By GEORGE Z. CLONDAS
Maybe it’s because I’m getting older or maybe it’s because my daughter is now in college and for the most part out of her “toy stage” that I’m feeling a bit nostalgic about Christmas toys from the past.
Back when I was a kid, it was a much simpler time. I might be dating myself but I can remember getting a model train, an Erector Set and even a chemistry kit that had more than a few toxic, and dare I say, radioactive elements included with it. But, heck, it came with safety goggles and an apron. If I was wearing those, everything was good.
Taking a look back through the decades, here is a timeline of some of the popular toys through the years. Some have fallen by the wayside but surprisingly some are just as popular today.
1910 – The Teddy Bear
Close to 130 years old, the teddy bear is as popular today with children as it was back then. No doubt due to heartwarming stories like “Winnie the Pooh” and “Paddington Bear.” What child doesn’t want a stuffed bear to comfort them? There is no short supply of these lovable creatures. With a price point to fit any budget, they can be customized for any child, any age, along with their favorite stories, likes, and hobbies.
1920 – Tinker Toys
Originally manufactured in Illinois and inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in1998, this amazing construction set is now produced by Hasbro. Tinker Toys consist mainly of disks with holes drilled into them and sticks of different lengths. If you know a child who is into creating machines and houses, give this one a try. Other construction sets you might consider are Erector Sets and Lincoln Logs. All of these toys will provide hours of unplugged, hands-on entertainment.
1930 – Monopoly
Debuting in 1935, this familiar board game was an interesting choice for Depression-era America. The basic rules are familiar to just about everyone, and even the lingo has migrated into everyday speech— such as a get out of jail free card!
Monopoly is an enduring example of favorite toys through the decades.
1940 – Legos
The original Mindcraft. First introduced in 1934, it was not until 1947 with the introduction of injection molding did Legos take flight. You can still see their roots of interlocking plastic blocks today. The themed kits of today are much more elaborate and expansive than the Lego kits I grew up with. Today you can get kits that let you build models of everything from historic buildings to the Millennium Falcon and they come with instructions. Not my kits. Mine you got a big box of assorted blocks, wheels, and people and not much else. My Legos required more imagination. However, I do appreciate the newer models. From 1992-2004, Lego saw a decline in sales, but from 2005 until now due to some shrewd marketing, movies and licensing of franchises like “Stars Wars” and “Indiana Jones,” sales have grown and continue growing.
1950 – Barbie
Designed by Ruth Handler and introduced in 1959 by Mattel, Inc., Barbie has been a mainstay in almost every toybox to even now. With the release of the “Barbie” movie last year, her popularity shows no sign of diminishing. In 1961, her boyfriend, Ken, was introduced, and later in the ’60s her best friend, Midge, and little sister, Skipper, were introduced. There are no shortages of accessories in the Barbie world, from the Dream House to a camping trailer complete with her own Jeep. There’s something for every child’s likes and aspirations. Speaking of aspirations, Barbie also has quite the résumé. She has been a doctor, lawyer, astronaut and even an Olympic athlete, just to name a few.
1960 – Easy Bake Oven
Who didn’t love the Easy Bake Oven? Inducted into to National Toy Hall of Fame in 2006, this toy’s lineage can be traced back to 1963. It used a lightbulb to heat up the oven to the point where it could actually bake a cake. This classic toy went through many redesigns over the years. After a redesign in 2006, Hasbro recalled and discontinued the toy after it received reports on many children getting their hands caught inside and being badly burned. But this was not the end for the beloved oven. It was redesigned in 2013 and released to the public. Also, on November 4, 2017, the National Easy-Bake Oven Day was established.
1970 – Electronic Games
It was not until the late ’70s did I get my “First” electronic game. It was the hand-held Mattel Classic Football game. Granted it wasn’t more than a few blinking red lights and some beeping, but it was cool and entertained us for hours. Now let us remember the first actual video game for your television. That would be Pong, which was nothing more than a square block going back and forth between two longer rectangular blocks. Things quickly progressed from there. In 1975 Atari created the 2600 video computer system that allowed you to change game cartridges for a whole different game experience. There were adventure games like Pit Fall and classic games like Space Invaders, Pac-Man and my personal favorite, Donkey Kong. I remember saving my paper route money and begging my parents to take me to Bradlees Department Store to buy the new game. Those games are nothing compared to what we have now but their roots date back to Pong.
1980 – Cabbage Patch Kids
The Cabbage Patch Kids were one of the first Christmas toys I remember people actually going crazy over. I remember seeing stories in the news about people camped out in lines for days and even getting into fights to score one of these dolls. They came with a cute backstory and adoption papers. Created by artist/entrepreneur Xavier Roberts, he could only imagine how wildly popular his dolls would become. In 2023 the line celebrated its 40th birthday and was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York. Cabbage Patch Kids were originally distributed by Coleco in the early ’80s. In 1988 Coleco filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy but continued to produce the doll. In 1995 Mattel acquired the licensing rights. Over the years, there have been many sales of the license. Since 2015 Wicked Cool Toys is the current owner, and you can still buy them today.
1990 – Tickle Me Elmo
Tickle Me Elmo was first produced in 1996, quietly gaining a following until its popularity exploded that Christmas season. Originally retailing for $28.99, scalpers were reselling Elmo for up to $1,500. It was first pitched as “Tickles the Chimp” as its maker, Tyco, did not have the rights to “Sesame Street.” But they did have the rights to “Looney Tunes.” Elmo was almost Tickle Me Tasmanian Devil. Somehow, I do not think it would have been as popular. But after losing the rights to Looney Tunes and gaining the rights to “Sesame Street,” Tickle Me Elmo was born, and its popularity spawned many other “Sesame Street”-inspired products. A new version of Elmo was released in April 2024.
2000 – Gaming Consoles
I know I’ve already mentioned gaming consoles, but I feel they deserve to be mentioned again. Around 2005, gaming consoles like Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation burst onto the scene and have remain extremely popular today. Mostly due to constant advancements in technology, computing power and game development, they have grabbed onto modern-day culture and not let go. With recent developments in artificial intelligence and augmented reality, one can only imagine where the development of modern-day gaming will go in the next 40 years.