I’ve been busy doing 30 Days of Nothing over at my new blog, but wanted to write here about a product I was able to review recently. The original Cabbage Patch kids were introduced in 1983. I was in high school and past the doll age at that point, but got into the craze a few years later when my own daughters were given them as gifts. I have to confess that I have never found the looks of the dolls especially appealing, but I did love that each doll comes with her own name and birth certificate. And– more important — my daughters loved them.
That’s why when I was recently offered a sample of the new 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Doll, I accepted happily. There are African-American ones available, which is important to me as a mom of African American kids. The doll that I was sent is actually fair-skinned. I think my 3 year old will like that (it’ll be a Christmas gift– shhh). 90% of her dolls are African American, but it is nice to have a little variety. I know from experience that these dolls are extremely well made, and I was surprised to read in the press release that they will be selling for only $29.95. For some reason I’ve always thought that these are very expensive dolls, but that seems like a reasonable price to me.
One thing that is fun about these dolls is that they are big enough to wear preemie baby clothes, which I sometimes find at yard sales and thrift stores. No doubt you can also buy more outfits at the toy store, but I am too cheap for that. Anyway, if you’re starting to think about a Christmas gift for a little girl in your life, there’s another option to consider!
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I'm Mary, wife to John, and mom to 10 kids ages 3-20. Six of them were adopted, from Ethiopia and Korea. I spend my days applying Bandaids, reminding kids to use their inside voices, persuading kids fractions are useful, cooking spicy ethnic food, and snapping gig after gig of pictures. Very late at night, I write about it all.
I love cabbage patch dolls! Our kiddos have all of mine from when I was a kiddo….the originals! ; ) I had AA and white one’s, so they have both. : ) I used to dress them up in premie clothes too! My girls haven’t gotten into that much, but I think they will! : ) Where do you store doll clothes? How do you keep it organized and yet available to the kiddos? What about dolls? Where do you keep them to keep them organized and yet available?
I remember getting my first Cabbage Patch Kid. It was part of a promotion when my parents were purchasing a new Ford Bronco II. After they signed the papers, I was taken to a large room with boxes and boxes of “kids”. I was adament that I was going to get a “girl kid” and the only “girls” they had were “black”. (I am white). i didnt care about her skin color only that she was my baby. I was only 3 in 1983!
My mom tells the story of how I would take my baby with me to the grocery store and when people would comment on my pretty baby, I would tell them, “She’s adopted, you know”. And I only told them that because they came with birth certificates and adoption paperwork.
Not long after I got her, my grandma tried to trade me for a red-haired girl because she didnt think it was appropriate for me to have an AA doll. In the end, she was frustrated that I wouldnt trade and ended up just giving me the other kid (the advantage of being the only girl grandchild in the family).
I still have my CBK at my parents house!
I was out of high school and worked at my uncles store….devoted to Cabbage Patch kids! We had adult ladies coming in and collecting them, and we had to go to Canada to pick them out of the toy store because they were sold out here in Maine. We had crafters knitting up cheerleading outfits in school colors, making wedding outfits, you name it. It was just a crazy time, but very fun! I still have some of my originals from back then (yes I am guilty of getting some ones I thought would be rare and collectible in later years!) and my daughter has been wanting to get into them… hard to tell her no because they are still in their boxes. The store lasted a couple of years and provided me a nice paycheck too, so I remember those Cabbage Patch kids very fondly!
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing it with us.
As a fellow adoptive parent, I thought to write and tell you about the new guest home in Ethiopia specifically for adoptive parents and volunteer groups for the benefit of orphans in Ethiopia. Now that it is up and running, we would love to share the vision with other adoptive parents. You can see more at http://www.ethiopiaguesthome.com.
If you would like to post a link, send me an email at dave@ethiopiaguesthome.com and I’ll forward you the information.
Blessings,
Dave McIlrath, MA
Orphan Advocate
Ethiopia Guest Home
More Than a Place to Stay
http://www.ethiopiaguesthome.com