Classic ideas for Christmas: Most popular vintage toys

Cabbage+Patch+Dolls+were+all+the+rage+when+they+arrived.

Courtesy of Vicky Loras, Flickr

Cabbage Patch Dolls were all the rage when they arrived.

Katherine Holland, Staff Writer

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Need an original idea for Christmas? How about a classic! Here is a list of the most popular toys from recent decades, all of which can still be found if you’re willing to search.

  • Furby

Tiger Electronics first released the Furby in 1998. Its highest-earning year of sales was in 1999, with over 14 million Furby’s flying off of the shelves. Unfortunately, the original Furby is no longer in production, but you can still get them on sites like eBay or knockoff brands.

  • Barbie Doll

Mattel’s oh-so-famous Barbie doll came out in 1959 and continues to be one of the most beloved and well-known toys on the market today. Over a billion dolls have been bought in the last eight decades, and the company expects there to be yet another surge in sales in the coming quinquennium.

  • Rubik’s Cube

The Rubik’s Cube was originally released by Hungarian design professor Erno Rubik under the name of the Magic Cube in 1974. A fantastic puzzle for people of all ages, it makes sense that this is the best-selling toy of all time, with over 450 million having been sold worldwide.

  • Cabbage Patch Kids

Cabbage patch kids made their first appearance on the shelves in 1982 and immediately gained traction. Their most popular year was 1983, and during the holiday season there were many records of fights over the dolls having to be broken up by store staff and sometimes even police.

  • Nintendo Switch

With a newer spin on things, the Nintendo Switch took the gaming world by storm in 2017. They continue to be widely popular for its portability, wide variety of games, and its easy use for multiplayer games.

  • Tamagotchi

An oldie but a goodie. Tamagotchi’s are handheld virtual pets originally released in Japan in 1996. They were popular in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Over 83 million have been sold all over the world and that number continues to grow, as in early 2022 they released a new wave of different styles.