Imagine: it's Christmas morning — you've been hoping, praying, and wishing to get the toy of your dreams for months, and the time has finally come. You run to the tree in anticipation that it's there and shake every box until you find the present you've been longing for. You pick which one you think it might be and plead with your parents to unwrap it. In the midst of wrapping paper being strewn about, you catch a glimpse of just what you had wished for — the toy of your dreams.
Almost everyone has had that one present from a Christmas long, long ago that stood the test of time as the best gift they've ever received. Lengthy letters were written to Santa with information about the exact make and model of the toy they wanted, while others slyly brought it up to their parents while commercials for it flashed across the TV screen. No matter when you grew up or what toy you got, you can probably still remember the joy you felt when you finally got your longed-for gift.
The editors at POPSUGAR can relate and have shared some of their favourite presents they've gotten during the holiday season. From a Happenin' Hair Barbie for the scientist to a My Twinn Doll for the fraternal twin, these gifts will go down in history as the most thoughtful, exciting, and nostalgic presents of all. Keep reading to see what gifts captured our holiday-loving hearts.
"Having a twin sister is cool and all, but having a doll that looked identical to me was even better. When My Twinn Dolls came out in the early 2000s, my parents thought it would be ironic to get my twin sister and me dolls that looked like us, because, well, we looked nothing like each other (that's fraternal twins for ya). I soon became obsessed with my mini me and took her everywhere I went, dressed her to match me, and thoroughly enjoyed having a twin that actually resembled me. Having such a personalized and thoughtful present made My Twinn Doll the best gift of them all." — Lauren Harano, editorial assistant, Growth and Strategic Features
"Like many other children of the '90s and '00s, I was absolutely obsessed with Pokémon, so unwrapping a real Pokédex on Christmas was next-level cool. I cherished this Pokédex like no other gift, used it throughout the years, and still have it to this day. Truthfully, I don't think my parents had any idea of what they were buying me, they just saw the word 'Pokémon' and figured I would like it. Good intuition!" — Nora Smith, senior social media and partnerships coordinator
"A lot of my childhood can be measured out by which toy I would carry around the house with me or insist on playing with as soon as I got home from school, but one of my favourites that I still remember is this Barbie whose hair changed colour with water. She came with floral stencils that I never quite aligned perfectly but that I loved because they made me feel like a celebrity hairstylist (and a little bit like a wizard). I also had a Polly Pocket around the same time whose hair changed colour depending on whether it was wet with warm or cold water, so maybe toys like these just appealed to my inner scientist. Either way, these dolls were often the highlight of my summer holidays in elementary school, and I would love to go back in time for a few minutes just to experience the magic of seeing Barbie's hair change from blond to pink for the first time all over again." — Chanel Vargas, editorial assistant, Trending and Viral Features
