And the winner is….. Commenter #7, Amy, who loved her Snoopy snow cone machine and Barbie dolls when she was growing up. Today she writes Blooming Where We Are Planted. Congratultations Amy!
* * * * *
Recently, the Build-A-Bear people emailed me asking if they could send to Sean, Hal and Holly Moose, the latest addition to the Build-A-Bear family. Of course I said yes because who turns away free moose? No one. Free bison I would turn away, but not free moose.
So earlier in the week, the Fed Ex man delivered Hal and Holly to my doorstep. I especially love Holly because she wears sparkly red shoes just like Dorothy Gale and sassy red satin undies like, well, someone sassier than me.
Unfortunately, as it were, Sean was home when they arrived and he immediately fell in love with them thereby dashing any hopes I had of regifting finding them a better home. And then he took off all their clothes.
PHOTOS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE
There may be therapy in their future. And mine.
And because the Build-A-Bear people are kindly folks, they sent along a little something for you too. Do you know a little person who likes Build-A-Bears? Would you like to win a $25 Build-A-Bear gift certificate good at any of their stores or on-line? If so, leave a comment telling me one of your favorite childhood toys and I’ll choose a name at random on Monday night. Mine? Easy Bake Oven. Mine was blue.
Holly and Hal and their overly friendly care taker.
Diane Jennings says:
A teddy bear named Clyde.
And I’d love to win the gift certificate for my 18 month old granddaughter’s Christmas this year.
November 7th, 2008 at 3:24 am
danana-banana says:
I think I might have actually cried tears of joy when I unwrapped my first Cabbage Patch Kid!
November 7th, 2008 at 3:40 am
Kim says:
I was a real LEGO kid. I use to spend all of my time building houses and furniture to go in them. I knew it was love when I married a LEGO man and we mixed our bricks! LOL Our kids have added to our collection and love them as much as we did.
I also had a “Baby That-A-Way” doll (1974) that would walk and crawl. Forget about babies that would poo, mine crawled!
November 7th, 2008 at 3:58 am
JanMary, N Ireland says:
My kids are saving up for Build-a-Bears – they would love to have one.
My childhood memory is of two toys, a rabbit called BunBun, and a koala bear called Koodgie.
I have vivid memories wailing in front of the washing machine as BunBun span round in a rinse cycle before my very eyes.
November 7th, 2008 at 3:58 am
Brigitte says:
Oh, JanMary, poor BunBun!
Some days I pine for one childhood toy, and some days for another. Pathetically, the one that comes to mind today isn’t really a toy: we loved to play with the swamp reeds from the edge of the yard. We’d break them off at the base, then pretend the fuzzy end (which was now a good 6-10 feet from us) was a bird who would fly around, take puddle baths, crash into trees, etc. Free, and easily replaceable!
November 7th, 2008 at 6:00 am
Sheila at Dodging Raindrops says:
Those are adorable moose! My favorite for a long time was Holly Hobbie.
November 7th, 2008 at 6:16 am
Amy says:
Snoopy Snow-cone maker.
And barbies!
November 7th, 2008 at 6:39 am
liz in NY says:
I absolutely loved my first Barbie, dressing her up and doing her hair.That was the original Barbie which amazingly I still have.
November 7th, 2008 at 6:44 am
Tracy says:
I had a Dancerella that was just fabulous!
November 7th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Donna W says:
Mine was my little farm set. Metal barn, plastic pigs, cows, chickens, etc. Once I was married and we bought 20 acres, I set out to make the play farm of my childhood a reality, and I think I ended up having all the animals (real ones) I used to have on the toy farm.
November 7th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Stephanie says:
Lincoln Logs-my grandmother still has them….waiting for Caden to get old enough to play with them!
November 7th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Jennifer says:
Rub-A-Dub Dolly! I woke up at 4am Christmas morning and made my mother give me a bath right away so I could play with it!
November 7th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Rhonda says:
I had a Baby Tenderlove doll that I wanted so very badly. My two cousins each had one and I ‘needed’ one too. I finally broke my mom down and she bought me one. She was quite hesitant, after all it cost $10! Expensive, at the time.
Love, love, love Build A Bear!! Thank you for doing this!!
November 7th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Brenda says:
My favorite toy was my Cher doll. She was better than my Barbie’s.
* * * *
Did she comes with a Sonny doll or was that after the divorce? ~ AM
November 7th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Sue says:
My favorite was my turquoise Schwinn bike. I might add it had a nicely padded seat, unline any I’ve had since. My memories, too, are of the wind flying thru my hair as I rode it all over the neighborhood, to the swimming pool, and to all the imaginary places it took me.
I have to ask again how you receive the blessing of being asked to give give-aways. I know your blog is wonderful, so I guess that’s been found out. Do companies read blogs or what? Thanks for the chance to win– would make a nice Christmas present.
* * * *
Oh yes, companies read mommy blogs. Moms spend the money and advertisers want their attention.
How you get those offers is no doubt all about readership – they want to cast their net as far as possible. People often ask me how to develop an audience and I always tell them to write well and write often and an audience will find you.
Having said that, I only accept products from reputable companies that I know I will like and therefore, probably my readers will like. If I like a product, I write about it. If I don’t, I won’t. And they usually throw in something for give-away.
I don’t write posts in exchange for product. If an obligation to write about the product is insinuated, I pass. If a product has been given to me, I make that clear.
All in all, the occasional free product is very small pay for what I do and the time I put into it. My advice? Write because you love writing and for no other reason.
~ AM
November 7th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Danell says:
I loved stuffed animals, the more realistic, the better.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Nancy says:
My favorite toys were my dolls. I had a Pippi Longstocking doll that I took everywhere. I loved her so much that she began to wear out a bit and her head began falling off. My mother would have to perform “surgery” to sew her head back on. Her head would stay put until the next traumatic incident.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Andrea Payne says:
I had two favorites. The first was a doll named Baby Beans. The second was my Light Brite. I played with those two for years. I remember hiding in my closet playing with both of them because I was “to old” to play with toys.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Elizabeth says:
I was little during the Cabbage Patch age but my parents were not the type to hunt down toys. Instead my mother had a friend make me a doll similar to a cabbage patch doll. I loved her and dragged her around everywhere!
Thanks for the chance to win!
November 7th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Jenny says:
I had a California Raisin that was bigger than I was when I was 5. I loved that purple thing!
November 7th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Cheri says:
I loved my Barbies. Well, until my brother confiscated them. You know – to play Army guys with. Things changed after that!
November 7th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Debbie says:
I also had a teddy bear that I loved, but alas, I don’t remember a name.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Marie says:
Such sweet pics!
My favorite? Mrs. Beasley – circa 1970. I still have her!
November 7th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Natalie says:
Mine was Uni the Unicorn.
It came in my Easter basket one year- the prepackaged kind. All you could see of it all tucked in there was the head and front legs. When I got it outta there, I discovered they didn’t really bother to give it back legs…just little nubs. That’s some factory really cutting corners, eh? Didn’t matter to me though, I loved him and tucked him into his bed each night.
I found him recently!:
http://happyhavoc.blogspot.com/2008/05/say-hello-to-old-friend.html
November 7th, 2008 at 8:49 am
tam says:
Oh my!!! I am going to age myself big time. Does anyone remember Marboro the Mustang? It was a horse that you bounced on (think of inch worm), and he walked. He had a saddle and reins and came with stir-ups for my little white Keds. Man, I sure loved that horse.
* * * *
Oh yes, I wanted one of those, but we were poor. You may now play your invisible violin for me. :p
~ AM
November 7th, 2008 at 8:50 am
jj says:
My favorite was a doll house my Dad made for me. It wasn’t fancy it had 3 rooms downstairs then 2 bedrooms and a bathroom up. It was made out of thin plywood . It wasn’t very strong but it was wonderful because he made it. I remember we made chairs and things out of cardboard for it.Those animals are great . Thanks for sharing your things with so many.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Heidi says:
A chalkboard. For my eighth birthday, I asked for a chalkboard and sure enough, when I woke up that morning, there was a small free-standing chalk board in the kitchen. My mom had written “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” all over it.
I loved to play school had chalk all over myself for months afterwards.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Jeanne A says:
I can’t even remember a single favorite toy. What I remember most fondly this morning is playing on the barrels in our yard. We would spend hours ‘walking them.’ If you walk on top as they roll forward. Sometimes a sibling would go for a ride inside!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Amy Nathan says:
My gymnastics Skipper doll. Her wrists moved and she twirled around a bar. She had pigtails like Nadia Comenecie (sp?). I loved that doll.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Danielle says:
Mine was totally the easy bake oven too!!! And the doll that you could feed powdered baby food mixed with water and then you would actually have to change her diaper. I think it was called baby alive!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Renee says:
I so dig the little splash of argyle on Hal the moose’s sweater. Who doesn’t love argyle?
My favorite toy when I was a kid was…well…oh yes I know…sorry that was a hard decision.
My favorite toy when I was a kid was my red radio flyer wagon. It was one of the metal ones, not one of these new fangled hunks of plastic…and I used for everything from a race car to a barbie house and a cabbage patch stroller, to a girl scout delivery truck.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:12 am
carol b says:
I adored Fred the Ted, he came with me everywhere until i rested him up in my Mum’s loft for a few years. Last year when my daughter was born I dug him out again, and he’s has become one of her favourites too. hooray for Fred!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:12 am
~*~ Jennifer ~*~ says:
Oh… my favorite toy? It HAD to be my bike.
or snow
I loved to be outdoors… Ü
Thanks AM!!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Just Mom says:
I absolutely loved my Barbie Perfume Maker. I was addicted to the gardenia scent.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Lyn Piper says:
I loved my Thumbalina Doll. I still have her.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:25 am
~vee says:
My Barbies. All of them. I spent hours building homes and mansions out of shoe boxes and pillowcases. I REALLY wanted the Barbie mansion but…I just built my own!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Katina says:
My favorite childhood toy was my “Real Baby” baby doll. She almost lost her hair because I played with her so much. My Mom had to hot glue it back on. She had a “real” bottle and she had a middle name. I loved her.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Cyndi says:
My favorite toy was actually my sister’s. She had the Sunshine Family with house…I loved playing with them!
And my nephew told me he got Hal Moose for his birthday yesterday; thanks for posting a picture so I can see what it looks like!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:37 am
fern says:
I loved my Raggedy Ann doll. My older sister had Raggedy Andy. I miss them–I wonder if my mother still has ol’ Ann and Andy.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Amy says:
Hands down my stuffed monkey named George. He went everywhere with me. I would love to give this to one of my kids for Christmas. Always wanted to go to Build A Bear but it hasn’t been in the budget.
Thanks!!!!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Jennifer C says:
I would have to go with Barbie. I think my sister, cousin, and I would play Barbie for hours. Every time we go to a certain mall, my daughter wants to get a build a bear. This would make a great Christmas gift for her.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Kate says:
Hands down my Baby Alive doll from like 1977.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Danielle says:
I absolutely loved my Strawberry Shortcake dolls — I still do. I open up the box that they are so carefully kept in and the “fruity” aroma immediately takes me back to my childhood. It makes me smile every time.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:47 am
Heather says:
Mrs. Beasley!!!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Jean@workingmomma247 says:
Since I am a child of the eighties, I would probably stoned if I didn’t say my Cabbage Patch dolls but Barbie and her gang was always my fave.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Margie says:
My bicycle, of course. I would love to win that for Miss Adorable, my two year old granddaughter. Thanks.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Terri says:
For me and my sister, our favorite toy was a metal Tonka dumptruck. I do not know why we (two girls) loved it so much but it did carry much more luggage than our barbie convertible
-Terri
November 7th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Cynthia says:
My sled, which in CT got a lot of use. It had a long seat resting on skis and a steering wheel, great for long hills.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Elisabeth says:
definitely Baby Alive!!! we have a home movie of me opening mine up one Christmas…way too funny!!!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:01 am
mrsfuddieduddie(Nancy) says:
I don’t have a website but I needed to comment on favorite toys. I was brought up very poor so my sisters and I spent hours making paper dolls. So when my daughters came along(they’re special Ed teachers now)we spent hours making paper dolls and furniture for their Barbie dolls out of many strange objects. My favorite toy that I BOUGHT them was Mrs
beasley dolls
November 7th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Ally says:
I had a Puffalump stuffed mouse named SqueakSqueak that I took with me everywhere I went. It was my baby, and I was it’s mother mouse. It’s still in my closet, although the fabric has worn through in many places, and the stuffing has squished and hardened so that it’s mostly a mouse-shaped sack with a rattle inside. I have a 3 month old baby of my own now, so I’d like to re-stuff SqueakSqueak and patch it up to give to my first daughter. Hopefully she’ll love it as much as I did, and I promise not to give her any weird stares like I got if she tries to “breastfeed” it!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Erin says:
It’s hard to choose just one, but I still remember the smell of my strawberry shortcake doll and I sure loved my case full of clothes for her.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Sarah W. Kinninger says:
My favorite toy, aside from my real pony, was a teddy bear given to me by one of my favorite aunts. He was soft, brown, and oh so cuddly. I named him Teddy, after Teddy Roosevelt – I love history and as a child, I learned that teddy bears were given their name after President Roosevelt and since I so desperately wanted to go back in time, I had to go the second best route and pretend that I had a real teddy bear.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:08 am
MJ says:
Hmmm, it would be a toss up between my very first cabbage patch (Ms Charla Dorita… I always wanted to say Doritos) and my cabbage patch big wheel!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Meg @ SpicyMagnolia says:
The moose are so cute! Build-A-Bear is so fun! My favorite toy growing up was my cabbage patch doll. I loved that thing so much and carried it around with me everywhere we went. We even had family pictures of me taken with it!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Joni says:
Dolly. A rubber body baby doll stuffed with sawdust. She perished in a tug of war between my older brother and my younger brother. I cried for weeks. (Yes, real sawdust, I’m that old).
My son’s was Oscar the Grouch. I felt something was wrong with the way I must have been raising him. All the cute characters and He liked Oscar. Baby sitter said it was his individuality showing and it was OK. Imagine having to be reassured by your baby sitter!
shoe
November 7th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Staci says:
I could say my Bionic Woman playset (with hospital bed and big honkin’ computer systems…you could plug the cord from the “computer” into the dolls leg and get “readings” from the computer…) Or I could say my bicycle (sunflower Yellow with the bananna seat and a white basket attached)
But I think the best toy I got was Baby Chrissie…You could keep her hair long or short. I kept that thing for years…
November 7th, 2008 at 10:25 am
mombo says:
I had that same turquoise blue Easy Bake oven and I wore it out!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Mary B says:
I loved my rub-a-dub dolly. Still have it
November 7th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Susan Hight says:
Greetings! My favorite childhood toys were the Donny and Marie Osmond dolls. I still have them and my daughter now plays with them.
Also, I wanted to thank you for posting about how to teach your child how to ride a bike. My husband removed the pedals and within 30 minutes, Emily was balancing herself. She wasn’t too thrilled that the pedals were put back on, but now she is riding her bike really well!
Take care,
Susan
November 7th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Christina says:
I played night and day with my Barbies and their blow-p furniture
I even had home-made clothes for them!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Nancy says:
All my baby dolls, but especially Baby Secret. Anyone remember her?? It’s the most vivid memory of Christmas morning that I have from my childhood. Would love to win a bear!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Julie at Elisharose says:
Of course, I loved my teddy. And I, too, had an Easy Bake Oven. I loved my Barbies. But my favorite baby doll was Pat-A-Burp. Look it up. She was a real doll and I still have a bald one. She doesn’t burp anymore though
November 7th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Robin M. says:
I had a Holly Hobby doll that I was pretty fond of…
November 7th, 2008 at 10:50 am
June says:
A baby doll that could wear real baby sized clothes. I could play with her for hours. My neighbors, an elderly couple, gave me a wooden high chair that she fit in perfectly. I was in heaven!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Jen Larson says:
My favorite toy was my Cabbage Patch Kid that I got when I was 8. It remains the best Christmas of my childhood.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Naomi says:
An old perambulator (baby carriage) my mother found at a garage sale and cleaned up for my dolls. It was big enough that I could take all of my dolls for a walk at the same time. I LOVED it. It was navy blue with nickel trim and it was lined with satin.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Heather says:
My barbies and legos (no caps typing with one hand baby in the othr…)
November 7th, 2008 at 11:00 am
ElleBee says:
Baby Alive, hands down. Of course, it took about two minutes before I was gagging trying to change her diaper. I guess it was preparing me for my boys who have always been champion diaper fillers!
November 7th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Stephanie says:
Definitely, my Barbies. We only had two Ken dolls (which were critical to Barbie’s social life) and because I was the oldest, I got the whole Ken doll and my sister got the one that needed a rubber band to keep the right leg on. The privileges of age =)
November 7th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Jodie says:
I don’t know how you could narrow it down so easily…
One thing I enjoyed very much was my big Barbie house, complete with pull-string elevator. It was AMAZING. I also had loads of love for my Glow Worm and this doll I had that did this one cool trick with her hair. It would “grow” or “recede” when you raised and lowered her arms. Very cool.
I know several little people who would love that GC.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:05 am
kathleen says:
Mine was Mrs. Beasley. My mom made me a matching outfit that I actually wore to school (kindergarten!).
November 7th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Gini says:
When I was 5 my dad made us a set of chairs out of orange crates and a table to go with them. We played with those for HOURS. Sitting one way they were chairs, sitting upside down they became desks with a cubby, sitting side by side they became a store or beauty parlor, end to end – a boat…..let your imagination run wild!
November 7th, 2008 at 11:16 am
feefifoto says:
Rocket ship on rails. Loved it!
November 7th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Susan J. says:
I have always been a teddy bear lover. When I was in 3rd grade I got a very special bear for Christmas. He slept on his own pillow on my bed and went everywhere with me. He is sitting on my dresser right now.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Kerrie says:
My favorite was a brand new box of 64 Crayola Crayons. I loved to take them all out of the box and organize them by varying color methods. I also very much liked sharpening the crayons to perfect points and saving the shavings in a plastic baggie.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Elaine says:
I was all about the stuffed animals. My bed was covered with them…the bigger the better.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Tina in IN says:
hmm…favorite toy. Growing up? I remember I had this little record player perfect for old 45′s, it also had lights around the bottome. So I would play records (it did hold the big albums also) and turn off my bedroom lights and dance in the lights of that little record player.
I wonder what ever happened to that thing?
November 7th, 2008 at 11:32 am
trixiefan says:
My two favorites were the Lite Brite and the Perfection game. Great memories!
November 7th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Jeni says:
My Girlie has not been to Build A Bear, but she would love it!!
My favorite toys were my Cabbage Patch dolls, especially my “firstborn.” She came when I was 4, and had the name “Wilhemina Leah.” My dad helped me fill out the form to officially change her name to “Melody Lisa,” and I was SO excited when her revised birth certificate arrived!
November 7th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Kelly says:
My Cricket doll. You put a tape in her back and she “talked”. It was the most high-tech toy I think I ever owned…well, besides the Atari, which I also loved! Anyway, her mouth moved and her eyelids opened and closed as the tape played. Actually, thinking back she was a little creepy….
November 7th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Robinznest says:
My favorite was a doll name SunngleBuns. I slept with her every night. I also loved my Thumbelina – she moved like a real baby.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Ellen says:
My favorite childhood toy was the paper dolls that I cut out of the Sears Catalog. I kept them in an oatmeal box . I played with them hours on end. If I was to win these I would give them to Santas Express so some little girl or boy could have a nice Christmas…
November 7th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Catherine says:
I had the most amazing stuffed monkey. My mother actually used to take me to an area of town where people dumped things and we found him. He was supposed to talk when you pulled his string but it didn’t work. As I recall, we sent it to the company in hopes that they could fix him but they couldn’t. They sent him back but I loved him anyway. I recently searched on ebay in hopes of finding one like him but had no luck.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Donna says:
My very favorite toys were my Cabbage Patch Kids. I can still feel the excitement when I think about them today. And yes, I still remember all their names. Coming in second, third and fourth place are My Litte Pony, Glamour Gals and Lite Brite. (I just couldn’t resist naming them all.)
Donna D.
New Jersey
November 7th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Heather @ Cool Zebras says:
I had a set of dolls that had a pottery store. They were called “The Sunshine Family.” Loved that playset.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Robyn says:
My Littlest Pet Shops. They still make them, but the new ones look cheesy. I have a big box of them in the closet for my kids when they’re old enough.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Shannon says:
My favorite was definitely my Barbies! I spent hours playing with them.
My 3yo daughters favorite toy is a pink teddy bear with darker pink hearts all over. His name….Pink Heart Spotty of course.:)
November 7th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Darla says:
I had a Tumbelina doll that did somersaults… I loved her!!!
November 7th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Kathy says:
I still have by loved teddy bear from the 50′s. I’ve been wanting to do the Build-a-Bear with my grandchildren. Would love to win.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Missy says:
I loved my light-bright. My son would love to go do this…
November 7th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Aggiema (Michelle) says:
I had a doll that could do somersaults, ride a tricycle and do a stiff legged walk. I loved that doll and carried her around all the time!
November 7th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Magi says:
I wanted an Eazy Bake Oven more than anything in the world. I got a Magic Chef oven, which was exactly the same, but I always felt like it just wasn’t good enough. I did, however, bake in that little sucker through many light bulbs. I made cookies, brownies, cakes…you name it.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
grammyscraps says:
I loved my paper dolls…would play with them by the hour.
Sean looks really cute with his new friends.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Donna says:
My favorite doll for a very long time was a stuffed small army girl. Very soft with a cocky hat on. My Dad was in WWII at the time and I think I loved her since he wasn’t with us. Wonder where she is 63 years later!! I have a 18 month old granddaughter who would love a bear.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Becky says:
Tiny Thumbelina! Her head moved around like a real baby.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Linda says:
This will probably date me…but I liked Wham-O’s Wheel-O.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Plastic Daffodils says:
Oh my favorite toy… when I was young I really enjoyed My Little Pony. I even had the castle because, you know, ponies totally need a castle to frolic in.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Fresh Girl says:
My favorite was my Mrs. Beasley doll! Still is.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Sharon says:
I wish I still had my Sunshine Family. I even had their little cottage/home. Unfortunately my Mom was always giving things away. I didn’t look at them for a day and “poof” they were gone.
* * * * *
Sean is going to say that about me one of these days. Mysteriously all the annoying toys (and books) somehow go missing. Toy thieves break in at night… or something.
~ AM
November 7th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Janna says:
Ditto Heather and Fresh Girl! I loved my Mrs. Beasley doll. In fact, I now have the anniversary edition sitting in my curio.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
kids n chaos says:
mine was a little stuffed monkey I called “monkey boy” – original huh?
November 7th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Sarah at themommylogues says:
We have never built a bear! Oh my goodness!! I love the comments! We had Sunshine Family! And my sister had Mrs. Beasley! I never had an easy bake oven, but I’m thinking of getting one for my girls — maybe Mommy can play with it.
I loved my Sylvanian Family. They were little animals that had little log picnic tables. I think they have some sort of Cottage Critters or something now.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Rebecca says:
I had a red Schwinn bicycle that I think may have been my dad’s when he was growing up. I loved that bike, even though I did feel a bit inferior when I was around other little girls, because there was nothing pink on my bike, no basket, and no streamers. I was home schooled for a couple of years, and I remember finishing my work early every day so that I could go outside and spend the rest of my afternoon riding my bike around the neighbourhood or over to my grandparents’ house a mile away…helmet-less and unsupervised and free!
November 7th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Annie says:
Barbies… I spent hours upon hours braiding hair, changing clothes, making furniture, fighting with my sister over the wedding dress and the Ken doll. Ah, sweet memories.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
June says:
I think my favorite would have to be my Barbie, although my friends and I were tomboys so we’d take them outside to play in the creek, roll them around in the mud, and dress them up in leaves!
November 7th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Pat says:
When I was 9, my little lady dolls (Madame Alexander) my grandmother and grandaddy got me for Christmas; and the same year my mother also got me a Little Miss Revlon, dressed in navy blue with pearl earrings and heels. What a happy little girl I was!
November 7th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Melissa @ Anxious for Nothing says:
I used to love my talking Teddy Ruxpin bear. Unfortunately, I dropped him one or five hundred times too many off the top bunk bed (I couldn’t climb down with him in my arms) and he went mute.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
susan (rachel's mom) says:
I loved my dolls. My favorites were actually the ones that didn’t “do” anything, although we also had Baby Secret and Dancerella and one that “chewed” her food and sucked on a bottle (what horrifying mechanical noises those were!). Probably my favorite Christmas was when I was 5 or 6 and woke up to find a new baby doll who had a complete wardrobe of four or five outfits (seems that “Mrs. Claus” had sewn them herself). One of them was a red cape and hood! To this day I don’t know how my mother was able to make all those outfits right under my nose — I’m guessing she stayed up late at night and also made good use of the hours I was in kindergarten, but she had two younger children, too.
Funny, although I loved my baby dolls I became an “antique mommy,” too. I am 48 and my only child is not yet 3. She loves her baby dolls, too, and I had a blast last Christmas getting clothes and accessories for Santa to leave her favorite baby. I guess I need to learn to sew, too, huh?
November 7th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Nicole says:
My favorite toy was my stuffed rabbit that I got for Easter one year, named “Timmy”. He was soft and smelled like baby powder. I liked to prop him up on both legs and lean him against a wall so he could “stand up”.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Minnesotamom says:
I have friends and relatives with kids at the age that would love this–and just in time for Christmas! My favorite toy…gosh, that’s hard…it was probably my bear Sandy, who I slept with at night and dressed in matching jammies.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Julia says:
Snoopy snow-cone machine. Oh, how I loved that thing! Me and my rainbow shirt that arched across my chest and up & across my arm would crank out snow cones all day long!
November 7th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Arlene says:
An Eversharp pencil my Dad bought me that was just like the one he always carried clipped in his shirt pocket. I still have it 45 years later!
November 7th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Shelly D. says:
My daughter is a Build-A-Bear Fanatic!!! Did you know there is a fun online game to play? BuildABearville.com.
Anyway, my favorite toy was a Velvet doll. She was about the size of an American Girl doll and had a nob on the back that you could turn to make her long hair short, and a button on her stomach to pull her hair and make it longer. My friend had the matching Chrissie doll that had red hair (which I secretly coveted!). I still wish I had a button to make my hair long so I could cut it and grow it at whim!
November 7th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Ann G says:
I had a monkey…mind you not a sock monkey, but a monkey that I apparently got because I threw a tantrum in a store with my grandma so she bought him for me. I still have this little monkey in a box out in storage. One of my little brother’s bit one of his ears off, so I have a one eared monkey….still remember playing with that little guy, some 40 years ago!
November 7th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Stretch Mark Mama says:
Which reminds me! On the obnoxious birthday party theme…One of my friends too her 5YO AND A BUNCH OF HER FRIENDS to Build-a-Bear for a birthday party where EVERYONE got to, you know, BUILD A BEAR. Ummmmmm, WHO CAN COMPETE WITH THAT?!?!?
Nothing against the bears or the store, of course. They’re quite lovely.
I used to love (okay, still do) the Hello Kitty erasers. I never used them, just smelled them.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
chickadee@afamiliarpath says:
barbie. i played barbies forever.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Lori says:
My Baby Tenderlove. She was so cute. I still have her in my attic.
The moose are adorable!
November 7th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Susan says:
My daughter adores Build-a-Bear stuff!
My favorite toy as a child in the 70′s was The Sunshine Family.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Cassie J. says:
My sons both love Build-a-Bear!
My favorite toy was my three story Barbie house with elevator!
November 7th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Iota says:
I loved my Spirograph – you made pretty flowery patterns with a pen and plastic cogs of varying sizes. You fixed one to the board with pins, and rolled another around it with the pen. The patterns varied according to the size of the cogs, and the position of the pen-hole in the cog.
I expect it could have taught me all kinds of things about math, but I just liked the patterns.
* * * *
Oh I remember that! My brother had one and I loved it. And yeah, if there was a math lesson there, it was lost on me! ~ AM
November 7th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Rhonda says:
My dolly that cried and said “mama” when you pulled a string. Yes, that’t how old I am!!
November 7th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Heather says:
Is it odd that my favorite childhood toys of note were the ones at my grandparents. I only saw them a few times a year, but there is a very old chicken that clucks when you pull it on a string that brings back memories of my cousins! We are now reliving it again as my nieces and nephew were running in circles around the kitchen island with the chicken on a visit to Great Grandma’s in August. I always knew the adults didn’t like the chicken and now I have more compassion…the decible level of that chicken is amazing!
Heather
November 7th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Martha Harter says:
I had a sweet little doll named Dirty Mary and her friend Baby Beth. They were the best friends a girl could have.
* * * *
Ha! Dirty Mary? What were the marketing people thinking!? Obviously that should be Hygenically Challenged Mary. ~ AM
November 7th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Jill says:
My favorite was a huge Raggady Ann Doll-life size with a big read heart on her chest. My brother and his friend used here for dart practice. Let’s say her heart was broken and so was mine.
November 7th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Lisa says:
My favorite toy growing up were Tinker Toys. I loved to build with those things. I bought some for my four year old daughter but all she does with them is either stick them up her nose or hit her two year old sister with them. Perhaps she is not quite ready for Tinker Toys just yet!
November 7th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Stephanie says:
My favorite was Boo-Boo bear. I’m sure at one time he was cute and fluffy, but he lives on in my memories as the raggedy, patched teddy who was literally loved to pieces.
November 7th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Donna says:
I loved all my fisher price little people. They were not nearly as cute as the ones out now, but I had many sets and played with them until I was at least 12. I wish I had kept all of them for my own kids! Sometimes I look at all the “vintage” little people on ebay just to remember all those happy times as a kid!
November 7th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Pam says:
I loved the games Clue and Stop Thief. And Nancy Drew mysteries.
Thanks for offering the gift certificate!
November 7th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
mamom says:
Anything and everything Barbie!! My sisters and I were obsessed. And I always dreamed of sharing the obsession with a cute, pink, sparkley little one of my own, but God had other plans.Now I spend my days being cajoled into playing with army or Star Wars figures–and loving every minute of it!
November 7th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Mary says:
My favorite childhood toy had to be Theodore B. Grumps. I found him atop a freeze in a grocery store while visiting my grandparent’s. He was mad cause his back side was cold and never got over it. I still have the silly old bear and he’s still miffed.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Lori says:
I loved my Barbies, Pound Puppy, Cabbage Patch Kid and teddy bear, but probably my most favorite toys and the ones we spent the most time with were our roller skates and bikes. The neighborhood girls would put on our roller skates and meet at someones house to skate around the garage to WHAM or Grease playing on the tape player. We spent countless hours roller skating and riding bikes and just playing outside. Such simple great memories.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Carly says:
Not sure I qualify for the give-away because I live in Canada, but my favourite toy as a child was my neighbourhood.
I grew up on small (24 homes) crescent with a lot of families with kids my age. My fondest memories are of playing hide and seek in the dusk and dark of summer nights. The one rule was that you could only hide in yards (front or back) of the kids who were playing that night.
We’d play for hours, until our Moms used the universal signal of your porch light turning on to let you know you had to go in for the night. Woe was the friend who’s light came on first, but they were quickly consoled by the rest of the lights coming on shortly after.
Little did we know that our Moms conspired to bring us all in around the same time every night, just to be fair. They’d get on the phone and call one another to figure out that night’s “curfew”.
Blessings,
Carly
November 7th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
d says:
One of my favorite toys was the cabbage patch dolls.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Deborah says:
I loved Legos.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Kathy says:
It has to be my “Charmin’ Chatty Cathy” with her glasses and blond hair…like mine!
November 7th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Dev says:
Brittany Bear was my favorite! I still have her too. Some things you just never get rid of no matter how old you are…
November 7th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Eternal Sunshine says:
My great-grandpa made me a doll cradle when I was little. I still have it.
Also, he made a complete (wood) bedroom set for my Barbie dolls, complete with Bed & Armoire…
November 7th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
desi says:
we didn’t have many toys. We played outside alot.ummmm..I had a Barbie head once (the kind you put makeup on) I liked that, until my brother threw it up into a tree!
My 3 yr old would love to do the Build a Bear thing!
November 7th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Krista says:
What? You would turn away free bison? That’s really sad.
We have a bison here at our house and he could use a buddy! 
My favorite toy… I had a lot of toys, but I don’t really remember a favorite. My favorites were books! Still are!
November 7th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Nikki says:
We have been loving the ‘classic’ lego set that my son received as a birthday gift last month. There are ideas and pictures to follow, but it still more than allows for his (or my!) creativity to come out, too.
I’d love to win the BAB gift card. I just promised my daughter that if she continues to get E (for excellent) on her conduct thru Christmas, that we’ll make a special trip to BAB.
Enjoy your weekend!
November 7th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Teresa says:
OK, I know this may sound nerdy, but my favorite toys were stationery products: paper, pencils, brand new crayons, markers. My mom says when we went to the grocery store, other kids hung out in the toy aisle. I always made a bee-line to the office products and school supplies. Thanks for the giveaway.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Bobbey says:
I still have my most favorite sweet sweet bunny. Yes, I’m an antique mommy myself but I do still have this tiny, flat, fur-all-rubbed-off, limp pink felted ears bunny none-the-less. She lives in my sock drawer and I run my hand across her whenever I see her emerging from the clean socks.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Abby says:
A stuffed Panda named Harley, he is now residing in my son’s room and has been loved on for 23 years now.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Occupation: Mommy says:
I loved Strawberry Shortcakes when I was little, and when I was older I loved my American Girl dolls.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Tina I says:
I can’t remember a specific toy but something I couldn’t part with was a small, round pillow my mom embroidered for me when I was 6. It was our ring bearer pillow at our wedding and has always had a home on my bed.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Nikki says:
I had a Little Critters house and all the animals that went with it… I loved it until my younger sister sat on it and it broke…. Then one by one the animals vanished! I would love a build a bear gift card as my daughter lovesss that store!
November 7th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Amy says:
My most favorite toy when I was little was my LiteBright. I would sneak out of bed at night and play with it in the dark! Oh, the patterns, faces, and scenes I would make with those little neon colored pegs! Great memories!
November 7th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
AZ Dog Mom says:
My favorite toy as a child as “Thumbie”, my Thumbelina doll ( http://www.rubylane.com/shops/charlottewebcollectibles/item/RL00480 ). She was live-size and made a crying noise when you laid her on her stomach. I carried that doll everywhere, and I mean everywhere. I had more clothing for her than I did for myself. I still have her (though she’s missing a few of her molded fingers due to a run in with a teething puppy).
I know my niece would love the Build-a-Bear gift certificate.
November 7th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Jackie Hall says:
A big humpty dumpty my mom had made for me…. i still have it… i passed it to my son when he was born… now he will be 17 next month… and hopefully we will continue to pass him to the next person in the family…. many years from now!
November 7th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Byranie says:
My Cabbage Patch dolls. They were like real children to me.
November 7th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Jenn G. says:
Oh my word. Sean and the “neckkid” moose are so very cute, but of course, he is so very cute without the moose…Let’s see, favorite toy…
Has to be my Jenny Doll. Was like a Barbie but smaller and more girl-like. I loved that little doll that I would play with on our green shag carpet rug in the living room. Wow…big memories just came flooding back!
Thanks!!
November 7th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
WeaselMomma says:
At least the picture is of him with a naked girl moose.
By all time favorite toy as a kid, brought the The Big Man in the Red Suit himself was A Care Bear ~ Good Luck Bear to be exact.
November 7th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Roxanne says:
My was a Tender Loving Baby that sneezed. My little girl plays with her now.
November 7th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Kim says:
I would love to win a “Build-a-Bear”! My little guy would love it too!
My favorite was a stuffed Holly Hobby Doll – that I still have in my trunk! I also loved playing with Litebright!
November 7th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
bonniebeth says:
I loved, Loved, LOVED my Thumbelina doll!!
November 7th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Cathy says:
One of my favorite toys was a tetherball
pole. I have fond memories of my playing with my grandmother and great aunts during the summers.
November 7th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Jennette says:
I always loved the toys that my parents made for me. My Dad’s shop was in the basement, and though we didn’t know exactly what was going on down there, for some reason the smell of sawdust always says Christmas to me. One year he made us a 3-room Barbie House–a living room, kitchen and bedroom–complete with handmade furniture that he made and my Mom upholstered. The bed had a canopy with a matching bedspread & pillows, and the dresssing table also had a matching skirt. We also got hand-knitted Barbie clothes. Do you know how small the stitches have to be on Barbie clothes?? I sure hope Santa appreciated all the help he got from my parents at Christmas time!
November 7th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Bethanne says:
My Mrs. Beasley doll was my fav back in the day (back in the old days – ugh).
Oh and here in Tennessee, it’s nekkid….no such thing as Naked here
November 7th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Yvonne says:
I really loved the “Beautiful Chrissy with the growing hair” doll. You pushed her belly button, and her hair grew – really long – like down to her ankles! It was the most beautiful hair, and I wanted that hair! Then, when you wanted it short again, you pressed a button on her back, and I think cranked her arm or something (I forget, because we never wanted it short) and it would all wind back in! Wow, I guess I just really dated myself….
November 7th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Lori says:
oh i loved my tonka power dumptruck and my tonka car carrier!! i was a tomboy so it’s a good thing i have twin boys b/c i would not know what to do with girly things! LOL.
November 7th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Stephanie says:
That’s a tough decision, but I would have to say my Cabbage Patch dolls. They were my babies. I loved them.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
rj-tx says:
My favorite was my doll, Debbie. She came in a beautiful dress and my Mom made her several more outfits. Oh, how I loved Debbie!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Cheryl says:
Both my boys absolutely LOVE Build a Bear! And me? I loved my Chrissy doll. And my Mrs. Beasley. And I still have both of them to this day.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Thatchermom says:
My favorite was a little stuffed dog I called “Poochie.” My one year old was toting him around earlier today!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Jackie R. says:
My favorite toys growing up were my Cabbage Patch dolls. I had 10 of them! (I’m hoping that I win, because not two minutes ago I was on the Build a Bear website!)
November 7th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Jamy says:
#1) My my little ponies
#2) My doll named Crystal
Can’t beat childhood toys. I still have all my favorites!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Stephanie says:
I used to have a big, floppy baby doll with a bald rubber head with rubber hands and stuffed terrycloth body. Jackie was given to me when my little brother was born–in 1954. I was 3 years old and I had that doll until after we got married. I’m thinking he/she (never did know the gender) was left in a trunk my husband left behind at a house we moved from in 1975. By then, Jackie had lost all its stuffing and was only stained pilled terrycloth with dirty face and hands, which is probably why hubby left him/her.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Meg says:
Different ages, different loves…but a couple major ones come to mind as I’m reading through these many comments. My Kimberly doll who had matching outfits to mine, including skates, and my mom made them all! Plus my cardboard Barbie house which she decorated with real wallpaper, crocheted rugs, sewed curtains, cut out mirrors from magazines, etc… These are gifts of love! My daughter will meet Kimberly someday, but she’s only three and will be much better off with a Build-A-Bear for now.
)
November 7th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Jenn says:
Lincoln Logs…the real ones, wooden not plastic.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Abbi says:
My favorites were always baby dolls. And their accessories. I loved them, and I still love playing dolls with my girls.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Ross says:
My Mom came home one day with a dozen sock monkeys that a lady at work made, and she wanted me to pick one. They were all distinctly different. I couldn’t choose one, so she bought all 12 of them for me. I carried them around in a paper bag nearly everywhere I went.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Sarah says:
My favorite toy was my Cabbage Patch Dolls, by far!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Beck says:
My favorite childhood toy was a lovely black-haired baby doll named Cathy. I wonder where she got to?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Mary Beth says:
I would have to say a Willie Talk Ventriloquist doll was my favorite toy. I had an accident and sustained a broken jaw. My parents were very thoughtful to purchase this little fella, knowing it would be a long 6 weeks with my jaw wired together. He really did help to pass the time, and I continued to love him long after I had healed.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Lesley says:
I had a little jack in the beanstalk stuffed doll that had to the story book sewn right on his shirt. I can still see it in my mind.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Carrie says:
I loved the Simon! And I would love to win a build a bear gift card! Thanks!
November 7th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Emily says:
My first thought was–my sister. We were very close in age and everything else. But I suppose I should choose a real toy. Hmmm… It would have to be a delightful little cloth elfin house made to look like a hollow log that my daughter now gets to play with (although I’ve put the little squirrels I had away for safe-keeping since they’ve aged more than the house, and I’ve gotten her some Calico Critters to inhabit the lovely place).
November 7th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Lisa says:
I loved my Barbie dolls and my sit and spin.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Sarah says:
My Lite Bright (I think that was what it was called, my memory is getting foggy…
November 8th, 2008 at 12:13 am
kiy says:
The Happy Family. Wow, did I just date myself? I had the little house too. I wish I still had them to hand down to my little gal.
Thanks for reminding me about them!
Kiy
November 8th, 2008 at 12:40 am
alayna says:
I was a Barbie girl myself. But I always made them families and spent hours making up elaborate stories about them. When I outgrew the Barbies I just moved to spiral notebooks and started writing them all down!
November 8th, 2008 at 12:43 am
WendyLou says:
Mine would have to be Dumpy. That’s Humpty Dumpty to you, but Dumpy to me. He was a big stuffed oblong shape about 12″ long. His top half was white, like all good eggs of course, with blue eyes and a sly little smile. His bottom half was red & white stripes. His arms and legs were just cloth — no stuffing. I cried on Dumpy alot, and his arms were just perfect for wiping tears. I traded my sister my Henry dog for him … she still has Henry.
November 8th, 2008 at 1:26 am
Jennifer says:
I really wish I had thought of Build-A-Bear. Genius.
I was big into Barbies so my favorite was Barbie pink corvette. All my friends wanted it.
November 8th, 2008 at 1:27 am
Christi says:
My daugher has had a Marine Corps build a bear since before she was born! I would love to update it since her daddy is now out of the Marines!
And as a child my favorite toy was a pink teddy bear (that I still have, though he has long since faded to white and is missing a nose!) named Teddy!
November 8th, 2008 at 2:17 am
Jackie @ Our Moments Our Memories says:
I don’t know if it can be classified as a toy, but I loved the old upright piano my parents bought for us. I still love to play it whenever I get back home about once a year.
November 8th, 2008 at 3:08 am
Amy F. says:
What a great giveaway! My girls love Build-a-Bear, and my 18 month old son is always taking their bears, so I should probably get him one of his own this Christmas.
My favorite childhood toy was my two identical stuffed puppies from the Avon catalog. I named them Pup-Pup and PJ (for Pup-Pup Jr, of course). I still have them and every once in a while I let my girls play with them.
November 8th, 2008 at 4:09 am
Lucy says:
Don’t enter me. A little girl I know showed me her teddy, it was most beautifully dressed, with trousers made so its tail could stick out. I remarked on it and she told me her Daddy had a tail, wasn’t sure where to look as he was standing in front of me.
November 8th, 2008 at 7:06 am
Jennifer C says:
I loved Barbies as a kid…spent hours dressing them up, fixing their hair, arranging their house, etc. FUN!
Holly and Hal are so CUTE! We have a dog from Build-a-Bear that my son named Elvis. Elvis has a shirt, hat and even a leash.
November 8th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Jennifer says:
My favorite childhood toy was my Barbie Dream House! My parents & grandpa chipped in to get it for me as my parents alone couldn’t afford it. Believe me it was a little girls dream to see that on Christmas morning. Now I have it for my 2 girls to play with!!
November 8th, 2008 at 10:10 am
BrendaS says:
I loved my Chatty Cathy…who I still have, by the way…and I’m in the antique mommy category too!!!! CC has since gotten a bit ‘husky’ and ‘speaks in tongues’, I like to say, when you pull her string…without the interpreter! I believe she might have a some internal issues! I have a whole wardrobe of homemade clothes for her too that my parents made.
My daughter SOOOO wants a build-a-bear this Christmas! She’d love the GC!
November 8th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Jody says:
By far………my Barbie townhouse and RV!
November 8th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Tina Benitez says:
My favorite toy was a pair of roller skates. I loved roller skating when I was a kid and had the scabbed up knees to prove it.
November 8th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Jane says:
The Spirograph was great. After that, I think the Light Brite was my favorite.
November 8th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
k&c's mom says:
My first Barbie. Which was actually THE first Barbie and would probably be work a gazillion dollars now if my big brothers had not tied her to a tree and had target practice on her blond pony-tailed beauty with their Red Ryder BB Guns. Didn’t put her eye out, but messed up her black mermaid dress she was supposed to wear and sing in front of her microphone.
November 8th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
~Mad says:
I had a life-size baby doll that I wanted and wanted and wanted – and finally she was mine!
I still have her – she sits in a little woven rocking chair made by my great uncle (I think).
I don’t seem to remember her name tho – I’m 57 – that was a long time ago!
~Mad(elyn) in Alabama
http://www.xanga.com/madewyn
November 8th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
MrsNehemiah says:
wow! lots of comments.
My favorite toys during my childhood were my pearl handled “pony boy” cap pistols.
) furiously clicking both pistols (no $ for caps)
I would ride my pony at full tilt around the house (no helmets by the way
capture the invisible bank robbers and lock them in the grain bin.
Mrs Nehemiah
November 8th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Andrea says:
My favorite toy was my rainbow bike with colored spokes and streamers on the handles.
November 8th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
ruth ann says:
I loved my Dressy Bessy doll. My brother called her Messy Bessy – the cause of endless fighting!
November 8th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Julie says:
I loved playing Barbies with the neighbor girls. My poor brother was forced to play with us, too.
November 8th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Sharon says:
I loved my Chatty Cathy, even though she stopped talking on Christmas Day. My engineer father tried in vain to fix her, and she never talked again. I also loved my skates that attached to my tennis shoes and required a skate key. I still remember skating around with the mailman as he made his rounds in our neighborhood.
November 8th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Teresa says:
My favorite toy was a LIGHT BRIGHT. The little colorful plastic pegs that you punched into the backlit board always got ground into my burnt orange shag carpet. That dorve my mother insane.
Now I have a five year old that would pee her pants to go to Build-A-Bear!
Fingers crossed….
November 8th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Sandra says:
My favorite childhood toy was a Toni doll.
She was beautiful with long brown hair, and you could really give her a Toni permanent wave. Probably not many of you remember Toni home permanents.
November 8th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Lela says:
It would have to be Barbie and all her friends. They had a great little 3 story house with an elevator, and a super cool corvette car. They provided hours of fun…
November 8th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Tara says:
When I was a baby my grandpa bought me a rag doll named Annabelle. I am 32, have just moved into my 4th grown up house and have just unpacked her.
November 8th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Candace Ezell says:
My Annie Doll, from the Orphane Annie Movie. And my barbies.
November 8th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Adrian says:
I had these tiles from Tupperware. They had a flat grid and you could put little colored pieces on them to make pictures. I just loved them and I would play with them for hours until I could get the design just right!
For my boys it’s Nerf guns. That’s the one toy that has held it’s popularity over the years.
November 9th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Sue says:
I’ve already commented, but had to comment on how enjoyable it’s been to read these comments and remember some of those wonderful toys or times for me, too, and for my children. Yes, sidewalk roller skates were great– had to get the key to loosen them to put them on or off, I believe. Thanks for answering about why companies give you things to give away. No way am I trying to write to win things– I don’t even have a blog! Love reading yours, tho!
November 9th, 2008 at 2:13 am
Trisha says:
Sunshine Family Treehouse. I always dreamed of a dollhouse, but this was the closest I had to it. I loved making dishes, tablecloths, etc. Now I love buying dishes, tablecloths, etc!
November 9th, 2008 at 3:11 am
Lysa TerKeurst says:
Hands down… it was my Donny and Marie Osmond record player.
Oh my… the memories!
November 9th, 2008 at 8:14 am
chaotic joy says:
Oh I love the moose! It is moose in plural right? Mooses? Meece?
My favorite toy was this ratty yellow bear I named fluffy. I had it my whole life and slept with it until I left my parents house. Many teenage heartbreak tears were cried into that thing. It was disgusting.
November 9th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Johna says:
Easy one – My Mrs. Beasly doll. I still have her. She was my closest friend, I shared all my secrets with her. What sweet memories.
November 9th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
denise says:
My favorite was a doll that my mom still refers to as “Soft Tina”. I don’t recall the brand name as well as she does, but still fondly remember that doll and how much I loved her. She came with a tub, a tiny bar of Ivory soap, and a wash cloth. I can still smell her in my memory!
November 9th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Kelly S says:
My favorite childhood toy was floppy cat. He was a big orange stuffed animal that just, well, flopped. My son sleeps with him when we visit Nana.
November 9th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Anna says:
My favorite toy would have been my Teddy Bear Ruggles. My parents bought one for both my sister and I when we were in New York from FAO Schwarz. He literally went everywhere with me including my honeymoon
but he did stay in the suitcase!
I was so excited when my Mom found another Ruggles at a specialty shop when our oldest was born
November 9th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Nancy says:
mine was the Sunshine Family dollhouse, my best friend and i made them clothes. and my dd is big Build-a-Bear fan.
November 9th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
erin says:
My mom made me some dollhouses, and I played for hours with them and Sylvanian animals.
November 9th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Mandy says:
Baby Rosebud. I had just gotten her for Christmas and then our house was burned in Feb. I loved her and her beautiful stroller. My step father bought me another one when he and my mother married the following year, but it just wasn’t the same as the one Santa left for me.
November 9th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Valerie says:
A Bugs Bunny plush that when you pulled the string, he talked. Santa got him for me when I hadn’t EVEN asked for one. Oh how I loved that Bugs Bunny!
November 9th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Katharine says:
I had a cabbage patch doll named Susie. She got accidentally sold at the neighborhood yard sale.
November 9th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Lisa M says:
I loved my Mrs. Beasley Talking Doll From Family Affair, I carried that doll everywhere.
November 9th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Raelene says:
I had a Holly Hobby doll, that seemed to go where ever I did. But what I really wanted was an Easy Bake oven!!
November 9th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
June says:
Had to be my Barbies. I learned to sew by making clothes for all of my Barbies. I still have most of them and they are NOT in mint condition! But they were loved and well dressed.
November 10th, 2008 at 9:05 am
courtney says:
My American girl doll. Her name is Addy and I still change her clothes according to the season when I go home on breaks from college.
November 10th, 2008 at 10:43 am
amy says:
Her name was Sally. Black Sally, to be exact. She was an African American Cabbage Patch I found in our Small Town, Texas grocery store in the early 80′s. By the way, I’m not African American… GASP! She caused a lot of ruccous (sp?) at first, but everyone grew to love her as much as I did. As silly as this may sound, I think she actually improved “race relations” within our family via conversation and a little extra tolerance. I still love her.
November 10th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Jan says:
I spent most of my time outside playing “house” using the trees to mark the “walls and doors.” But inside, my Barbie playhouse monopolized my attention. It’s been over 40 years, but none of the Barbie houses I’ve seen since have ever come close in my memory to MY Barbie playhouse–repeat NONE of them!
November 10th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Monica @ WriterChic says:
LiteBrite. Loved it!
November 10th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Alpaca Farmgirl says:
My favorite toy was my first doll. It was a Madame Alexander baby doll named “Baby” with a hard plastic head and a cloth body. Slept with it forever!
November 10th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Abby says:
I wanted a baby brother, I got a sister so Santa brought me a baby brother doll from Madame Alexander that I loved. Madame Alexander later discontinued the doll and my mom decided that it might become collectibe and it should be relegated to the shelf. I was sad, my daughter has no collectible dolls. I am still just a little bitter!
November 10th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
spiritmom says:
my light bright!! and i still have it!!
November 10th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Amy says:
One of my favorites was my Cabbage Patch doll. Of course I liked them when they were impossible to find and poor Dad had to order if from Germany!
He years later gave me the “birth certificate” all in german!
November 10th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
sara says:
Definitely Barbies were my favorite toy!
November 10th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
laura says:
my most memorable would have to be my little bear Mr.Kuma,i talked to himas if he were alive and i took him every where…that was until his nose popped off.after that i just sort of just began to grow out of him.
November 10th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Lisa says:
I loved my Holly Hobbie day & night doll!
November 10th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
pam says:
I had a beloved teddy bear, which just happens to be curled up in bed with my two year old as I type.
November 10th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Dawn Paradise says:
Gotta say, I was really into Cabbage Patch dolls! I was doubly (really triply) blessed that the year I asked for one, my mom told both sets of grands. One gave me “Margaret”, and the othr gave me “joe” and “Joesphine” twins. I admit I still have them and hope o pass them on to a daughter (or possibly a granddaughter the way things are going- all boys- no interest…they don’t have wheels or carry sufficient amounts of dirt to be interesting;-)
November 10th, 2008 at 9:40 pm