The "It" Gift




Every year there is one item that drives us all crazy – the “it” gift.  We all want “it” so bad we will do anything to get it.  Fights break out over the last one on the shelf; others sell it for an exorbitant markup in secondary markets like eBay or Craigslist. Children beg and plead until parents are ready to pull their hair out.  Santa gets more letters on this one item than all other items combined.  

But if you’re lucky enough to score one, it will be a star amidst the gifts under the tree on Christmas morning, and you’ll be granted hero status, at least for the day anyway.  What “it” is, of course, changes from year to year, and many of the hot holiday gifts throughout the last century have become some of the best loved and most iconic toys of all time.

I’ve assembled a quick timeline of some of the most popular toys from 1903 to now. Did you know that the teddy bear was the “it” item of 1903? Then it was board games for quite a while in the 1930’s to 1950’s. Then Barbie made her debut and became infamous, creating one of the biggest toy markets in history.  Now it is the latest gaming device that takes precedence over the market.   It’s certainly striking to see how technology and tastes have evolved over the last 110 years!

·         1903 – Teddy Bear

·         1916 – Lincoln Logs

·         1923 – Chinese Checkers

·         1935 – Monopoly

·         1945 – Slinky

·         1948 - Scrable

·         1952 – Mr. Potato Head

·         1959 – Barbie

·         1968 – Big Wheel and Lite Brite

·         1975 – Pet Rock (yes really!)

·         1977 – Stars Wars action figures

·         1983 – My Little Pony, Cabbage Patch Kids, and Care Bears

·         1991 – Nintendo Gameboy

·         1996 – Beanie Babies and Tickle Me Elmo

·         2006 – Playstation 3

·         2007 – Nintendo Wii

And now in 2011, the guesses are in for the “it” item of the year.  My pick for everyone, young or old, is the Kindle Fire or IPod Touch 4.  For the little ones, I have seen a huge pickup in Monster High (think Barbie with a dark twist) or the new electronic devices aimed for the younger ages like the LeapPad Touch.   What will you pick for your “it” item this year?

Get Geared Up For Black Friday!

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving, traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Though not an actual holiday, many employees do receive the day off.  The increased number of shoppers creates the busiest shopping day of the year.  To accommodate the rush, many retailers open at 3 am or earlier to offer massive sales to entice people to shop their stores.  Shoppers will camp out to be the first in line to get that special sale item for their loved ones.

What does Black Friday mean for shoppers? Black Friday = Sales!  Shopping for deals on Black Friday has become a post-Thanksgiving tradition for many families.  In preparation for this "holiday," shoppers map out the best routes to their favorite stores, each clutching a stack of Black Friday ads and coupons along with a survival pack.  What to pack in your survival guide?  Nobbies has given a quick rundown of the essentials:

Survival Pack:

·         Recyclable shopping bag to keep survival essentials in (plus an extra for your finds)

·         Thermos with water, coffee, cocoa, or energy drink

·         Energy bars or snacks (such as trail mix to keep you going)

·         Ads and coupons in order of first store stop to last

·         Book or magazine to read while waiting in long lines

·         Chapstick, earmuffs, gloves (while waiting in outside lines)

·         Black Friday Gear (antler headband, Santa hat, etc)



 What?  Why do I need gear?  Well, because of a few reasons: It’s a great conversation starter and people just can’t hate someone donning holiday gear to get into the spirit of things, even if you are grabbing the last toy out of their hands.  Also, if you are shopping with others, what an easy way to find your shopping partner during this hectic day. Plus, it’s just fun and makes the day smoother and your spirits brighter if you have on a silly tree hat or reindeer nose that glows.  Not to mention, you can wear your festive gear to all your many holiday get-togethers.

So get Geared Up to tough out the crowds and make the day the most fun it can be.  Don’t forget that Nobbies offers great holiday gear now through November 22^nd at 20% off as well as many items for your survival pack.  Come in early and get all the items you need to look festive while battling Black Friday crowds for all your awesome sale finds!