Kids look forward to the holiday season every year because, and let's face it, that's when all the best toys are released on the market. It seems like every year there is something new and cool that every kid absolutely HAS to have.
From Cabbage Patch Dolls to the latest video game console, the holiday season brings out the most memorable toys. Read on to see if you remember asking for one of these iconic toys, or if you were one of the parents waiting hours in line to get one!
Mr. Potato Head (1952)
The classic Hasbro toy is well known as being one of the original Christmas must-haves because it was actually the first toy ever advertised on television. Thanks to Mr. Potato Head, kids were now being directly marketed to.
Only 1 million were sold that first Christmas, but that's quite the number for 1952. Amazingly, the toy is still sold today and saw an increase in interest when it was featured in Toy Story.
Pet Rock (1975)
There's nothing crazier than imagining a bunch of parents in 1975 clamoring outside their local department stores to buy a rock. Yep, a rock. The Pet Rock was completely useless and had no value whatsoever, but for some reason kids still wanted it.
Over the 1975 Christmas season, the Pet Rock made $15 million. The gift made its creator, Gary Dahl, a millionaire despite only existing for one Christmas season.
Cabbage Patch Dolls (1983)
They may seem like the ugliest dolls to the kids of today, but Cabbage Patch Dolls were all the rage at Christmas in 1983. They became popular practically overnight and were known as the first true "fad" holiday toy.
Parents were actually getting in fights in parking lots trying to get their hands on one for their kids. The dolls may not be as popular today as they were back then, but they are still being produced and sold.
Transformers (1984)
Yes, before it was a TV show and Michael Bay movie franchise, Transformers was a must-have Christmas toy. It was the first of its kind to change and shapeshift.
The toy also was one of the first to come with a backstory that could easily expand into a franchise. As you can see, the toy line, and franchises, has changed a lot since it was originally introduced. Do you even recognize Optimus Prime?
Teddy Ruxpin (1985)
The first ever super-creepy toy to hit the Christmas market was the Teddy Ruxpin. It was introduced in 1985 and was way ahead of its time. It could move its eyes and lips and "told stories" in sync with a cassette attached to its back.
The animatronic stuffed animal's stories were even made into a TV show from 1986-87. Ruxpin has attempted a few Christmas comebacks since then, but has never been able to re-capture his glory days.
Nintendo Game Boy (1989)
Just imagine being back in 1989. Video game consoles had been all the rage for almost a decade, then you find out you can take your video games anywhere.
The sales from Christmas 1989 turned the handheld video game into one of the best-selling electronic devices of all time. In the following years, Nintendo would come out with the Game Boy Color and Advance before transitioning to the Nintendo DS.
Barney Doll (1992)
This must-have toy from 1992 was all the rage thanks to the success of the TV show. The plush figure was actually only created because kids were hugging and cuddling with their VHS boxes of the series.
The demands from parents turned into reality, and our favorite purple dinosaur was everywhere that Christmas. Rumors of Barney coming back have been swirling now for years, so if you were a kid who's now a parent, prepare to learn what you put mom and dad through back then!
Talkboy (1993)
Half the reason every child in America wanted a Talkboy was thanks to Macauley Culkin and Home Alone 2: Lost In New York. There's nothing quite like the perfect free marketing to make your toy a holiday must-have.
The Talkboy feature in the film made the toy so popular that the maker, Hasbro, even had to stop airing ads because the demand totally outweighed their supply. Do you still own yours?
Beanie Babies (1995)
Oh, Beanie Babies, who could forget the turmoil these little, stuffed animals made? They weren't even that rare, but the fact that Ty Warner brought out "collectible" editions had people hoarding their Beanie Babies.
Everyone hoped they would be an investment for the future, but we know that didn't totally pan out. People would literally get into fights at the store to get the specific Beanie Baby they wanted. It was chaos at Christmas!
Tickle Me Elmo (1996)
When Tyco released the talking, laughing Tickle Me Elmo for the Christmas season of 1996, no one expected the success.
The entire stock of 1 million Elmos were sold out before Christmas, and Elmos were even being sold on the street by scalpers for hundreds of dollars above cost. The popular toy became the ultimate must-have gift of the seasons, and when stores did re-stock, desperate parents would wait outside over night to be the first in line to get one!
Tamagotchi (1997)
The handheld "pet" by Bandai sold more than 40 million units beginning in Christmas 1997. Tamagotchis could be attached to your keychain and you had to feed it, take care of it, and watch it grow.
At its height, 15 Tamagotchis were being sold every minute in North America. As quickly as they came, Tamagotchis disappeared. Variations of them are still available to buy, and you can even get an original one straight from the manufacturer.
Furby (1998)
The title of creepiest toy of Christmas past goes to the Furby. The original Furby could only talk and move its eyes, but the fact it would wake up and do it in the middle of the night freaked parents out.
Kids didn't seem to care though, and 27 million Furbies were sold during Christmas of 1998. You read that correctly. Twenty-seven million were sold, giving parents nightmares for years.
Pokémon Everything (1999)
The turn of the millennium saw the introduction of the Pokémon fad. Everything from the playing cards to figurines of Pikachu became mega-popular after the anime show debuted in America in 1998.
Pokémon was all the rage at Christmas 1999 and hasn't really slowed down since. Now parents just have to buy more than cards. The video games have taken over in popularity and the franchise doesn't look to be slowing down any time soon.
Razor Scooter (2000)
Who could forget the scooter that could clip your ankles and end your professional scootering career instantly? The scooter with an ultra-thin design was a relatively cheap gift, but gnarly enough to brag about to your friends.
The wave of Razor Scooters sold over Christmas even inspired a new extreme sport — freestyle scootering. If you still have one in storage, it might be worth passing down to the young extreme sports lover in your family. Just remember to make them wear a helmet!
Bratz Dolls (2001)
They may not seem like they were that big of a fad, but in 2001, Bratz became the first toy geared towards girls that outsold Barbies, and that's no small feat.
The dolls had even more exaggerated bodies than Barbie, and had much cooler and "fashion-forward" outfits. The brand was so popular that a television series was made. And let's not forget about the movie that came out in 2007!
Beyblades (2002)
Unlike Elmo or Furbies, Beyblades were one of those toys that kids could bring to school. It was essentially a spinning top, but you would have two spinning at each other in a "battle."
You could even get a Beyblade stadium for your tops to spin in. It was one of the most popular toy lines in the world in 2002. How many friends did you go head to head with in the Beyblade Arena?
XBOX 360 (2005)
The XBOX 360 began the newest wave of must-have Christmas gifts: video game consoles. The release by Microsoft was intended to be a Christmas fad, and they even pushed it out early so it would beat Sony PlayStation 3.
It sold 5.5 million units in just the first six months before Christmas. This wasn't the first console to make a splash around the holidays, and it definitely won't be the last.
PlayStation 3 (2006)
Even though Microsoft tried to outsell the PS3 by releasing the XBOX 360 early, PlayStation still did alright for itself. It was released in late 2006 and sold 340,000 units in just the first week.
The Sony video game console also introduced the popularity of single-shooter games like the Call Of Duty franchise. The PS3 is still regarded as one of the most innovative video game consoles of all-time and is still loved by millions worldwide.
Nintendo Wii (2008)
The Nintendo Wii was like nothing ever seen before. Even the XBOX 360 was just a new and improved video game console. The Nintendo Wii completely changed how kids and families as a whole could play video games.
Before Christmas 2008, Nintendo sold 10 million units. The crowds waiting in line to buy one were comparable to Black Friday crowds. The innovative console was one of the first to use motion controls, proving that video games weren't always about having nice graphics.
Zhu Zhu Pets (2009)
The latest Christmas fad from 2009 were these little plush robotic toys that moved on their own. They were originally known as Go Go Hamsters in the U.K., but once they hit American soil in 2009, their name and value changed.
Over the Christmas season, their retail value went from $9 each to $60 each. That price might seem crazy to see right now, but parents in 2009 were more than willing to pay that in exchange for their child's happiness.
