Growing up in the deep,dark state of New Hampshire, where shopping could be described as minimalist, the most exciting part of the impending holiday season was the arrival of the Sears Christmas Wish Book. All swaddled in brown paper, inside laid the things a kid could only dream would arrive under the tree.
With pages and pages of the latest toys, games, (and good, better and best underwear,) by Thanksgiving, that book had been given the once-over (more like the fifty-eth over) with the most wanted items circled, heavily, with red crayon in hopes Santa might be paying attention. TV commercials influenced my wants, as they still do today, and 11 year old me bought hard.
Since my own little one has gone away to University and wants nothing more for the holidays than an American Express Platinum Card to call his own (fat chance, buster…) I got to wondering about what kid’s were craving this holiday season after two toy catalogue inserts arrived in yesterday's paper.
Remembering back to my best Christmas EVER, (that would be 1968) when a MOD Barbie and Instant Insanity topped my holiday hit list, I wondered what, if anything, was common between then and now. So for your edification, I present, Brenda’s top ten holiday hit list for 2009:
1. The practically unavailable “it” toy of the season, the interactive Zhu Zhu Pet. (retail price is $9.99, ebay's price runs over $20.00. Also the related Webkinz, still hot) If Santa runs out of Zhu Zhus (which he probably will) parents can direct their children to The Official ZhuZhuPets BLOG or download the new Zhu Zhu Pet App for IPhone or IPod touch for just $1.99!
2. Elmo’s back in several renditions hottest of which is Tickle Hands Elmo (retail $24.99)
3. The Razor Ripstik, a part skateboard, part snowboard, “casterboard” good for carving street turns. (retail $64.00)
4. GI Joe “Rise of the Cobra” and Barbie “Twilight” (retail $24.99)
5. "Splatster" interactive TV creativity game ($54.99), Also Fisher Price SmartFit
6. Lego's Bionicle (retail $44.99) also the Lego Advent Calendar ($24.99)
7. Leap Frog (retail $30.00)
8. Classic Games: Monopoly (retail $12.99) Boggle ($17.99)
9. Nintendo Wii ($199.00)
10. Ipod Touch ($199.00)
What’s common between then and now? A lot.
Many toys are still as popular as they were 40 years ago. Tonka, Lego, GI Joe, Barbie, Easy Bake Oven. Homemaking, road-building, nurturance and car racing remain current themes.
And some things are new, usually fueled by popular TV and movie characters (Elmo, Dora, Transformers) new fads (Anime’s Bakugan, ) or technology (Leapfrog, Webkinz, WII.) I was struck by the commonality of toy categories, sports, dolls, games, creativity and learning, adult emulation and licensed products.
What seems new? Interactivity, “smart toys” and self-improvement for tots. (fitness, learning readiness,) Prices (when popular products are actually available at retail) seem reasonable, especially with the cutthroat retail pricing in place in store and online. Most popular items retail for under $50.00.
Kids, turns out, still like many of the same things. And while there will probably always be too much violence, too much commercialism and too much stereotyped gender role play advanced on our children, I’m struck by how much kids like to do what kids always have: make stuff, pretend, learn and play.
Watch some of the hottest holiday toys get put to the test on The Ellen DeGeneres Show:
Ho ho ho!
Happy New Year! The author write more I liked it.
Posted by: Hotjobs | January 25, 2011 at 12:22 AM