These toys were at the top of children’s Christmas lists between 1923 and 2023 — and some of them even sparked shopping frenzies.
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1923: A.C. Gilbert Chemistry Set
1924: Erector Set
1925: Teddy Bear
1926: Crayola Crayons
1927: Radio Flyer
1928: Yo-Yo
1929: Pop-Up Books
1930: Mickey Mouse Doll
1931: Finger Paints
1932: Sock Monkey
1933: Marx Wind-Up Toys
1934: Buck Rogers Pistol
1935: Shirley Temple Doll
1936: Balsa Wood Model Planes
1937: Monopoly
1938: Microscope Set
1939: View-Master
1940: Red Ryder
1941: Beach Ball
1942: Little Golden Books
1943: Little Green Army Men
1944: Bubble Blowers
1945: Slinky
1946: Lionel Trains
1947: Tonka Trucks
1948: Toy Piano
1949: Clue
1950: Magic Eight Ball
1951: Colorforms Set
1952: Mr. Potato Head
1953: Model Car
1954: Scrabble
1955: Silly Putty
1956: Play-Doh
1957: Water Balloons
1958: Hula Hoops
1959: Barbie
1960: Etch A Sketch
1961: Slip ‘N Slide
1962: Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone
1963: Easy-Bake Oven
1964: G.I. Joe
1965: Wham-O Frisbee
1966: Twister
1967: Lite-Brite
1968: Hot Wheels
1969: Legos
1970: Nerf Balls
1971: Weebles
1972: Uno
1973: Shrinky Dinks
1974: Skateboards
1975: Pet Rock
1976: Stretch Armstrong
1977: Atari
1978: Star Wars Action Figures
1979: Simon
1980: Rubik’s Cube
1981: He-Man Figure
1982: My Little Pony
1983: Cabbage Patch Kids
1984: Transformers
1985: Teddy Ruxpin
1986: Nintendo Entertainment System
1987: Jenga
1988: Troll Dolls
1989: Game Boy
1990: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1991: Super Nintendo
1992: Talkboy
1993: Super Soaker
1994: Power Rangers
1995: Beanie Babies
1996: Tickle Me Elmo
1997: Tamagotchi
1998: Furby
1999: Pokémon Trading Cards
2000: PlayStation 2
2001: Bratz Dolls
2002: Beyblade
2003: Hullabaloo
2004: Robosapien
2005: Xbox
2006: Nintendo Wii
2007: Guitar Hero
2008: Wall-E Figure
2009: Zhu Zhu Pets
2010: iPad
2011: Skylanders
2012: LeapPad
2013: Tekno
2014: Frozen Dolls
2015: Pie Face
2016: Hatchimals
2017: Fingerlings
2018: LOL Surprise Dolls
2019: Baby Shark Puppet
2020: Baby Yoda Doll
2021: TeeTurtle
2022: Squishmallows
2023: Barbie Dreamhouse
For those who celebrate , Christmas morning is one of delight . It ’s gathering around the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , change gifts , and opening presents . But the objects beneath the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree have transformed over the last 100 years .
At the dayspring of the twenties , children compose to Santa Claus asking for thing like Raggedy Ann doll and Lincoln log . But by the 2020s , their interests had changed — as had the earthly concern around them .
In the gallery above , look through some of the most popular toy from 1923 until 2023 . And below , read about some of these darling Christmas toys .
Popular Christmas Toys In The 20th Century
In the twentieth century , the top Christmas toys often think over their clock time .
In the 1920s , for example , children want toys like teddy bear ( inspire by former president Theodore Roosevelt ) and alchemy sets ( which encourage boys — and only boy — to become chemists ) . After theGreat Depressionhit in 1929 , however , some Christmas miniature became much simple . Take the wind sock monkey or the popularity of finger blusher , for exemplar .
The Strong National Museum of PlayThe drogue scallywag was one of the most popular Christmas toy in 1932 . Costing just 10 cent , it reflected the hard economical times in the United States during the Great Depression .
Meanwhile , Christmas toys of the recent 1930s and former 1940s reflected the high and David Low of the era . In 1936 , for deterrent example , balsa wood model airplanes were a highly desire toy inspired by early aviator likeCharles Lindbergh . But by 1943 , many American child wanted small green Army humans for Christmas — no doubt because of the country ’s submission intoWorld War II .
tyke in the fifties asked for era - define toys like Silly Putty , hula-hula hoops , and Barbie dolls , while tiddler in the 1960s play with Easy - Bake Ovens ( marketed toward girls ) and G.I. Joe figures ( marketed toward boys ) .
However , democratic Christmas toys started to dislodge in the 1970s from wide-eyed wench or kit to more complicated engineering . In 1977 , one of the most highly requested toys was the Atari 2600 plot console . A 10 later , in 1986 , many children want a Nintendo Entertainment System ( NES ) for Christmas . And in the 1990s , toys at the top of kids ' wish lists include technology , like the Talkboy ( a voice transcription gadget ) , the Tamagotchi ( a virtual pet ) , and the Furby ( a furry golem toy ) .
eBayAn original Furby .
This technological trend would proceed into the 21st century .
How Technology Changed Christmas Gifts
By the dawn of the 21st century , technological devices had emerge as the top Christmas toys . In 2000 , kids everywhere expect for the PlayStation 2 . In 2004 , many wanted a Robosapien , a automaton toy dog . The Xbox 360 , Nintendo Wii , and Guitar Hero telecasting plot command Christmas lists in the next age .
And , of course , the iPhone and the iPad become highly coveted after they were announced in 2007 and 2010 , severally .
Padraic Ryan / Wikimedia CommonsPeople waiting to corrupt the first iPhone in New York City . 2007 .
Still , some Christmas toys hew toward the classic . Many children asked forFrozendolls after the release of the hit flick in 2013 , for example , and among the most pop Christmas toys in 2017 were tiny animals called Fingerlings that could adhere to your fingers .
Similarly , posterior years saw scarf out animals top Christmas lists — the Baby Shark creature in 2019 , the TeeTurtle in 2021 , and Squishmallows in 2022 .
In the end , the most popular Christmas toys were often a fascinating reflexion of their times . In the first part of the twentieth century , toys were often childlike bird and plushies ( though they competently excogitate events like the Great Depression and World War II ) . By the 1970s , children of a cursorily changing world want more complicated toys and games . And by the first light of the 21st century , technology reigned supreme .
wait through the veranda above to see how toys have changed , from A.C. Gilbert chemistry circle in 1923 to the Barbie Dreamhouse in 2023 .
After study about the top Christmas toys of the last 100 years , discover some of the mostunusual Christmas traditionsfrom around the world . Or , memorize about the surprisingly paganorigins of the Christmas tree .
The Strong National Museum of PlayThe sock monkey was one of the most popular Christmas toys in 1932. Costing just 10 cents, it reflected the hard economic times in the United States during the Great Depression.
eBayAn original Furby.
Padraic Ryan/Wikimedia CommonsPeople waiting to buy the first iPhone in New York City. 2007.
