Some Christmas gifts totally took over the year. Or even the decade. They were on every wishlist, and everyone had to have them. From Barbie dolls to legos, these gifts are snapshots of American culture. Here’s a look at the biggest Christmas gifts of each decade that had everyone talking!
1920s- The Yo-yo
First up on our list of the biggest Christmas gifts of each decade is the 1920s. Kids back then begged Santa for Radio Flyer wagons, Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, and the latest craze—the yo-yo.
Pedro Flores, who moved to the US from the Philippines, started making these simple wooden toys in 1928. While kids in the Philippines had played with yo-yos for generations, most Americans had never seen anything like it. Flores traveled to department stores showing off moves like “walking the dog” and “around the world,” drawing huge crowds of amazed shoppers.
Later, business mogul Donald Duncan bought Flores’ company. That decade, parents bought Duncan yo-yos for their kids’ Christmas stockings, making it the hottest toy of the decade.
1930s- Monopoly
Moving into the 1930s, Christmas looked very different as families struggled through the Great Depression. While store shelves displayed fancy toys like Shirley Temple dolls, most kids found simpler toys in their stockings.
Parents had to get creative, making homemade toys from whatever they could find. One of the biggest toys from the decade, though, was actually Monopoly. It gave families an escape from their money troubles through play. But for most families, Christmas morning meant handmade gifts made with love and requiring some imagination.
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1940s- The Slinky
Again, coinciding with current events and World War II, many kids asked Santa for toy soldiers and cap guns. But this simple metal spring that walked downstairs became the surprise hit of the decade. The Slinky took over Christmas wishlists across America.
When it hit Gimbels Department Store shelves in Philadelphia just before Christmas 1945, priced at just $1, kids and parents alike couldn’t resist the metal coil. Parents also loved the affordable price, especially since money was still tight after the war. The metal coil might not have been flashy, but watching it flip down steps entertained children for hours.
1950s- Barbie
Next on our list of Christmas gifts of each decade is the 1950s, when Barbie changed dolls forever. During this decade, other dolls like Mr. Potato Head were also quite popular, but Barbie changed the game.
In 1959, when Barbie hit the shelves, she looked different from any other doll kids had seen before. She was a teenager. She had her own style. And she could have a career. That first Christmas, stores couldn’t stock Barbies fast enough. Parents paid $3 for each doll (pretty expensive for the time), but girls had to have her.
While other dolls were just babies you had to care for, Barbie was different. She could be anything, and that’s exactly why she topped every girl’s Christmas list in 1959. More than 350,000 Barbies sold that first year, starting a craze that would last to this very day.
1960s- G.I. Joe and Easy-Bake Oven
In the 1960s, two very different toys battled it out for the spot of the hottest toy of the decade. First, Hasbro launched G.I. Joe in 1964, calling him an “action figure” to convince boys it wasn’t just a doll. Kids couldn’t resist the military hero with his weapons, vehicles, and gear. He was tough. He was cool. And at 11.5 inches tall, he was the perfect soldier for kids everywhere.
The same year, Kenner introduced the Easy-Bake Oven. It used a simple light bulb to bake real cakes and cookies. And parents also loved that it taught kids to follow directions. At $15.95, it cost more than G.I. Joe, but the promise of fresh-baked goods every time made it worth every penny.
Both toys flew off shelves so fast that stores struggled to keep them in stock, making them the must-have gifts of the decade.
1970s- Star Wars Everything!
Another one of the biggest Christmas gifts from the 1970s was Star Wars everything—from action figures to collectibles. When the movie was released in 1977, Kenner couldn’t get toys on shelves fast enough. Their solution was the “Early Bird Certificate Package“—literally an empty box with a promise to mail Star Wars figures after Christmas. But, somehow, it worked.
By Christmas 1978, the toys finally started appearing in the homes of kids everywhere. The Death Star playset became every kid’s dream gift, while action figures of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and the whole crew filled stockings across America.
1980s- Rubik’s Cube and Cabbage Patch Kids
Next, in the 1980s, two very different toys were driving parents crazy at Christmas time. The Rubik’s Cube kicked off the decade. While adults struggled to line up the colors, kids somehow figured it out in record time.
Later, nothing caused Christmas chaos quite like Cabbage Patch Kids in 1983. Parents literally fought in store aisles to get their hands on these “adoptable” dolls, each one supposedly unique with its own birth certificate. That year, Cabbage Patch Kids became nearly impossible to find. Christmas morning, millions of kids across America woke up to find their very own “adopted” doll under the tree, making all the holiday hassle worth it in the end.
1990s- Game Boy and Furbys
The 1990s brought gaming and virtual pets to the top of Christmas wishlists. This time, Nintendo’s Game Boy created a whole new way to play. It let kids take their favorite games like Tetris and Super Mario anywhere they wanted. At $89.99, it wasn’t cheap, but the tiny green screen kept kids entertained for hours.
Similarly, by 1998, Furby had also taken over as the holiday must-have. These fuzzy electronic pets blinked, moved, and spoke their own language, “Furbish.” Kids were convinced their Furbys got smarter each day, learning real English words between all their chatter.
Despite parents’ complaints about the $35 price tag and constant noise, watching their children bond with these strange little creatures made them one of the decade’s biggest Christmas gifts.
2000s- Nintendo Wii
During my childhood in the 2000s, the Nintendo Wii reinvented family time. Instead of sitting still with a controller, kids and parents jumped around their living rooms playing virtual tennis and bowling.
When it launched in 2006, stores couldn’t keep it in stock. Nobody had seen anything like it. And at a relatively affordable price, too. It was truly a video game system that got the whole family moving. I mean, even my video game-hating mom liked this one!
Even families who’d never touched a video game before found themselves creating silly Miis and competing in Wii Sports tournaments after dinner. The Wii turned video games into a family event, undoubtedly making it the decade’s most memorable holiday gift.
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2010s- iPad
Finishing off our list of the biggest Christmas gifts of each decade is the iPad in the 2010s. When Apple launched its tablet in 2010, it created a whole new category of must-have tech.
Kids begged for this device that could play games, watch videos, and do homework… or at least that’s how they convinced their parents. I remember spending countless hours playing Temple Run and Fruit Ninja on my iPad after receiving mine as a gift.
From drawing apps to e-books to Angry Birds, the iPad changed how everyone spent their holiday downtime. Even today, iPads are high on most kids’ Christmas wishlists, earning them the final spot on our list of the hottest toys of each decade.
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