Here are some holiday gift ideas for the tween (8 to 12 years old) in your life! Gen X moms will have special affection for these brands because they were popular during their girlhoods!
Hollie Hobbie
Now in its 40th year, Hollie Hobbie has received a makeover. A variety of products are available including the 2009 Holly Hobbie animation DVD. You can also find handmade and vintage Holly Hobbie products on Etsy. I found some precious lockets, rings, plaques, etc.
Now in its 40th year, Hollie Hobbie has received a makeover. A variety of products are available including the 2009 Holly Hobbie animation DVD. You can also find handmade and vintage Holly Hobbie products on Etsy. I found some precious lockets, rings, plaques, etc.Colorforms
Colorforms were created in the 1950, but rose to popularity in the mid-to-late 60s and maintained an impressive toy market share through the mid-70s. Then they disappeared. Today, there's not an ample supply of Colorforms available, but you can still find new and vintage sets on Amazon, eBay and Etsy. My favorite was a Charlie Brown set. I had Barbie coloforms, too! I loved colorforms!
Colorforms were created in the 1950, but rose to popularity in the mid-to-late 60s and maintained an impressive toy market share through the mid-70s. Then they disappeared. Today, there's not an ample supply of Colorforms available, but you can still find new and vintage sets on Amazon, eBay and Etsy. My favorite was a Charlie Brown set. I had Barbie coloforms, too! I loved colorforms!
Love's Baby Soft
The entire line of this product is still available; however, the company has dropped its 1970s tagline: "Because innocense is sexier than you think." (Thank goodness.)
The entire line of this product is still available; however, the company has dropped its 1970s tagline: "Because innocense is sexier than you think." (Thank goodness.)
Bonne Bell
Bonne Bell Cosmetics began in 1973 with products targeted to young women. I loved their lip gloss (um, rootbeer bubblegum flavors) and Lip Smackers as a junior high girl. These are still available every year in drug and department stores as well as online. Today, they come in a bunch of candy-brand flavors like Junior Mint and Reese's.
Bonne Bell Cosmetics began in 1973 with products targeted to young women. I loved their lip gloss (um, rootbeer bubblegum flavors) and Lip Smackers as a junior high girl. These are still available every year in drug and department stores as well as online. Today, they come in a bunch of candy-brand flavors like Junior Mint and Reese's.
Strawberry Shortcake
Toys"R" Us has plenty of Strawberry Shortcake! You can still find this lovable little character, which Gen Xers fell in love with in the late 70s and early 80s, in plenty of other store, too. Did you know Strawberry Shortcake was originally created by Oklahoman Muriel Fahrion? She has a blog and lives in Medicine Park! Even older tweens love this character -- on a T-shirt. It's right up there with Ts of Elmo and Little People. Trust me on this one. I have a tween.
Judy Blume Books
You can find plenty of old Judy Blume titles like Are You There God? It's Me Margaret and Blubber in new form on Amazon.
Plastic Loom and Loops
Because no mother can every have too many potholders. Man, I made a ton of these things as a kid. I seriously thought they could make me rich! Not a brand per se, you can find plenty of plastic looms and loops at craft and discount stores.
What other brands did you love as a kid?
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=eebf3ff5-ac8c-49b0-b613-f55bac6baa55)
9 comments:
Oh don't tell me that Strawberry Shortcake is still around!
Wow, Jen! So many of these are ringing bells for me!
I remember Colourforms, but I was much more keen on Fuzzy Felt. Do you remember that?
I never went anywhere without my mega-sized watermelon Lip Smackers. I wish they'd reintroduce the large one again because I am forever losing my small lip balms (and I use it like a fiend).
I had all the Love's products - Baby Soft, Fresh Lemon and what was that third one? (There goes my gen-x/jones brain!)
Fun post, for sure!
Kat
Hey girl, thanks for the blog compliment. I love Christmas. You have brought back so many memories with this post. I love Holly Hobbie. I didn't know she was 40! I still love Love's Baby Soft. I smell it every time I go to Wal-Mart. They have a gift pack of it for Christmas, AND Strawberry Shortcake. I knew about the Oklahoma connection, so cool. I bought the plastic looms and loops for myself about 6 months ago, so glad I did. So many memories, I just bought some vintage Smitty perfume on ebay. It's only half full but I can still smell it. This is so much fun. I'm going to search for some Holly Hobbie fabric. Wish I could find some old Hee Haw overalls!
hello dear one ... I had holly hobby too - she is universal !! best le xox
Jen I know you've read about my old blanket. I had that Holly Hobbie quilt for 30 years, and can you imagine how soft it was when I had to throw it out? I think it's time I made myself, I mean my daughter, a new one. :)
@LE - I love Holly Hobby. I had plaques in my room as a kid!
@TERRITORY MOM - Speaking of vintage perfume - I've been looking for a scent called Blue Jeans, which my 6th grade BFF gave me - They don't make it anymore. And, I can't find Eddi. (My BFF) I'd totally forgotten about Smitty. That made me smile!
@POETIKAT - I don't remember FuzzFelt, but that sounds so fun. I was obsessed with colorforms, and by the time I discovered them they were extremely hard to find.
@YOGI - Yes, and her friend blueberry muffin, too. =) Not sure about Lemen Chiffon. hahaha!
@LOREN - I loved that post!! I do remember it. It's so hard to throw things out - loved your last line - make one for you, i mean your daughter! haha! reminds me of terriroty mom (above) buying hersef a loom!
OMG, I forgot about Blue Jeans. I loved it too. I'm looking for some vintage photos of me with Santa to send you. I love those old Santa Claus pics.
I'm lovin' the Holly Hobbie mention. I had three or four HH t-shirts. To this day, I still remember the saying on my favorite pale green, short-sleeved scene: "A cup of kindness goes a long way". Amen.
Ah you're killing me, I absolutely adored all of these and haven't thought of them in years except for Strawberry Shortcake because I have a pair of socks buried in my sock drawer which I come across from time to time. I loved Holly Hobbie and had a ton of stuff with her on it. I wore Love's Baby Soft for years! What a trip down memory lane!
Post a Comment