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| Only the best toy EVER! |
To those of you who have expressed concern that my previous post was about you, it wasn't! As far as I know, the person it was about has never read my blog. Most of my friends and family are very sensitive and would never say something like that. But we all know one or two people who seem to love putting their foot in their mouth. I'm sure the person who made the comment didn't mean any harm. She just wasn't thinking about the impact of her words.
In thinking about Christmas lately (I know, I get wayyyy too into holidays; I can't help it!), I've been thinking about Christmases from my childhood. I don't remember too many toys I asked for, though I'm sure I asked for many. But I do remember one year when I really really really really really wanted something SO BAD. Not getting it simply wasn't an option I was willing to face. That toy? A Cabbage Patch Kid.
What made the Cabbage Patch doll so amazing? Well, I'll tell you:
1. It came with its own birth certificate.
2. It had a tattoo on its butt of the name of its creator (which is kind of weird, in retrospect).
3. It was the cutest doll ever!!
4. TV told me I needed one.
I begged and begged for one that Christmas, when I was probably about seven years old. I clearly remember that Christmas morning, seeing the large wrapped box under the Christmas tree with my name on it. I remember thinking the gift looked to be the size of a Cabbage Patch Kid, but could it be!? And - because I can't keep you in suspense any longer, I'll tell you - it was. I was beyond thrilled! I simply couldn't believe my luck. A Cabbage Patch Kid of my own! I remember taking it to school after Christmas vacation, where the teacher had all of us line our Cabbage Patch dolls along the table in the back. They were glorious, sitting there all together, and I counted down the minutes to recess until we could reclaim our dolls and admire them together.
This year, on Black Friday, my sister Katherine and I went shopping together. As we were meandering through the crowded store, I came upon some Cabbage Patch Kids. I smelled them before I saw them. They have a very distinct powdery smell that, for me anyway, smells exactly like the 80's. I told Katherine to close her eyes and smell it. She was overcome with the same nostalgia as I. Neither of us bought one that night (even though they were on mega-sale), but we both regret it. Katherine still has her Cabbage Patch Kid from when she was a kid, but it is covered with liver-spot like dots now (they don't age well).
When talking about this with my mom recently, she told me that in order to fulfill my childhood Christmas wish, my dad had had to drive many towns over to find a Cabbage Patch doll for me, as they were out of stock nearly everywhere (they were hugely popular at the time). And not only that, but they were very expensive. Of course, as a child, I had no idea about any of this. I just knew I wanted one so bad! I'm grateful my parents went to so much trouble to make my silly childhood wish come true.
What was the one thing you had to have as a kid?
Happy Wednesday!
6 comments:
I remember those cabbage patch dolls!! I really wanted one too. I know the smell you speak of.
I also had to have a Mrs Beasley doll.
Oh! This post brings back so many good memories! Even those from just this past Black Friday.. sigh! Those Cabbage Patch Kids seriously did smell just like the '80s!! It was such a wonderful smell! It's also a real crying shame that my poor CPK from childhood had to go and get those weird spots on her head. What's that all about??
I don't remember much about things I was desperate for (except for, like, every toy I ever saw a commercial for...), but I do remember the Cabbage Patch Kids. I also remember that Dad went to great lengths (and possibly a store scuffle or two) to get me a Dakin teddy bear when I was 4 or 5. I love that teddy bear! Yes, present tense love, as I still have him! (:B <-That's supposed to be a teddy face...
I was wondering what you two were doing standing in that isle with your eyes closed sniffing the air!! Now it doesn't seem quite as strange.
I HAD to have the Barbie Dream House. My dad always came through!
Wonderful blog. I love that you are wayyyyy into the holidays. It keep ALL of us warm on these winter days that we're thirsting for sunlight.
If I remember right the year of the cabbage patch feel on the year my dad was unemployed over Christmas. My mother had someone make me, instead, a life-size (3 ft) doll with yarn hair. I'm grateful that I didn't get my wish, I still need to learn the lesson that you don't get everything you want, and it was a good start. Besides I LOVED it! It was my favorite Christmas ever. Thank you for bringing those memories freshly to my mind. What a joy!
One year, I wanted a Walkman. Not the really Sony Walkman, which I knew was too expensive to ask for, but a generic portable cassette player.
I saw my dad bring it in and hand it to my mom one evening. I even tried to find it in their closets to no avail.
I got it on the Christmas morning. It was good.
My parents brought my older sister and I each a Cabbage Patch doll home with them from the hospital, after Heidi was born. They told us she'd brought us presents, and after I puzzled over the question of how an infant bought dolls, I was absolutely enthralled. I freakin' LOVED my Cabbage Patch doll! Also, I'm laughing so hard about the liver spot comment.
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