Christmas is just two months away and millions of us are preparing for the annual festive frenzy round the shops.
According to retailers, the toy tipped for the top is the classic 1980s Cabbage Patch Kids doll. So, as you search for the perfect gift for your little one, why not take a moment to remember those toys you yearned for as a child?
We can all remember unwrapping that special present that made our yuletide dreams come true. And here we take a nostalgic look back at some of the Christmas bestsellers of yesteryear...
- Barbie, 1959<p> In its first year of production the iconic doll sold 350,000. Over a billion dolls have since been sold in 150 countries delighting kids at Christmas for over 50 years.</p> <p> </p>
- Action Man, 1966<p> Named Toy Of The Year, this macho figurine was a copy of the US version, G.I.Joe. The ultimate ‘doll for boys’ was so successful that it spawned a deluge of accessories down the years.</p> <p> </p>
- Stylophon, 1968<p> Made popular by crooner Rolf Harris, the mini, stylus operated synthesizer became a bizarre Christmas hit and went on to sell three million.</p> <p> </p>
- Space Hoppers, 1971<p> Those bouncy orange blobs didn’t do much, but they were the must have toy of the year and continue to be popular today.</p> <p> </p>
- Simon, 1978<p> The electronic game where you had to do what ‘Simon Says’ by repeating the sequence on the coloured buttons. It was addictive and so popular with children and adults alike that it sold out before Christmas. </p> <p> </p>
- Rubik's Cube, 1980<p> You felt like a genius if you could solve the puzzle with 43 trillion possible moves, and an idiot if you couldn’t. A festive smash in 1980 it sold 100 million in just two years.</p> <p> </p>
- BMX, 1982<p> We all wanted to be stunt riders with the newbicycle moto-cross. Great on tough terrain - we didn’t even mind that it had no gears. Then £49.99 – they now go for as little as 99p on eBay.</p> <p> </p>
- Transformers,1985<p> The vehicles that turned into robots swept the world after telly fame – with Optimus Prime the prize catch. The Hasbro toys clocked up a monster £60million in sales that year.</p> <p> </p>
- Sylvanian Families, 1987<p> The cute collectible plastic animal figures - grouped into families - were a global sensation. They’re recently become a hit again with Tesco selling 10,000 toys a week. </p> <p> </p>
- Ghostbusters Proton Pack, 1988<p> Following the success of the hit movie, children everywhere wanted a replica ‘proton pack’ under the tree - so they could do a spot of their own ghoul hunting.</p> <p> </p>
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 1990<p> Possibly the strangest superheroes in history. Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo and Raphael caused near riots in the shops thanks to the hit TV show and 1990 movie.</p> <p> </p>
- Nintendo Game Boy, 1991<p> The UK went console crazy as the Game Boy hit our shores. It cost £70, but despite a recession, it sold 30 million worldwide.</p> <p> </p>
- Thunderbirds Tracy Island, 1992<p> A re-run of the iconic 1960s TV show led to a Thunderbirds frenzy on the high street with Tracy Island models the most popular toy. Shortages meant Blue Peter even showed viewers how to make their own.</p> <p> </p>
- Power Rangers, 1994<p> When the figures from the TV series arrived in shops they were so popular that Toys R Us had to limit customers to one each.</p> <p> </p>
- Buzz Lightyear, 1996<p> Toy Story was the box office blockbuster of the year. Stores thought Woody would be the most popular figure but it was Buzz Lightyear who proved more popular with shops running out.</p> <p> </p>
- Tamagotchis , 1997<p> There were massive queues for these virtual pets as children tried to keep up with their friends in the playground. A staggering 40 million were sold. </p>
- Cabbage Patch Kids, 1983<p> The weird looking handmade dolls, which came with individual adoption papers, sparked even uglier rows as stores ran out in the run up to Christmas. They sold three million in the first 12 months, 20 million the following year and 120 million to date.</p> <p> </p>
