Holiday Barbies

[simba20]

When my DD was born, my MIL thought it would be her "tradition" to buy DD the holiday Barbies that comes out each year. However, last year, for some reason MIL did not buy DD one.

Fast forward to now. DD is three (almost 4) and has discobered these Barbies hanging out, in their boxes (unopened) at the top of her closet. So, should I keep these Barbies "treasured" or should I open them up and allow DD to play with them. I don't know what MIL's intent was in buying them or making them tradition.

 

[Feralpeg]

Personally, I would get her another, cheaper Barbie to play with and keep the unopened Holiday Barbies for her when she is older. If left unopened, these can become very sought after items. She has the start of a nice collection.

 

[Michelle67]

I never made my kids keep toys unopened. Toys are to be played with. Feralpeg is absolutely right that they can become very valuable collector's items, but I always felt it was unfair to make kids look at toys when they wanted to play with them instead. I know people have hugely different viewpoints on this and I'm not criticizing, just offering my point of view.

My mother sometimes buys "collectible" things for my kids, but always says "Don't you DARE put these on a shelf and not let him/her play with it!" (So you can see where I get this opinion )

 

[minkydog]

When my DD was born, my MIL thought it would be her "tradition" to buy DD the holiday Barbies that comes out each year. However, last year, for some reason MIL did not buy DD one.

Fast forward to now. DD is three (almost 4) and has discobered these Barbies hanging out, in their boxes (unopened) at the top of her closet. So, should I keep these Barbies "treasured" or should I open them up and allow DD to play with them. I don't know what MIL's intent was in buying them or making them tradition.

Can you not call your MIL and just ask her what her intent was? If she's trying to start a collection for your DD, I'd put the holiday Barbies away and get her a different doll to play with.

 

[prncess674]

Holiday Barbie USED to be very sought after and super collectible. Mattell now makes enough to sink a ship. Unless you have a very early holiday Barbie then the dedication of space isnt really worth it.

 

[YodaGirl]

Holiday barbie USED to be very sought after and super collectible? Mattell now makes enough to sink a ship? Unless you have a ver early holiday Barboe then the dedication of space isnt really worth it.

I agree. I've seen them on clearance months after the fact.

The value is also in how good of a condition the box is in.

DH's granny gave DD a first edition cabbage patch doll when she was born. The packaging was completely destroyed. The cellophane front was hanging on by a corner and the box was ripped and missing in numerous places. I know that the intention was to be a collectible, but at that point, it really wasn't worth anything. We took it out of the box to let her play with it. It will mean more to her later that it was something that she played with as a child rather than it was something that she could only look at.

I come from a family where everything is collected, and IF you take something out of the box, you do it very carefully, put it on display, and keep the packaging. Treasured beanies, in-box "limited edition" furbies, porcelain dolls (not the cheap kind), Raikes bears, Star Wars toys, Hot Wheels, you name it, it was collected. Most of the time it was put up so that it could collect value and we could sell it later. Never once did we sell any of it. Those Ty/Disney/Warner Bros/Grateful Dead beanies are now tagless and making my child very happy. Same with the furbies. After years of collecting, I've learned that toys are meant to be played with.

If your MIL really wants those to be saved for when she is older, put them in a plastic box, seal it with tape, and put it in the attic/garage/storage building. You can get Barbies for $5-$10.

 

[trip]

Can you not call your MIL and just ask her what her intent was? If she's trying to start a collection for your DD, I'd put the holiday Barbies away and get her a different doll to play with.

Or you can decide if you want to continue the collection and start purchasing them yourself.

 

[Robinrs]

Looking at how they sell on eBay they only seem to sell well in lots or special edition.

I would check with her Grandmother and see what her intention was. Children, especially at that age, will totally forget about them if she doesn't see them again, so put them somewhere where she can't find them if you both choose to collect them.

 

[AKL_Megs]

This reminds me of the Beanie Babies my dad and I collected in my "tween" years. We scoped them out and bought the "rare" ones, and even went so far as to save each and every McDonalds Beanie Babies IN THE WRAPPING.

Yeah, they aren't worth squat.

I used to have to keep them in a Rubbermaid bin and wear white gloves whenever my dad and I took them out to look at them. I always wanted to keep them on my bed or on my bookcase.

I still have them, and they are going to be handed down to my daughter to PLAY WITH, if she finds them interesting.

I'd say, let her play with them and make memories. So what if they are worth $50 20 years from now. What's that? Who cares. They may become her FAVORITE toy! THAT is priceless!

 

[minkydog]

Well, y'all aren't going to believe what I found in my basement today. A box full of dusty, empty Star Wars action figures boxes. I told my husband to toss it and he was horrified. NOOOOOOOoo, they're valuable! Huh? He swore that if you kept the boxes you could get more money for them.

He couldn't believe it when I told him you have to keep the toy IN the box and protect it from water, light, and dust. God only knows where the toys are--DS is 24. He hasn't played with these things in about 15 years. DH looked so disappointed as he carried his precious Box of Boxes out to the curb for recycling.

 

[LaurenLC]

I collect dolls. I have many, many, many Barbies. My parents started my collection for me when I was about 4. I have Barbies that are worth THOUSANDS. Save them... Buy her another doll that she can destroy. Even if they don't end up being worth anything later she might be happy to have them in the future.

 

[MissUndastood]

holiday barbie used to be very sought after and super collectible? Mattell now makes enough to sink a ship? Unless you have a ver early holiday barboe then the dedication of space isnt really worth it.

mte

 

[Maridw]

Items are only valuable IF you are willing to sell them. But it also depends on the trends at the time. I have a #1 Harley Davidson Barbie that at one time I could have gotten over $500 for. Now they are not really selling at all on Ebay.

We had plastic bins of Beanie Babies. We finally went through them and kept just the ones we wanted and gave the rest to the Shriners to take to the hospital for the kids.

I still have some Barbies but my collection is a quarter of the size it was. I sold some on Ebay and some at a doll show.

My DD & I have a lot of the original Disney (Disney) Bears. One went for over $1000 on Ebay. But I wouldn't part with any of the ones we have.

 

[crazee4mickey]

I have been "collecting" the Holiday Barbies and have all but the very first one!! I'll never own the one Iam missing either as it is very expensive.

My mom has bought me one every year for Christmas so when my daughter was born 13 years ago I already had quite a few! Each and every Christmas her eyes would light up seeing the beautiful Barbie but I would never open it....and she understood when I told her they were very "precious" or "special".

Buy her an alternate or look for one on eBay that has been opened (they go for fairly cheap), that should keep her happy!

 

[momof1princess]

I have been "collecting" the Holiday Barbies and have all but the very first one!! I'll never own the one Iam missing either as it is very expensive.

My mom has bought me one every year for Christmas so when my daughter was born 13 years ago I already had quite a few! Each and every Christmas her eyes would light up seeing the beautiful Barbie but I would never open it....and she understood when I told her they were very "precious" or "special".

Buy her an alternate or look for one on eBay that has been opened (they go for fairly cheap), that should keep her happy!

i have the first one, and you're right-when my mom bought it, it was valued at about $1000.00, if still NIB. i can't imagine what it's worth now. i have all of the other ones that go with that collection. i believe mattel stopped them for a year or two, then started again, so when they stopped them, that's when i stopped collecting them. it was 1989 to 1995-1996? i don't recall.

i would NEVER take them out of the box.

 

[DisneyScraps]

I have collected them for years. I recently moved and decided to get rid of a lot of excess stuff. I had 20 year old Holiday Barbies in their boxes, could not even get 25.00 for them on ebay or at a huge yard sale. Right now on ebay you can get a 1995 one for 12.95 on a BIN.

They have lot all value, just like Beanies!

I say let her play with them.