I hate them, too, but every time I threaten to throw them out, DH steps in. He has a thing for the plastic army guys and Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars. Apparently he had a collection when he was little, and his mom got mad at him for something and threw EVERYTHING away, everything he had. It's one of those things he never got over, so now he buys those stupid things all the time. We have a Rubbermaid box of each.
My thing from my childhood? When I was very little I had this big soft doll with vinyl head and hands and feet. I loved her, she was my favorite doll, and I took her everywhere. Well, my (older) brothers knew she was my favorite toy, and one day they cut off all her hair. I sobbed for days, but I couldn't get rid of her, so I still used to carry around this big, hideous looking doll everywhere.