Buzz
Every year, there’s that one holiday gift everyone craves, sparking a nationwide frenzy. You might recall the frustration of scouring store after store, only to discover it’s completely sold out.
This frenzy was perfectly captured in the ‘90s movie Jingle All the Way, highlighting the extreme measures people took to secure those elusive toys. From Beanie Babies to Tickle Me Elmo, shoppers went wild for these must-have items. Below, we’ve rounded up the most unforgettable holiday gift crazes from the ‘90s and ‘00s, including Apple iPods, Bratz dolls, and more.
Tamagotchi
If you were in middle school in the late ‘90s, chances are you received a Tamagotchi as a holiday gift. This Japanese toy by Bandai became a sensation in the U.S. after its 1997 release, with kids pleading for one instead of a real pet. Some even dubbed it the "pet rock of the '90s."
The toy, resembling a colorful egg-shaped gadget, had a small screen and a few buttons. Worn on a keychain, the Tamagotchi also became a playground fashion staple.
The Tamagotchi’s life cycle spanned from egg and baby stages to adulthood and senior phases. The goal was to offer constant care for this digital companion. Its popularity soared in 1997, with people camping outside stores to secure one. Many children even added it to their letters to Santa that holiday season.
Super Nintendo
Following the triumph of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the ‘80s, Nintendo launched its successor, the Super Nintendo (SNES), in the U.S. in summer 1991. Like the NES, the SNES became a massive hit and a top holiday gift that year.
The SNES gained immense popularity partly due to its bundled game, Super Mario World, the follow-up to Super Mario Bros. 3, one of the top-selling games of the late ‘80s. To experience Super Mario World, players needed the SNES, making it a must-have. Consequently, Super Mario World became the SNES’s most iconic game, selling over 49 million units globally before its discontinuation in 2003.
Bratz Dolls
Initially, the original Bratz dolls—Sasha, Yasmin, Cloe, and Jade—didn’t make waves upon their May 2001 release. However, by the 2002 holiday season, they skyrocketed in popularity. Marketed as the “anti-Barbie,” Bratz dolls boasted trendy styles, bold personalities, and plenty of sparkle, targeting tween audiences with their edgy, teen-inspired designs.
By 2006, Bratz dolls captured roughly 40 percent of the fashion-doll market, significantly denting Barbie’s dominance. The brand’s success in the 2000s led to an animated TV series, web shows, direct-to-video films, music albums, and video games. A live-action movie, Bratz: The Movie, also debuted in 2007.
Talkboy
The Talkboy, created by Tiger Electronics, originally appeared as a prop in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Collaborating with writer John Hughes and 20th Century Fox, Tiger Electronics developed the gadget, which Kevin McCallister used to outwit adults in the film. Recognizing its potential, Tiger, with the studio’s approval, launched a functional version of the device.
The initial Talkboy, released in 1992, was a basic cassette recorder without the voice-changing capabilities seen in Home Alone 2. Ahead of the following holiday season, Tiger introduced the Deluxe Talkboy, featuring the iconic variable-speed voice changer. Backed by a major promotional campaign tied to Home Alone 2’s home video release, the Deluxe Talkboy became a hot commodity, frequently selling out across the country.
Apple iPods
While Apple didn’t invent the portable MP3 player, the launch of the iPod in November 2001 revolutionized digital music. With its promise of “1000 songs in your pocket,” the iPod became a holiday sensation, selling over 125,000 units in its debut year.
Apple continually enhanced the iPod with new models and features, such as video playback, iTunes integration, and compatibility with both Mac and Windows. By 2008, sales peaked at over 54 million units annually. By 2014, nearly 400 million iPods had been sold worldwide, with millions more sold before its discontinuation in 2022.
Beanie Babies
Beanie Babies became a cultural phenomenon in the mid-‘90s, captivating both kids and adults. By the 1996 holiday season, “Beanie Mania” had gripped shoppers, drawing comparisons to the Cabbage Patch Doll craze of the ‘80s. (Some Americans even ventured to Canada in later years to find rare models in what they called “Beanie Baby heaven.”) These small, plush toys also became a hot commodity among collectors, not just for their charm but for their limited availability. Ty Inc., the company behind Beanie Babies, intentionally restricted production and frequently released new designs, fueling the craze.
Children adored Beanie Babies for their cuteness, while adults sought them out—sometimes even resorting to theft—believing they were a smart investment. At their peak in 1997, Beanie Babies made up 6 percent of eBay’s total sales.
The craze began to fade by the late ‘90s, partly due to online fraud involving fake Beanie Babies, which devalued genuine ones on resale platforms like eBay. A 1998 survey revealed that over 60 percent of U.S. households owned at least one Beanie Baby, making them far less rare than before.
Razor Scooters
The Razor Scooter became an instant sensation upon its 2000 release. Recognized as Toy of the Year by The Toy Association for its groundbreaking design and promotion of outdoor activity, it was also hailed by NPR as one of the most coveted gifts for kids that Christmas. By 2001, over 5 million of these foldable scooters were zipping across sidewalks and playgrounds. However, they also became a leading cause of scraped knees and ER visits throughout the 2000s.
Tickle Me Elmo
At its July 1996 launch, Tickle Me Elmo wasn’t anticipated to revolutionize the toy market. However, after a feature on The Rosie O’Donnell Show that fall, it became a nationwide obsession. By Black Friday, stores across the country were completely sold out.
By Christmas, the Sesame Street doll had become a cultural icon. Tyco Toys, its manufacturer, sold all 1 million units by December 1996.
Desperate shoppers turned to newspaper classifieds and the emerging internet to find the doll, which retailed for $28.99 but reportedly sold for thousands in resale markets.
