DAILY DIRT: Remembering the ’80s: Rubik’s Cube, Cabbage Patch Kids and Teddy Ruxpin

“It’s always consoling to know that today’s Christmas gifts are tomorrow’s garage sales.” I couldn’t have said it better … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 799 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Today we wrap up our look at the best-selling Christmas toys for kids, this time for the 1980s:

1980: The Rubik’s Cube burst on to the scene this year and has been popular ever since. The challenge was invented by Hungarian sculptor and architecture professor Ernő Rubik. For the record, there are 43 quintillion ways to solve this puzzle. (I would settle for just one.)

1981: The Strawberry Shortcake doll wound up being quite a franchise that included stickers and a video game.

1982: The Glo Worm’s head would light up with its body was squeezed. I think this must have been a slow year for toys.

1983: Those Cabbage Patch Kids dolls grabbed the spotlight this year and wound up creating their own culture. The dolls were as popular to collect as baseball cards at this time in history.

1984: Whether you’re a horse person or not, My Little Pony became a must-have item. These ponies dominated the toy scene and quickly became a major entertainment franchise.

1985: Pound Puppies were the forerunner to Beanie Babies for stuffed-animal popularity.

1986: Popples, which rolled up into furry little pom-pons, made quite the splash int he toy world.

1987: Teddy Ruxpin became part of our everyday world this year. This animatronic teddy bear had a built-in cassette player in his body and would read you stories.

1988: The Nintendo Entertainment System became a part of millions of living rooms.

1989: Game Boy meant kids now now could play their favorite games anywhere … as long as they had four AA batteries.

2. I think these three medal-worthy observations pretty well capture the gift-giving portion of the holiday season:

Gold medal:“Nothing’s as mean as giving a little child something useful for Christmas.” – Kin Hubbard, American humorist and cartoonist.

Silver medal: “I love Christmas. I receive a lot of wonderful presents I can’t wait to exchange.” – comedian Henny Youngman.

Bronze medal:“It’s always consoling to know that today’s Christmas gifts are tomorrow’s garage sales.” – comedian Milton Berle.

3. Here’s some fodder for a weekend conversation. It’s Billboard magazine’s top-ranked Christmas songs of all-time, released in December 2022:

• 1. “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” by Mariah Carey: I realize I’m in the minority, but I’ve never understood the fascination with this song.
• 2. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” by Brenda Lee: This classic sounds as good as it did when first released in 1958.
• 3. Jingle Bell Rock,” by Bobby Helms: Same with this song, which dates to 1957.
• 4. “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You),” by Nat King Cole: Nat King Cole could sing the phone book and I would listen.
• 5. “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” by Burl Ives: One of my favorites when I was a wee lad.
• 6. “Feliz Navidad,” by Jose Feliciano: The best upbeat Christmas song of them all. Hands down.
• 7. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,” by Andy Williams: The comment about Nat King Cole also applies to Andy Williams.
• 8. “Last Christmas,” by Wham!: Yawn … 
• 9. “Ley It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!” by Dean Martin: Anytime I hear Dean martin sing a song, I automatically feel better. He always seemed like the kind of guy you’d love to have over to watch Monday Night Football.
• 10. “White Christmas,” by Bing Crosby: This is one of those oldies but goodies that deserves to be treasured.

Steve Thought O’ The Day – A song I would have personally included in that Billboard top 10 would have been “Sleigh Ride,” by the Ronettes, with Ronnie Spector on lead vocal.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. The omission of Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” from the list is criminal.