BY REBECCA SPARROW.
Santa and I had a falling out when I was about four. Not that I want to sound bitter. Okay, I’m a bit bitter. And it was all because of Baby Alive. She was the Tickle Me Elmo of the 70s. She ate! She wee’d! She pooed! She was a triple threat and every little girl in the 70s wanted one. (Yes they did. I have spoken to every little girl who was alive in the 70s and they all agreed they wanted one. So shut up).
So from October to December I prayed to Santa every night for him to pleeeeeease bring me a Baby Alive on Christmas Eve. (In hindsight, it’s entirely possible I thought Santa and God were interchangeable … ). But I digress, Christmas came and “Santa” bought me a plastic doll with red curly hair that looked oh, not unlike Ronald McDonald. (You picturing this? Ronald McDonald’s head on a baby doll’s body.)
A few months later for my birthday I finally received my very own Baby Alive. Naturally, I was bored with her within weeks. Welcome to childhood.
But while I may have received a Baby Alive, there were a few other 70s toys I desperately wanted and never got. Like ….
A Barbie Campervan: Let’s be honest, Barbie doesn’t camp. You know that and I know that. But still it’s good to have a campervan just in case you decide your Dream House and your townhouse aren’t comfortable enough and you’d rather sleep in a bed where your face is 2 cm from the ceiling. And use a portaloo every morning (actually, Barbie doesn’t have a va-jayjay, so she can turn the portaloo into a walk-in-wardrobe). OR Barbie could turn the Campervan into a crystal meth cookhouse like they do on Breaking Bad. So. Many. Options.
A Family Treehouse: It’s a house in a tree with little people living it it. A bit like that guy living in that tree in Maleny. Okay, not really.
A Viewfinder: This was both cool and stupid. It was like being trapped in your very own slide night. Gimme.
Mousetrap: I don’t remember much about this kids game but clearly it had a mouse. And a trap. In hindsight, it’s not sounding that appealing but I’m sure the eight-year-old me totally deserved it. That’s the year Santa gave me a Slinky instead. Bastard.
So over to you, what childhood toy did you always want? And if you eventually got it, did it live up to expectations?
Top Comments
Delayed reax but I've only just read this post and I'm cracking up. I wanted absolutely everything on your list, Bec, along with most of the other things listed. Gosh I was hard done by! No one seemed to mention Fuzzy Pumper!! (Frightful name!) Remember the play dough hair dressing salon? Classic. Of course I'm reliving my 'neglected' childhood through my kids, but they're just not that into toysm(phew). Have you done a post on clothes we wanted but never got? I wanted Smile Jeans, Campus sneakers and Adidas Enforcer track pants, a rah rah skirt and one of those wide black elastic belts with the silver press studs. No chance.
Yes! The Barbie campervan! But the mid-90s version which was pinker and more circular. The year I didn't receive that for Christmas was the year I figured out Santa wasn't real because if he was he would have known it was the only thing I wanted. Still tears me up inside... ;)