Top Toys for Christmas 1985-2015

When the first issue of KC Parent was published in 1985, Cabbage Patch Kids were at the height of their popularity and appeared under a lot of Christmas trees. Today, top toys include electronics, as well as old favorites such as Legos and Barbies.

As KC Parent celebrates 30 years, we take a look back at the top toys for each Christmas since 1985.   

1985 Cabbage Patch Kids, Teddy Ruxpin, Care Bears, Transformers, G.I. Joe

Total sales of Cabbage Patch Kids in 1985 exceeded $600 million. The doll has made a comeback in recent years, though sales have not come close to the mid-’80s mania.

1986 Pound Puppies, Lazer Tag, WWF action figures

1987 Koosh Ball, Pogo Ball, My Pet Monster

1988 Ghostbusters toys, Nintendo

A complete Nintendo system, including two games, could be purchased for $99.99.

1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys, My Little Pony, Super Soaker, Game Boy

1990 The Simpsons toys, My Pretty Ballerina

1991 Nerf Bow ‘n’ Arrow, The Little Mermaid toys, Sega Genesis system

1992 Barney the Dinosaur, Barbie Dream House, Polly Pockets

1993 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Talkboy

1994 Power Rangers (for the second year in a row), Pogs, Barbies

Many schools banned Pogs, a Hawaiian disk game, because kids were getting into fights over them.

1995 Beanie Babies, Toy Story merchandise

1996 Tickle Me Elmo, Nintendo 64

The demand for Tickle Me Elmo was so high that the doll was being resold for $1,500; suggested retail price was $28.99.

1997 Tamagotchi, Spice Girls doll set

1998 Furby, Rugrats dolls

Furby sold more than 15 million units in its first year alone.

1999 Pokemon, LeapPad

2000 Razor Scooter, PlayStation 2, Thomas the Tank Engine, Amazing Babies

2001 Bratz dolls, Harry Potter merchandise, Bionicles, Xbox

Professor Snape's Potions Lab by Mattel enabled Harry Potter fans to mix potions in a cauldron and drink their concoctions.

2002 BeyBlades, FurReal Friends, Dancing Dora, Yu-gi-oh

2003 Barbies, Hot Wheels, Legos, American Girl dolls

Classic toys and old favorites were popular this holiday season.

2004 Nintendo DS, Robosapien, Vtech Vsmile, Leapster Leapfrog, Elmo on the Potty

2005 Xbox 360, Tumble Time Tigger

2006 TMX Elmo, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3

More Wiis were sold in the first half of 2007 than PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 combined.  

2007  iPod Touch, Hannah Montana toys, Barbie as the Island Princess, Transformers

The mid-summer release of the Transformers movie resulted in a surge of related merchandise sales during the holiday season.

2008 Elmo Live!, Webkinz, Ripstik Caster Board

Elmo Live! took Tickle Me Elmo to the next level; the interactive toy talked, told jokes, moved and sang.

2009 Zhu Zhu Pets, Imaginext, Nintendo DSi

2010 Squinkies, Monster High dolls, Xbox 360 Kinect

2011 LeapPad Explorer, Let’s Rock! Elmo

2012 Furby, Angry Birds, Lalaloopsy

Furby made a comeback, with an app to translate Furbish.

2013 Frozen merchandise, Zoomer, Rainbow Loom

2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys, Doc McStuffins, Frozen toys (still going strong!)

Ninja Turtles, which first came on the scene in the late 1980s, made a comeback thanks to a hit Nickelodeon show and a live action movie.

2015 (projected) Minions toys, Lego sets, Girl Scouts Cookie Oven

Belton resident Tisha Foley has fond memories of playing with Cabbage Patch Kids and Pound Puppies when she was a kid.