Hot toys of Christmas past (and present too)

In the 1996 film, “Jingle All the Way,” Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as high-powered businessman Howard Langston who goes to all lengths to get his son the hottest toy of the year, Turbo Man. Langston finds himself on Christmas Eve going from store to store, competing with hundreds of other frenzied shoppers to come home with the action figure.

It sounds far-fetched, but every once in awhile a toy really does create near-hysteria–selling out at stores all over the country. Here are five of hottest selling Christmas toys in history.

Cabbage Patch Dolls

When you think over-the-top Christmas frenzy the original Cabbage Patch Doll comes to mind. The pudgy faced odd little dolls were created in 1983 and became so popular they led to fistfights in the aisles and black market prices ten times the retail price. The following Christmas the frenzy returned. These days you can find Cabbage Patch dolls (at reasonable prices) online and in stores.

Teddy Ruxpin

What was it about the mid 1980’s? Cabbage Patch madness had finally subsided when the talking bear Teddy Ruxpin appeared to assume the “Hot Christmas Toy” throne. Teddy was a home toy version of the animatronic dolls seen in theme parks and pizza parlors. Close to one million Teddy Ruxpins were sold in 1985 creating nationwide shortages.

Tickle Me Elmo

With its recognizable little giggle, the Tickle Me Elmo doll was the toy to have in 1996 and  is second only to Cabbage Patch in Christmas rush craziness. The Sesame Street-themed doll captured the nation’s attention and quickly sold out. Black market prices skyrocketed to 600 times the retail price. No one was giggling when fights broke out in stores as parents grabbed for an Elmo for their children.

Furby

This odd little electronic animal captivated buyers in 1998 and 1999. Like Teddy Ruxpin, the Furby talked to you, but most of the time you couldn’t understand what he was saying. That didn’t stop some 16 million units from being sold.

Fingerlings

While it’s far too early to say if Fingerlings will reach the levels of frenzy that other hot toys have reached. But 2017 appears to be their year. Fingerlings are robotic toys that clip to your fingers and respond to your movements. They sell for about 15 dollars at retailers around the country. But good luck finding them. Supplies at Toys R Us, Walmart and Target are either non-existent or extremely limited. Your best bet now is to pay more from third party sellers online. The running average is about $30 a piece. Are they worth it? Watch our video of a few kids testing them out. Will they like them or can we talk them into wanting an Eleanor Roosevelt puppet. (Seriously)

Here’s wishing parents good luck in finding just what their kids are looking for. If all else fails, everyone needs socks, right?