These toys were at the top of children's Christmas lists between 1923 and 2023 — and some of them even sparked shopping frenzies.
1923: A.C. Gilbert Chemistry Set
1924: Erector Set
1925: Teddy Bear
1926: Crayola Crayons
1927: Radio Flyer
1928: Yo-Yo
1929: Pop-Up Books
1930: Mickey Mouse Doll
1931: Finger Paints
1932: Sock Monkey
1933: Marx Wind-Up Toys
1934: Buck Rogers Pistol
1935: Shirley Temple Doll
1936: Balsa Wood Model Planes
1937: Monopoly
1938: Microscope Set
1939: View-Master
1940: Red Ryder
1941: Beach Ball
1942: Little Golden Books
1943: Little Green Army Men
1944: Bubble Blowers
1945: Slinky
1946: Lionel Trains
1947: Tonka Trucks
1948: Toy Piano
1949: Clue
1950: Magic Eight Ball
1951: Colorforms Set
1952: Mr. Potato Head
1953: Model Car
1954: Scrabble
1955: Silly Putty
1956: Play-Doh
1957: Water Balloons
1958: Hula Hoops
1959: Barbie
1960: Etch A Sketch
1961: Slip 'N Slide
1962: Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone
1963: Easy-Bake Oven
1964: G.I. Joe
1965: Wham-O Frisbee
1966: Twister
1967: Lite-Brite
1968: Hot Wheels
1969: Legos
1970: Nerf Balls
1971: Weebles
1972: Uno
1973: Shrinky Dinks
1974: Skateboards
1975: Pet Rock
1976: Stretch Armstrong
1977: Atari
1978: Star Wars Action Figures
1979: Simon
1980: Rubik's Cube
1981: He-Man Figure
1982: My Little Pony
1983: Cabbage Patch Kids
1984: Transformers
1985: Teddy Ruxpin
1986: Nintendo Entertainment System
1987: Jenga
1988: Troll Dolls
1989: Game Boy
1990: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1991: Super Nintendo
1992: Talkboy
1993: Super Soaker
1994: Power Rangers
1995: Beanie Babies
1996: Tickle Me Elmo
1997: Tamagotchi
1998: Furby
1999: Pokémon Trading Cards
2000: PlayStation 2
2001: Bratz Dolls
2002: Beyblade
2003: Hullabaloo
2004: Robosapien
2005: Xbox
2006: Nintendo Wii
2007: Guitar Hero
2008: Wall-E Figure
2009: Zhu Zhu Pets
2010: iPad
2011: Skylanders
2012: LeapPad
2013: Tekno
2014: Frozen Dolls
2015: Pie Face
2016: Hatchimals
2017: Fingerlings
2018: LOL Surprise Dolls
2019: Baby Shark Puppet
2020: Baby Yoda Doll
2021: TeeTurtle
2022: Squishmallows
2023: Barbie Dreamhouse
For those who celebrate, Christmas morning is one of delight. It's gathering around the tree, exchanging gifts, and opening presents. But the objects beneath the tree have transformed over the last 100 years.
At the dawn of the 1920s, children wrote to Santa Claus asking for things like Raggedy Ann dolls and Lincoln logs. But by the 2020s, their interests had changed — as had the world around them.
In the gallery above, look through some of the most popular toys from 1923 until 2023. And below, read about some of these beloved Christmas toys.
Popular Christmas Toys In The 20th Century
In the 20th century, the top Christmas toys often reflected their time.
In the 1920s, for example, children wanted toys like teddy bears (inspired by former president Theodore Roosevelt) and chemistry sets (which encouraged boys — and only boys — to become chemists). After the Great Depression hit in 1929, however, some Christmas toys became much simpler. Take the sock monkey or the popularity of finger paints, for example.
The Strong National Museum of PlayThe sock monkey was one of the most popular Christmas toys in 1932. Costing just 10 cents, it reflected the hard economic times in the United States during the Great Depression.
Meanwhile, Christmas toys of the late 1930s and early 1940s reflected the highs and lows of the era. In 1936, for example, balsa wood model airplanes were a highly desired toy inspired by early aviators like Charles Lindbergh. But by 1943, many American children wanted little green Army men for Christmas — no doubt because of the country's entry into World War II.
Children in the 1950s asked for era-defining toys like Silly Putty, hula hoops, and Barbie dolls, while children in the 1960s played with Easy-Bake Ovens (marketed toward girls) and G.I. Joe figures (marketed toward boys).
However, popular Christmas toys started to shift in the 1970s from simple dolls or kits to more complicated technology. In 1977, one of the most highly requested toys was the Atari 2600 game console. A decade later, in 1986, many children wanted a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) for Christmas. And in the 1990s, toys at the top of kids' wish lists included technology, like the Talkboy (a voice recording device), the Tamagotchi (a virtual pet), and the Furby (a furry robot toy).
eBayAn original Furby.
This technological trend would continue into the 21st century.
How Technology Changed Christmas Gifts
By the dawn of the 21st century, technological devices had emerged as the top Christmas toys. In 2000, kids everywhere asked for the PlayStation 2. In 2004, many wanted a Robosapien, a robot toy. The Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, and Guitar Hero video game dominated Christmas lists in the following years.
And, of course, the iPhone and the iPad become highly coveted after they were announced in 2007 and 2010, respectively.
Padraic Ryan/Wikimedia CommonsPeople waiting to buy the first iPhone in New York City. 2007.
Still, some Christmas toys hewed toward the classic. Many children asked for Frozen dolls after the release of the hit movie in 2013, for example, and among the most popular Christmas toys in 2017 were tiny animals called Fingerlings that could cling to your fingers.
Similarly, later years saw stuffed animals top Christmas lists — the Baby Shark puppet in 2019, the TeeTurtle in 2021, and Squishmallows in 2022.
In the end, the most popular Christmas toys were often a fascinating reflection of their times. In the first part of the 20th century, toys were often simple dolls and plushies (though they aptly reflected events like the Great Depression and World War II). By the 1970s, children of a quickly changing world wanted more complicated toys and games. And by the dawn of the 21st century, technology reigned supreme.
Look through the gallery above to see how toys have changed, from A.C. Gilbert chemistry sets in 1923 to the Barbie Dreamhouse in 2023.
After reading about the top Christmas toys of the last 100 years, discover some of the most unusual Christmas traditions from around the world. Or, learn about the surprisingly pagan origins of the Christmas tree.
