Guest Post: The Ultimate 80s Christmas List!

These days, it’s all about tablets, smartphones and  gaming consoles. 15 years ago, it was tamagotchis, Pokemon, and Beanie Babies...what about 25 years ago, in the days of yore?  What would have topped the Christmas gift lists of kids in the ‘80s?  Let’s take a look.

●    Super Mario Bros: Mario and Luigi are still popular today, but back in the 1980s, the two of them were revolutionizing video games!  In fact, pretty much anything to do with a Nintendo 64 would have made a pretty prime gift.

●    Cabbage Patch Kids: We have to say, it’s kind of hard to see the appeal of Cabbage Patch Kids nowadays.  But believe it or not, they used to be the hottest toys around -- Maybe it was their winsomely pudgy faces and sentimentally kitschy birth certificates.

●    Charm Necklaces: Charm necklaces had quite the heyday in the ‘80s.  Nowadays, when we think of charms, we think of delicate metal tchotchkes, but back then it was all about colorful plastic charms, along with colorfully chunky plastic necklaces.

●    Jelly Shoes: Okay, this trend has already come full circle.  They had quite the comeback, flying off the shelves of stores like Urban Outfitters a few years ago.  However, they were even more popular back in the ‘80s, and a lot of their popularity today stemmed from nostalgia.  Also notably popular: Jelly bracelets.

●    Transformers: another trend that’s come full-circle.  While it was the animated cartoon that took to the screen back in the ‘80s, it’s the multi-million dollar franchise that draws in fans today.  Old-school Transformers were pretty darn awesome, though.

●    Lisa Frank: Who could resist the dulcet neon rainbow hues of Lisa Frank?  We’re not going to lie; we’d still buy her stickers today, were they easily available.

●    Hungry Hungry Hippos:  Let’s be honest, we all loved this game.  What could be more fun that frantically hitting a lever so your hippo could get all of the food?  Recapture that sense of playfulness with a Hungry Hippo fascinator.  Awesome, right?

●    Walkmans: Forget iPods, back in the day, it was all about Walkmans.  At the time, a portable radio/tape player that tiny was pretty revolutionary, and it paved the way for Discmans and MP3 players yet to come.

●    Electric Youth: These days, young girls love scents like Vera Wang Princess, Marc Jacobs Daisy, and Justin Bieber’s Someday, but back then, hearts stopped for Electric Youth, Debbie Gibson’s scent of choice. ●    Garbage Pail Kids: If you were feeling a bit too edgy for the saccharinely cute Cabbage Patch Kids, chances are you liked their grosser older brother, the Garbage Pail Kids.  These stickers were the Pokemon cards of their day!  And did you know, they have a film deal on the table?

●    Boomboxes: That pivotal scene in Say Anything says it all, doesn’t it? John Cusack evidently agrees.

●    LA Gear: It sure was hard to live without these sneakers in the ‘80s.  They were the undisputedly most popular brand!

●    80's T-Shirts: If you’re feeling a bit meta following this 80's Christmas List, why not check out a T-Shirt emblazoned with an ‘80s Christmas List?  It’s ‘80s-ception!

Whether you’re feeling a bit nostalgic, or just want to bring back some fun shared memories, these gifts are sure to please.

Amber - is a freelance writer for RedSeven and has contributed to several travel and lifestyle blogs. She loves finding unique and interesting gifts during her travels to share with her friends and family back home.

xoxo