1980s Christmas Toys on the News!

I dug up some real treats for you tonight. Here are three ancient news reports about 1980s toy fads, all set at Christmastime. I live for this stuff!

This first video reminds us of the Cabbage Patch Kids craze, and the absurd lengths parents went to for ‘em.

While I was too young to pay much mind to the pandemonium, I do remember Toys “R” Us keeping the dolls in that weird “pen” near the front of the store. (The windowed room where they kept all of the super fancy stuff. Before Cabbage Patch Kids, it was unheard of to find such “cheap” toys in there.)

This next video has embedding disabled for whatever reason, so click here to watch it on YouTube.

It’s a strange bit about people protesting war toys — meaning G.I. Joe toys — starring a guy in a Santa Claus suit. It’s set in a department store that isn’t Sears but sure looks a lot like it. Judging by the toys on the shelves, I’m guessing this was shot in 1987. Look close and you’ll spot oodles of Real Ghostbusters figures!

Lastly (and on the lighter side) is this random spotlight on hot holiday toys, probably from 1985. So much great stuff, including shots of Thundercats and Masters of the Universe store displays!

These clips got to me in a big way. I wasn’t at all expecting to tear up over a rando in a Santa suit protesting Cobra Commander tonight, but here we are. Hope you enjoy ‘em as much as I did!