There are certain toys in America that families and hobbyists may remember as cult classics — toys that flew right off the shelves during the holiday shopping season.
Some of these high-demand toys have caused Black Friday mayhem, while others are simply timeless collector items.
Here are Christmas toy gifts that have been at the top of children’s wish lists for decades, according to James Zahn, editor-in-chief of “The Toy Book” and a senior editor at The Toy Insider.
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Read on to see if your favorites made the list!
Hasbro’s G.I. Joe and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
Before there were “G.I. Joe” movies, comics and shows, there were G.I. Joe action figures.
The military toy line got its start in 1964 through Hasbro.
The original action soldiers were marketed as “America’s movable fighting man,” which became a top pick for young boys and girls.
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“For nearly 60 years, G.I. Joe has been synonymous with action,” Zahn of Chicago told Fox News Digital. “The brand revolutionized the toy department — twice — coining the ‘action figure’ name as the first wave of 12-inch military figures hit stores in the 1960s, and again in 1982 when the brand was reinvented as a 3.75-inch line of action figures, vehicles and playsets supported by a hit cartoon and comic book series.”
Louis Marx Toy Co.’s The Original Big Wheel
In 1969, the Louis Marx Toy Company debuted The Original Big Wheel, a low-riding tricycle with a massive, 16-inch wheel. These tricycles were and continue to be popular among toddlers and young children under the age of 10.
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“The three-wheeled trike became a massive hit in the ’70s and inspired countless knockoffs and also-rans to the point that ‘big wheel’ became a catch-all term for any similar trike,” said Zahn.
“While The Original Big Wheel has changed hands many times over the years, it’s still sold today by a company called J. Lloyd International and has inspired a modern range of high-end ‘drift trikes’ enjoyed by kids and adults.”
Little Tikes’ Cozy Coupe
A decade after The Original Big Wheel, American children were pedaling along on a different kind of ride.
This time, it was the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe, which captured the hearts of kids, usually between the ages of one and five. Zahn said that the kid-powered car was manufactured in Ohio and quickly became an “American icon.”
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“Created by the late Jim Mariol — a former Chrysler designer — the Cozy Coupe features an unmistakable curved design and yellow and red color scheme that is instantly recognizable by kids and adults,” Zahn said.
“It’s a cross-generational toy that has evolved over the years with some modern flair, but at the end of the day, it’s still the same fun ride that kids have been rockin’ the neighborhood in for more than 40 years.”
Coleco’s Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids entered the American toy scene in 1982 through Coleco Industries, Inc. The line of plastic head and cloth body dolls were designed by toymaker Xavier Roberts, and it didn’t take long for this line to become “must-have holiday toys,” according to Zahn.
“Few toys have ever matched the gotta-have-it level of Cabbage Patch Kids to the point where nearly every single girl and boy had it on their holiday wish list,” Zahn said. “The Cabbage Patch Kids riots of 1983 had parents and grandparents literally fist-fighting one another for a shot at purchasing the dolls. The craze also really ignited the secondary market of scalpers and flippers as opportunists began selling Cabbage Patch Kids from the trunks of their cars.”
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“A decade later, the popularity of Cabbage Patch Kids largely inspired the plot of the holiday film, ‘Jingle All the Way,’” Zahn continued. “The license to make Cabbage Patch Kids has been granted to many companies since the ‘80s and is now held by Jazwares.”
TYCO’s Tickle Me Elmo
Sesame Street’s Elmo led to one of the most successful toy launches to date with Tyco Toys’ Tickle Me Elmo. The squeezable plush toy would talk, laugh and shake whenever kids pressed its button, which was located on the furry character’s belly.
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“When TYCO launched Tickle Me Elmo in the summer of ‘96, no one expected the little red Muppet to be such a hit,” Zahn told Fox News Digital.
Two-and-a-half year-old Nicholas Barrientos and his mother Kristine of Culver City, California, are seen checkinga out large Elmos sitting on a toy store counter while clerk rings up their Tickle Me Elmo in 1996. (Ken Lubas/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“By the time Black Friday rolled around, it was a different story, as shoppers from coast-to-coast stormed retailers as doors opened and practically trampled one another. Fights and injuries were reported throughout the holiday season as the supply was exhausted.”
Zahn added that Hasbro released a 25th anniversary “Tickliest Tickle Me Elmo” toy in 2021.
Star Wars action figures
The first “Star Wars”-inspired toy line was launched in 1978 by American toy company Kenner, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, following the success of the film franchise. (Debra L Rothenberg/Getty Images)
The first-ever toy inspired by the groundbreaking “Star Wars” franchise was released in 1978 by Kenner, a subsidiary of General Mills at the time, after Mego Corporation turned down both Lucas Films and 20th Century Fox.
After the film’s release in 1977, kids wanted toys to create a world with their favorite characters; yet the makers at Kenner did not have time to release a new product in time for Christmas, so they reportedly sold empty boxes to fans.
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“The Early Bird Certificate was a box containing a cardboard display stand featuring the characters from the film, stickers and a certificate for kids to mail away to Kenner to receive four figures in 1978: Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, Princess Leia and Chewbacca,” according to the tech blog Gizmodo.
“Kenner’s toyline was a smash success, making over $100 million in its first year alone — with demand often outstripping supply. Kenner’s toy line became the icon of the new era of 3.75″ figures,” the blog continued.
The iconic action figure line reportedly produced over 250 million “Star Wars” characters before it came to an end in 1985, following the decrease in sales.
Game Boy
The historic and on-the-go Game Boy by Nintendo, the video game company headquartered in Japan, changed the way kids could play video games. (Andrea Ronchini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Game Boy was first released in 1989. It changed the way video games could be played, especially since it was an on-the-go experience.
“Game Boy was not the first handheld gaming system, but it was certainly the most popular,” Drew Robarge, a museum specialist at the American History Museum, shared with Smithsonian Magazine. “There were others before it, but they were mostly one-function systems. Game Boy used interchangeable cartridges, like the home consoles, so you could play different games.”
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A few weeks after its release, the Game Boy had already sold one million units in America — and by the end of its lifespan, it had sold 120 million worldwide, the online magazine continued.
Throughout its 16-year franchise, the Game Boy went through a variety of iterations: Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Light, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Micro, along with a variety of accessories, the same source said.
Beanie Babies
Beanie Babies reportedly surpassed $1 billion in sales in 1998, only five years after the plush toy launched. (Tim Leedy/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)
A $5 plush toy, semi-filled with plastic beads, became a huge hit with children — and adults. Ty Inc. was founded in 1986 and released the iconic Beanie Babies seven years later in 1993.
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“By the mid-1990s, Beanie Babies became wildly popular, with special edition toys made in partnership with businesses like McDonald’s and Wrigley Field,” Time Magazine wrote.
In 1998, USA Weekend, a Virginia-based newspaper that stopped publication in 2014, created a poll that estimated at least 64% of Americans had a minimum of one Beanie Baby in their home. That same year, Ty Inc. surpassed $1 billion in sales.
Furby
The iconic Furby may have been discontinued in 2002, but in July 2023, Hasbro launched the new and improved Furby for the next generation to enjoy. (Matthew Fearn – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
Furbies took over the hype following the Beanie Babies craze. It dominated the late ’90s and early 2000s following its debut at the International Toy Fair in 1998.
“Furby became one of the toy world’s biggest launches, with over 40 million units sold globally in the first three years,” Forbes reported.
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Following its popularity, the Furby franchise was discontinued in 2002; but 25 years after its debut, the Furby has made a resurgence.
This past July, Hasbro released the new-and-improved Furby for a new generation of fans to enjoy.
America’s most-wanted toys have caused Black Friday mayhem, long lines of shoppers and today, some serious nostalgia. Is your favorite Christmas toy on this list of classics? (Getty Images)
“Following its craze-inducing launch in 1998, Furby has taken the world by storm, impacting every corner of the culture zeitgeist, from music to television and film,” Kristin McKay, vice president and general manager of Hasbro fashion and preschool, said in a press release.
“For the brand’s 25th anniversary, we wanted to ignite the same excitement for this new generation by harnessing Furby’s power of nostalgia while giving Gen Alpha everything they crave,” McKay added.
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