Each year, a new gadget or toy becomes the season’s star Christmas gift, sending shoppers into a scramble.
Remember when Teddy Ruxpin was more than just a bear and parents would battle it out for the last one on the shelf? Or the madness of securing a Nintendo Wii, causing near-riots in toy aisles?
As the holiday season approaches, let’s take a jolly stroll down memory lane with a look at the Christmas tech gifts that have turned festive shopping into a frenzy over the decades.
From the cuddly chaos of Furbys to the techy tug-of-war for the latest iPhones – it’s time to relive the nostalgia in the spirit of holiday gifting with the best tech gift frenzies from yesteryear.
1979: Atari VCS
As one of the earliest gaming consoles, the Atari VCS pioneered the world of home video games.
Its introduction of interchangeable cartridges was a literal game changer as it offered up a more diverse gaming library, sparking a craze among children and adults alike.
The console’s innovative tech and novel yet addictive games like Space Invaders not only made it a sought-after Christmas gift at the time, but changed home entertainment forever. A truly legendary Christmas craze.
1984: Transformers
A toy that could transform from one thing to something else entirely? It was never not going to be a hit – especially with greedy children who just wanted everything. And that it was.
With a super clever design that meant the toys could go from super cool robots to a car or truck within seconds, the Transformers action figures, which were linked to a hit TV series and comic books, captured the imagination of a generation.
It’s no surprise then that they sat at the top of most Christmas wish lists in 1984, causing quite the commotion when they hit shop shelves.
1985: Teddy Ruxpin
Teddy Ruxpin wasn’t just a teddy bear. He was a storytelling marvel that enchanted children and parents alike. Animatronic features and the ability to play audio tapes through a built-in cassette player were what made it the groundbreaking toy of the ‘80s.
Even by just seeing it on a TV ad, kids were captivated as he moved his mouth and eyes while narrating stories.
Naturally, offering a combination of cuddles and tech, the demand for Teddy Ruxpin during the holiday shopping period was phenomenal, with stores struggling to obtain stock.
Those who did manage to grab one, however, experienced something pretty unforgettable when pulling the wrapping paper off on Christmas day.
1989: Game Boy
Nintendo’s boxy grey gaming gadget – aka the Game Boy – marked a revolution in handheld gaming when it was launched to market in the late Eighties.
Its compact design, combined with impressive battery life (for the time) and addictive games like Tetris and Donkey Kong, made it a super popular, must-have device for gamers of all ages during the last Christmas of the decade.
Its success continued long into the years that followed, too, with future iterations proving to be reliable gaming gadgets that eventually supported more social gaming through linkable play.
1993: Talk Boy
Popularised by the release of Home Alone 2 the same year, the jazzed-up handheld recorder we know as Talk Boy became a super trendy gadget for kids of the time.
Sparking a craze ahead of the Christmas period, Talk Boys not only allowed kids to record and playback audio but also to alter the speed, so they could play tricks on people or create new characters. There’s no wonder why this was such a popular Christmas gift.
1994: Power Rangers
Giving kids the chance to recreate the dramatic scenes they’d been gawping at all year on their television sets, the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers action figures took the toy market by storm when they launched ahead of the holiday season in 1994.
The Megazord transformer was a particular must-have, with toy stores up and down the country struggling to keep up with the high demand before having the wrapping paper pulled off on the big day.
1996: Tickle Me Elmo
The interactive nature of Tickle Me Elmo, with its addictive belly laughs and realistic jolting movements triggered by touch, was what made it a roaring success with kids across the world when it arrived in 1996.
Its appeal? Simplicity. It was a cuddly toy with human-like elements that were warm, welcoming and fun.
The toy’s unprecedented demand saw frantic parents queuing and stores rapidly selling out, making it quite a memorable Christmas gift.
1998: Furby
Furbys have to be one of the biggest Christmas crazes on our list.
Offering owners a unique blend of robotics and interactive play, Furbys’ ability to ‘learn’ and interact in ‘Furbish’ and eventually English fascinated anyone who got their hands on one.
Their endearing appearance and never-ending list of interactions made Furbys more than just toys, but companions. This is what saw them sell out way before December had even arrived (and banned by the US National Security Agency).
2001: Teksta the Robotic Puppy
This popular electronic robotic puppy sold more than seven million units just months after launch. Epitomising the vibe at the turn of the millennium when the future was fashion – Teksta saw worldwide popularity.
It even had its very own stand-alone feature on the cover of Time magazine. What people loved so much about it was how its special motor sensors brought it to life, giving it advanced functionalities, including more than 160 emotions and actions, and allowing it to perform typical dog behaviours like walking, barking, eating and sleeping.
Teksta could also be taught to respond to voice commands and perform tricks with accessories like a bone or ball.
2006: Nintendo Wii
When it launched back in 2006, the Nintendo Wii’s motion control technology brought a new level of interactivity to gaming that not many had experienced before. With an appeal that extended beyond traditional games, it attracted families and older generations with its intuitive play and super fun yet active titles like Wii Sports.
It’s no surprise then that the Wii became a must-have gadget, flying off the shelves and becoming almost impossible to get a hold of for months following the Christmas period.
For those lucky to secure one, however, it proved to bring together families in living rooms around the world during the festive season.
2007 and beyond: iPhone
The launch of the original Apple iPhone in 2007 marked more than just a new product release – it sparked a technological revolution.
The super sleek gadget, with its touchscreen interface and impressive snapper, was unlike anything seen before as it combined a phone, an iPod and an internet browser all in one groundbreaking device.
Its release just before the holiday season turned it into a must-have item, with people pitching up tents in queues outside Apple stores ahead of release the following day.
However, the iPhone became not just a gift but a status symbol, and continues to ignite a frenzy each year as newer models are released, making it a consistent Christmas craze for tech lovers and well, pretty much everyone.
2020: Sony PlayStation 5
When Sony launched the PlayStation 5 (PS5) amid a coronavirus-tainted world in the not-so-distant November 2020, it swiftly became one of the globe’s most highly sought-after gadgets.
In fact, it created a frenzy among gamers, many of whom had spent months at home in lockdown dreaming about when they could get their hands on one.
With severe stock shortages and supply constraints caused by the pandemic only making matters worse, obtaining a PS5 console in the run-up to Christmas of that year proved almost impossible.
Resale sites like eBay were selling the console at almost triple its RRP as a result, and there were reports of consoles being stolen from their packages during delivery, with some buyers receiving bags of rice in place of the gaming machine.
The console proved so popular that shoppers were still having issues securing one up to two years after its initial release. Christmas shopping just doesn’t get crazier than that.
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