When it comes to Christmas, I feel like one of the most important aspects of the holiday really is reflection on the past. Remembering past holiday traditions or memories that bubble up from a Christmas years ago. That feeling of nostalgia is one that I hold extremely near and dear to my heart. It is honestly one of the reasons I love Christmas so much and find it so important to start celebrating as early as possible. It just makes me happy. Which is exactly how I feel right now writing this Christmas post. I am hoping to make others feel that same level of happiness within their hearts with this nostalgia post that will bring you 90s babies back to your childhood!
15. Toys ‘R’ Us
I swear my parents almost never let me set foot inside that store especially around the holidays because I would just end up with a mile long Christmas wish-list for Santa. There was some element of wonder every time I walked in that store. Just the isles and isles of endless toys. Also as a kid everything is so much bigger to you, so that store seemed limitless. The feeling to this day still gives me nostalgia!
14. Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You
IF YOU DON’T SING THIS SONG RELIGIOUSLY DURING THE HOLIDAYS YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG. I don’t even think Mariah herself knew just how much this song would revolutionize the world of Christmas music when it first came out in the 90s.
13. American Girl Christmas Catalog
I would squeal every time this catalog came in the mail aorund the holidays. Honestly, it didn’t matter how old I was, I still enjoyed flipping through this catalog every year. I think it mainly had to do with the fact that I love history and the catalog gave a glimpse into the lives of each historic doll’s Christmas culture. I would always find it so fascinating to see what it was like celebrating the holiday in different time periods and what was considered tradition then. I also loved seeing what was considered traditional Christmas attire!
12. Christmas Catalogs in General
I would spend long days circling every thing I wanted for Christmas and I think by the time I was done with each catalog almost all of it was circled with things I didn’t even know I wanted.
11. SNL’s Christmas Specials
Most of the clips are from the height of 90s SNL and the compilation episode of the best Christmas skits is something my family and I always watch each year. No matter how many times you’ve seen the skits, you’ll still find yourself laughing all over again.
10. Christmas Themed Cereal
Christmas Rice Krispies, Christmas Crunch, and Winter Fruity Pebbles!? Sign me UP. They still have a lot of Christmas overlays to this day, but waking up to a bowl of festive cereal on Christmas morning or diving into a red and green Rice Krispie Treat definitely helped me get into the spirit!
9. Mini Christmas Villages
I absolutely loved the idea of these Christmas villages and especially when there was a tiny train running through them. Over the years when my brother started his train loving like 5-year-old phase, we got a few pieces to make our own, but I always dreamed of making a giant mini Christmas village (plus of course then I could play with my Polly Pockets in it).
8. The Kids’ Table
I still sit at the kids table at family holiday get togethers. Anyone else? Some things never change.
7. TINSEL EVERYWHERE
So. Much. Tinsel. 90s was the time for tinsel. So much fun to clean up all the individual pieces too. I swear tinsel has become less and less popular over time solely because people don’t want to clean it up. I don’t blame them, I too am one of those people.
6. ORIGINAL Pillsbury Slice n’ Bakes
I’m not talking the amazing pre-cut ones they have now, I’m talking the old school original Pillsbury Slice n’ Bakes that still have in a full dough roll! The art of the game was slicing the roll for each individual cookie without squishing or deforming the design hidden within the dough’s center. Could reach extreme sport level depending on how room temperature the dough became as you cut it over time.
5. Signature Holiday Barbie
In recent years I found one of my old Signature Holiday Barbie Dolls from a while back. It had a necklace where if you pressed the center jewel, the doll would play a Christmas instrumental tune. Well long story short, when I rediscovered the doll (MISSING HER HEAD) and tried pressing the necklace, what came out was the most distorted, ear-piercing, screeching I had ever heard. Could probably write a horror movie about it. Anyways, these dolls are collectible and come out yearly with new designs; probably should have treated mine better.
4. Hand-Written Letters To Santa
Not only was it an amazing feeling to have that Christmas list just right (starting off with the thing you want the most and numeric from there), but that feeling when you went to Macy’s at the mall or sat on Santa lap to hand deliver it was equally as rewarding. Just make sure your parents get a quick glimpse of it before you send it off.
3. Pictures With Mall Santa
Speaking of sitting on Santa’s lap, nothing beats Christmas nostalgia then those nights you would get extremely dressed up just to go to the mall and wait in line surrounded by (usually) screaming kids afraid of the big man himself. Fun story, every year when I was little, I would have a complete panic attack going to see Santa SOLELY BECAUSE my dad would joke saying he was going to tell Santa how bad I was right before I went up to see him. Of course little me freaked when my dad would mention something to Santa thinking I was going to end up with a lump of coal on Christmas morning. Don’t worry I never did though. Phew. Crisis averted. I was also usually bribed with going to the movies or out to dinner after the photo shoot in order to make me behave.
2. These Ceramic Trees
I think we had so many because my great-aunts actually made some back in the day, but these ceramic trees in my opinion signify the holidays are truly here. I get such an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and pure happiness when I see one anywhere I go. Plus when I was little, I was that kid that would take out all the little glass lights and rearrange them. This usually ended with me breaking them or some going missing, thus most of the older ceramic trees we have usually have to be turned a certain way to avoid guests seeing all the empty holes.
1. Home Alone & The Santa Claus
THE STAPLES OF THE SEASON WHEN IT COMES TO CHRISTMAS MOVIES. Like I don’t think you can top the spirit of 90s Christmas movies with anything other than these two classics. The story lines and the acting are just fantastic. Nuff said.
Toria's Tales 