My first year working in retail was 1983. It was the year that those ugly little monsters commonly known as Cabbage Patch Dolls were first available for general distribution. Our store manager often asked some of us – whether we worked in toys or not, but it was completely voluntary – to come in at 3 in the morning to literally rebuild the toy department. People were so violent that shelves were torn down!
It was so bad that my husband made extra money hiring himself as a personal guard, walking people from the door of the store to their cars with those stupid dolls.
To this day, I can’t stand the sight of those horrid little creatures, and won’t have one in our home. Thankfully people have respected that & not bought them for our daughters (who don’t like them anyway).
I remember a friend several years ago whose little girl still believed in Santa and wanted something that was popular at the time. He and his wife couldn’t find it and didn’t want to spend that much anyway, so they bought what they thought was an acceptable substitute. On Christmas morning their little girl opened the package and said “well, I guess I wasn’t a good enough girl this year and some other little girl got my [whatever it was].” He said they felt like the worst parents in the world.
Somewhere, I have a photo of my daugfhter’s elementary school holiday program where every little girl brought her Cabbage Patch Doll. It was adorable! The dolls as diverse in looks as the actual children. It was a fun fad and I still have two preemies in an antique doll bed in our guest room.
Yerp. I got the winchester rifle that was broken, it wouldn’t fire the caps. That must have neen “good enough” for me. They probably went to one store and bought the last one, in the opened box. I got it with a ribbon on it.I never believed, but my brithers did. When the rotten kids up the street, who lived in a rougher house than ours, got new bikes and scooters and motorized planes and cars and we got clothes we wouldn’t wear and wooden blocks for our presents, we knew we were second class and not cared for.
Sadly, it was true. My parents thought we were crazy when we bought our kids things they wanted for Christmas.
Every Christmas, my parents left one “big” present unwrapped for each of us so we would leave them alone until they got up. One year, the thing I wanted the most was a huge kit of mixes for my Easy Bake oven. I knew just what it would look like, and when I got to the living room IT WASN’T THERE! I was so disappointed that I went back to bed and pretty much refused to get up. My mom forced the issue, and I got up and grudgingly went out to open the rest of my presents (mostly clothes). Lo and behold, the kit came in a box that was very different than what I had imagined, and it had been under the tree all along. It had been wrapped because it was in a plain brown box. I learned a few lessons that Christmas about assumptions and greed.
Both my parents worked and worked hard to provide for my brother and myself. I’m not sure we really appreciated how much sacrifice they made until we were older. But I remember that , even when we were very little, and Mom gave us the money, we were expected to buy Christmas presents for each other and for Grandparents, and certain relatives. It might be only a tube of lipstick or nailpolish bought at Woolworths or a tie at Kresge’s but I know how much love and care went into the selection and how pleased the recipient was because we picked it out ourselves, for them. It taught us very early on that Christmas was for giving, more than receiving.
As an adult, I went through some times where money was tight ( or non-existent ) and I made Christmas presents for my friends and family. That homemade Kahlua in a unique bottle or stained glass candle holder was as appreciated ( I think ) as any store bought gift.
The greatest present I will get this Christmas, is the delighted smiles from my grandkids,wife, and family, as they open their presents ( humble though they may be ) that I’ve placed under our tree. I will think of my Mom & Dad and how they enjoyed watching my brother and me tear through the wrappings. And I’ll remember how expectantly I awaited their reaction, as they opened my crudely wrapped little presents to them.
I got my daughter a Cabbage Patch doll….. only it turned out to be bogus filled basically with flamable stuffing. I had to tear it apart and restuff it with a nonflamable fill and sew it up again.
I got my daughter a Cabbage Patch doll….. only it turned out to be bogus filled basically with flamable stuffing. I had to tear it apart and restuff it with a nonflamable fill and sew it up again.
Templo S.U.D. over 8 years ago
Refuse to degrade yourself, huh?
Wren Fahel over 8 years ago
My first year working in retail was 1983. It was the year that those ugly little monsters commonly known as Cabbage Patch Dolls were first available for general distribution. Our store manager often asked some of us – whether we worked in toys or not, but it was completely voluntary – to come in at 3 in the morning to literally rebuild the toy department. People were so violent that shelves were torn down!
It was so bad that my husband made extra money hiring himself as a personal guard, walking people from the door of the store to their cars with those stupid dolls.
To this day, I can’t stand the sight of those horrid little creatures, and won’t have one in our home. Thankfully people have respected that & not bought them for our daughters (who don’t like them anyway).
NeedaChuckle Premium Member over 8 years ago
Been there. Remember standing in a roped off line. As soon as doors opened the ropes came down in the stampede.
Deezlebird over 8 years ago
I remember a friend several years ago whose little girl still believed in Santa and wanted something that was popular at the time. He and his wife couldn’t find it and didn’t want to spend that much anyway, so they bought what they thought was an acceptable substitute. On Christmas morning their little girl opened the package and said “well, I guess I wasn’t a good enough girl this year and some other little girl got my [whatever it was].” He said they felt like the worst parents in the world.
kab2rb over 8 years ago
Wonder worth the fight over a certain man made doll. My parents never did that for sibling and I.
Nicole ♫ ⊱✿ ◕‿◕✿⊰♫ Premium Member over 8 years ago
Maybe I’m just dense today but, wouldn’t the first person be the first person in line…the one closest to him?
LuvThemPluggers over 8 years ago
Somewhere, I have a photo of my daugfhter’s elementary school holiday program where every little girl brought her Cabbage Patch Doll. It was adorable! The dolls as diverse in looks as the actual children. It was a fun fad and I still have two preemies in an antique doll bed in our guest room.
route66paul over 8 years ago
Yerp. I got the winchester rifle that was broken, it wouldn’t fire the caps. That must have neen “good enough” for me. They probably went to one store and bought the last one, in the opened box. I got it with a ribbon on it.I never believed, but my brithers did. When the rotten kids up the street, who lived in a rougher house than ours, got new bikes and scooters and motorized planes and cars and we got clothes we wouldn’t wear and wooden blocks for our presents, we knew we were second class and not cared for.
Sadly, it was true. My parents thought we were crazy when we bought our kids things they wanted for Christmas.
JanLC over 8 years ago
Every Christmas, my parents left one “big” present unwrapped for each of us so we would leave them alone until they got up. One year, the thing I wanted the most was a huge kit of mixes for my Easy Bake oven. I knew just what it would look like, and when I got to the living room IT WASN’T THERE! I was so disappointed that I went back to bed and pretty much refused to get up. My mom forced the issue, and I got up and grudgingly went out to open the rest of my presents (mostly clothes). Lo and behold, the kit came in a box that was very different than what I had imagined, and it had been under the tree all along. It had been wrapped because it was in a plain brown box. I learned a few lessons that Christmas about assumptions and greed.
Linguist over 8 years ago
Both my parents worked and worked hard to provide for my brother and myself. I’m not sure we really appreciated how much sacrifice they made until we were older. But I remember that , even when we were very little, and Mom gave us the money, we were expected to buy Christmas presents for each other and for Grandparents, and certain relatives. It might be only a tube of lipstick or nailpolish bought at Woolworths or a tie at Kresge’s but I know how much love and care went into the selection and how pleased the recipient was because we picked it out ourselves, for them. It taught us very early on that Christmas was for giving, more than receiving.
As an adult, I went through some times where money was tight ( or non-existent ) and I made Christmas presents for my friends and family. That homemade Kahlua in a unique bottle or stained glass candle holder was as appreciated ( I think ) as any store bought gift.
The greatest present I will get this Christmas, is the delighted smiles from my grandkids,wife, and family, as they open their presents ( humble though they may be ) that I’ve placed under our tree. I will think of my Mom & Dad and how they enjoyed watching my brother and me tear through the wrappings. And I’ll remember how expectantly I awaited their reaction, as they opened my crudely wrapped little presents to them.
rekam Premium Member over 8 years ago
Since he lives in his own little world, he probably doesn’t know. I’ve learned to just skip over his diatribes.
samsoltan_48323 over 8 years ago
I got my daughter a Cabbage Patch doll….. only it turned out to be bogus filled basically with flamable stuffing. I had to tear it apart and restuff it with a nonflamable fill and sew it up again.
samsoltan_48323 over 8 years ago
I got my daughter a Cabbage Patch doll….. only it turned out to be bogus filled basically with flamable stuffing. I had to tear it apart and restuff it with a nonflamable fill and sew it up again.
Jim Kerner over 8 years ago
The same way us Americans went crazy for Beanie Babies, Cabbage Patch Kids, Tickle Me Elmo. Need I go on? Hmmmm?