The idea of giving presents during Christmas has its origins dating all the way back to the 4th Century, when Christian leaders created the festival celebrating Jesus’ Birthday. Christmas celebrations were made legal in America in the 1680’s. Back then, toys were carved out of wood and given to relatives and neighbors to celebrate this wonderful season. As time went by, the Christmas gifts tradition grew in popularity and spread to other parts of the world.
In honor of Christmas, this article provides information on the most popular Christmas toys of all time.
1910’s — The Teddy Bear
The Teddy Bear is a classic, yet a popular Christmas toy of the 21st Century. Legend has it that this toy was inspired by an incident involving a real bear and the President of the United States. According to the legend, President Theodore Roosevelt decided to spare the life of a black bear by refusing to shoot it. The bear would later be known as Teddy, a name derived from the President’s name, Theodore.
1920’s — Yoyo
The Yoyo was invented by Pedro Flores back in 1928. The toy was first introduced to children in Los Angeles, after which sales and production increased. The yoyo is very popular among today’s children, even sparking Yoyo Trick Contests held over the United States. It looks like this particular toy is going to be round for a very long time.
1920’s – Raggedy Ann
Raggedy Ann was a popular red headed doll created by Johnny Gruelle. The doll can still be found in many homes today. The funny part is that the doll was originally meant for Johnny’s daughter. Raggedy Ann even has a series of books created in her honor.
1930’s — Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple was a popular 1930’s children movie star who got her own doll at a tender age of 6. The toy was so popular that in just 7 years, their manufacturer had made 45 million dollars in sales.
1930’s — Red Ryder BB Gun
The Red Ryder BB gun was popularized by a 1980’s film, “A Christmas Story”. This particular BB gun is still popular in America and other parts of the world, years after it was first manufactured.
1930’s — Slinky
The slinky was invented by Richard James, a mechanical engineer back in the 30’s. No one would have thought that a 80 feet coiled wire would become such a huge hit. Though it was created in the 30’s, the toy would get its big break in the year 1945. A fun fact about the slinky is that it was not meant to be a toy. Apparently, Richard knocked over the springs that were to be used in ships. Instead of falling, the spring continued “walking”.
1930’s — Legos
Legos is one of the many popular toys that have stood the test of time. First created in Denmark, Legos allowed children to create their imagination by attaching Lego bricks to others. There are even Legoland theme parks located in Denmark, Florida, California and other parts of the world.
1950’s – Hula Hoop
The Hula Hoop was created by Arthur Melin and Richard Knerr, founders of Wham-O Toy Company in 1958. In just 4 months after its introduction, about 25 million pieces were sold. Nowadays, this classic toy can also be used for fitness purposes.
1950’s — Mr Potato Head
George Learner is the man that created Mr Potato head. The toy was originally created to get George’s kids to like veggies. The toy would later on be featured in the popular movie franchise, “Toy Story”. Mr Potato head is still a popular toy among children today and can even make a good gag gift idea.
And there you have it, the most popular Christmas toys of all time. If you want to keep it old school this Christmas, go for one or more of these classic toys and you are guaranteed to make someone’s day. It is amazing how many of these “oldies” are still popular even today.
