What was… and now is under the Christmas tree?

By Lara Pickford-Gordon

snrwriter.camsel@catholictt.org

Much has changed with children’s Christmas gifts with the advent of gaming, internet connectivity, and smart phones.

Despite this, some toys and games are classics for every generation. I wanted to find out what were the popular gifts for different generations and asked a couple of my colleagues.

Catholic Media Services Ltd Special Events team member Mary Pitman was born in 1964 and said in the early 1970s, the popular toy for boys was “cap guns”. “Cap! Cap! And it making the noise like a gun and that was the excitement. And they have other little toys, apart from the guns—they get cars, trucks. The plastic in those days was so durable, what they making things with, dem things didn’t use to mash up. We used to get dolls, tea sets. I remember getting a doll, the dolly name was Baby Lou and that was the hardest thing you could have find, the plastic”.

She said jumping rope and board games like Snakes and Ladders and Ludo, “we had a lot of that!” There was play time with siblings at home and  neighbourhood friends with marbles, bats and balls, games.

Mary grew up in the village of Maitagual, San Juan. She said, “So, we outside in the yard, or in the road if it’s a bigger group, and playing the games for hours. It didn’t have many cars in those days. When a car passing you pull everything out, then after it pass and you go back in the road again”.

Vicar for Communications Fr Robert Christo, who lived in St James as a boy, said holster and toy guns “to play shooting” was popular, as well as balls, tops and the usual board games.  “We played Ludo by the street corner for hours; Ludo was a big thing.”

In the late 70s to early 80s, Editor Raymond Syms said the toys growing up for him were action toy figures. “I remember getting the Star Wars set with Luke Skywalker, Hans Solo, Darth Vader, R2 D2 that was based on the movie; you got toy soldier sets as well as Scalextric and of course a football”. Children got bikes and would ride around the neighbourhood. Raymond remembered when remote control cars were new locally and the remote controls had long antennae.

Andre Burton, content creator, who was born in the early 90s recalls similar toys to Raymond’s growing up and the fun children had making and flying kites and riding their bikes. He noted the “change” in children’s toys happened when “more electronic stuff” became available.

Andre said: “we used to have these handheld Tetris, those used to be real popular, so you could pass it to your friend and compete with them”.  Then he added, “Nintendo 64 came in.” Video games began gaining popularity since the 1980s and Raymond recalled a video tennis game with “with two little sticks”. Andre said the advent of smartphones from in 2000s “changed everything”.

What parents are saying?

On December 6, The Catholic News asked some parents who were out and about in downtown Port of Spain, children in tow, about how they were approaching Christmas gift-giving for their children.

Mother of three children, Ria, said: “one wanted a sneakers and whatever but whereas last year to now, it has gotten too difficult. Financially, it’s a lot more difficult and harder.”

She shared that this year “I will have to opt for cheaper things. It will have to be needs over wants. It is a vast difference this year”.

Crystal is getting her two-year old daughter a tablet and tea set, the latter because she likes to play she is cooking. Why a tablet? She disclosed, “she always using my phone….So, she has to get her own device now.”

Karen is focused on educational items for her daughter saying, “education is the key to success. If you give them a good foundation, then you’ll be at ease”. She said her 11-year-old daughter has not made any requests for Christmas and is not “fussy” about gifts.

Another parent who declined to give any name said as a girl she got dolls, doll houses, kitchen sets, and books. Her ten-year-old son is interested in online games—Roblox. He chimes in adding “remote control cars”. He told me he is begging her for a Sprayground backpack. Asked how he became aware of this backpack, he said at school and social media. His mother continued: “They like things utilising technology”.

Tyrese, who was born in 2002 planned to get his young daughter something “girly” as she liked “girly things”. She told him she wanted a tablet. He planned to fulfil her wish but would not leave her using the device “right through.” As a child he said he was “spoiled” at Christmas with “plenty gold and remote control cars.”

There are many options competing for children and parents’ attention when it comes to gifts. The trends in toys change with time and today’s child has more influences shaping their  interest.

A new Christmas gift may be discarded by Boxing Day as interest wanes. What makes for a great Christmas gift however, are the happy memories created with family and friends. These times are nostalgia in adulthood.