve read it….waiting for book 2 (quite patiently — sort of)….I stalk you pretty much everywhere. Twitter, Goodreads, Here…..Have a Merry Christmas!!!
Hi Kimberly.
You are awesome. Thank you.
I think the Cabbage Patch doll is fabulous. Now you can live vicariously through your granddaughter.
Thanks for your support.
Jean
thank you for the chance at such a great giveaway. i wanted a super nintendo, i had friends that had one and i thought it was so cool. LOL!
there were six kids in my family and that was pretty expensive gift, i got alot of other nice things instead. i have Soul Reborn and i am a HUGE fan that is waiting for book 2 on pins and needles. i’m trying to be paitient but can i ask for book 2 for Christmas? 🙂
i hope you and your family have a very Happy Holiday Season.
tammy ramey
trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com
Hi Tammy. **waving**
After Atari, Super Nintendo consumed the market. I think it released in the 80’s. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so happy you liked Soul Reborn. Soul Awakened is at the editors and I’m 1/3 of the way through writing Soul Unleashed. Can I tell you how much I love Kamen. He has turned into the best character. Possibly my favorite.
Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Jean
I was never into dolls much except one year (in the 70s) when I asked my mom for a doll and then asked for a different doll… but when we went to see Santa I whispered which doll I really wanted and refused to tell my mom because Santa already knew… So she had to beg me on Christmas Eve night to tell her which one I asked for… then that was the one that Santa brought and she was going to return the other doll (since she didn’t think I would play with one neither less two) but after I opened up all my toys I found the other doll under the couch and she had to explain that Santa must have dropped it when he came to visit… LOL
Kimberly,
I love you story. Do you remember what the doll was? I could just see your mother’s face when you asked her. That is a story you need to share with your kids when they are old enough. Thanks for sharing.
Jean
Oh man, I LOVED Space Invaders! Great memories! 🙂 Happy Holidays!
Hi Rebecca.
Thanks for hopping over. Space Invaders were awesome. Hope you and your family have a very Happy Holiday.
Jean
I was never into dolls, but I was a huge Star Wars fan! If only we’d bought two of everything, one to play with and one to keep pristine in the package. Also loved GIJoe. We used to cheat with the Rubix Cube and take off the stickers and rearrange them. Ha ha.
Cindy,
How could I have forgotten about GI Joe? Ack! They were so popular, should have put them as a featured or honorable mention. Thanks for reminding me.
Now that is a cheat on the Rubix cube I never thought of. How ingenious!
Jean
My favorite holiday toy growing up were these limited edition holiday barbies that my grandparents would send every year for Christmas. My mom wouldn’t let me and my sister play with them, but I learned to really appreciate that later on:)
Thanks for the great giveaway & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
+10 Wicked Romance Subscriber, Twitter Follower (@yadkny), & added Soul Reborn to my Goodreads “to-read” list (yadkny)
yadkny@hotmail.com
Yadira,
I remember those limited editions. Everyone would scramble to get those before they were gone. Do you remember the Barbies with the Christmas dresses? They may be the same thing you are talking about. I always remember wanting a dress in my size.
Thank you for following everything 🙂 I have some great author interviews and giveaways coming up. Stay tuned.
Jean
Rainbow bright was one of my favorite and the my buddy doll . My son still watches he-man
Jennifer,
You reminded me of another toy I didn’t mention. Light Bright, okay no relation to Rainbow Bright, but that toy was awesome. I think my mom still hords it in her basement. I remember using those black papers until they were full of holes and falling apart. Thank you for sharing.
Jean
OMG! Did that bring back memories! We pick new ornaments every year and as we put them back on the tree, it brings back memories of whatever event had captured our attention.
Caridad,
I love the collector ornaments at Hallmark. I have some disney ornaments that we use every year. Unfortunately, in less than 15 minutes of my sons trying to put them on the tree they ended up missing legs and arms. Thanks for hopping by. Love your website.
Jean
The contest is now closed, but I wanted to thank everyone for sharing their great holiday memories and “favorite toys.” You had me laughing so hard remembering my own memories tied to those toys. I had the best time. Thank you for all who participated! Good Luck. Winner will be announced Monday, 19th at Wicked Romance.
Happy Holidays to you and your family!!
Jean Murray
I was a total girly girl and loved barbies 🙂
I subscribed to the blog through email!