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CAE A ANE Be AI HRSA CA SSL STIR AR EA \ PROS VAS TEEN SHUG VY AH TOS ain AE, ! &3, hy ; Apa auc aiing WS AL an (ra AA ee SA IEE FARES he Peres Tg > a itr Yaad pi FU died dn pier A hes LATA LTT Mh ' i Adhd Er A A AR ay PORT PERRY STAR -- Tues. November 22, 1983 -- 15 TOYS--What's hot, what's not Cabbage scarce as hen's teeth, but parents keep on searching Say it fast three times. Cabbage Patch Kids, Cabbage Patch Kids, Cabbage Patch Kids. Now that your tongue is tangled you might as well forget all about the cute little dolls that are the hit of this Christmas toy season. If you haven't got one by now, you don't stand a cabbage chance of getting hold of one by December 25. Your goose, so to speak, is cooked. Not one store in Port Perry has any Cabbage Patch Kids left for sale. Canadian Tire is flaun- ting one in a Christmas display but its already sold and if you're think- ing of stealing it, forget it. It's TIED to Santa's knee. Assistant manager Joanne Mason says she was offered $48 for-the little blonde doll by one desperate shopper even though Cabbage Patch Kids usually retail somewhere around $25. "We've been constant- ly asked for that doll and ve can't even get them from the manufacturer," says Canadian Tire salesperson Pat Rankin. A shipment of the dolls went on sale on one Mon- day and were complete- ly sold out by the follow- ing Tuesday at noon. Things aren't too much different at Stedman's either, where Cabbage Patch Kids are as scarce as reindeer on the fourth of July. Store owner Bill Barr ordered four dozen last October and was prompt- ly cleaned out within days. "They are something that really gets your at- tention,"' he admits. "You line them up against the wall with a bunch of other dolls and they'll catch your eye If you're a doll collector you velvet and fur adorned Christm Dianne Davison shows off the doll and available at Pentland's Jewellery. ~ every time." Last Christmas, when Garfield and Strawberry Shortcake was all the rage, nobody had even heard of Cabbage Patch Kids. But last April, when Mr. Barr was already planning this Christmas, a talk with a representative of Coleco (the company that makes the dolls) con- vinced him the Kids would be big this year. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were invested in advertising, which began in the Fall. Eaton's laun- ched a special promotion in which the Kids were "adopted" instead of "sold." For every Kid purchased, a lady in a white dress (complete with stethoscope) would check the Kid over and sign adoption papers. From there, the Cab- bage Patch Kids easily became the most sought after toy in the land. Their only competition are Care Bears and Glo- Worms. Port Perry stores are sold out of both. To the naked eye, Care Bears don't look too much different than any other stuffed bear but with the help of the same kind of TV advertising 'that makes children crave Big Macs, Care Bears have become just as big as Cabbage Patch Kids. You won't be able to find a cuddly, soft Care Bear in the Port Perry vicinity, but variations on the Care Bear theme are readily available. Ted E. Bear's Toy Shoppe, for example, features a whole line of Care Bear party ac- cessories including napkins, tableclothes and balloons. Cabbage Patch stickers, sewing cards and dressing kits can also be found at Ted's but the real Kids and Bears can't be found. Glo-Worms, those fun- ny lime green stuffed toys with heads that glo when you rub their tum- mies, are just as scarce. Canadian Tire may, but just as easily may not, get another shipment in time for Christmas. Joanne Mason isn't mak- ing any promises. If you find yourself in dire need of the dolls, you might want to try bigger stores in Oshawa, but reports from several local shoppers indicate the Kids, Worms, and Bears have disappeared off the face of the map. Poor Barbie's dead along with other outdated Time was you'd be overjoyed Christmas morning when you reached into your stock- ing and plucked out a fresh orange, plump and sweet, bursting with juice. And that was your present. If you were lucky, you'd also receive a new pair of mittens knitted by mom, or maybe a shiny new sled crafted with care by dad. Nowdays things aren't that easy. , With the television blaring out the wonders of material possessions, children are demanding more under the Christmas tree. You just can't give them any old doll anymore. You have to give them a Strawberry Shortcake doll or a Cabbage Patch Kid. Sometimes it seems like nothing else will do. , Even though many of us don't like it, we have to face facts and learn to go with the Christmas flow. Toys are trendier than clothes and styles change just as fast in 'd be bound to appreciate a red as doll under your tree. Above, + carefully made by Royal Doulton toys the toy world as they do in Yves. St. Laurent circles. What was hot last Christmas just does not cut it this time around. We all know that Cabbage Patch Kids, Glo-Worms and Care Bears are the Big News this year. But do you know what's Out? Garfield was North America's hottest item last Christmas and re- tailers reported astounding sales of- stuffed Garfields (in all sizes), Odies, Pooky bears, Garfield clinging cats, mini-figurines, erasers, mini-scissors, pencil toppers and play- ing cards. And it's not that anybody dislikes the fat orange cat this Christmas but they're certainly not buying him like they used to. But at least he's holding his - own. Smurfs, Strawberry Shortcake and Fall Guy are out in left field. Way Out. Strawberry Short- cakes, according to Bill Barr at Stedman's, have been replaced in pop- ularity by big dolls such as Orange Blossom. He figures they'll sell when everybodyrealizes Cabbage Patch Kids are nowhere to be found. Barbie is also Out. For years the glam- ourous fashion doll with a figure even Loni Anderson would envy has been the queen of the toy world. She's been struggling to hold her own in the last few years, however. "Barbie this year is dead. Poor Barbie. She hung on for so many years," says Mr. Barr. -Slim and beautiful is out. Plump and cuddly is in (but only for toys). What's this, Christmas already? Actually, the big day isn't too far off as shoppers throughout the township are realizing. Many local shoppers are already sold out of popular gift-giving items, including the Cabbage Patch Kid sitting on Santa's knee (above). Children can catch a closer glimpse of this display at the Port Perry Cana- dian Tire store. She adores the Commodore 64 sitting in the Canadian Tire store, but assistant manager Joanne Mason would adore the home com- puter even more if she received it for Christmas. For a mere $800 some generous person could make Joanne very happy. / eS AG 2G GG G2 G2 6262 RGR SR SRG 252525262525 262526057 M & | MACHINE SHOP Head Rebuilding - Engines Rebuilt - Rotor & Drum Turning - Helicoil Repair Flywheel Resurfacing (flat & recessed) Motorcycle Brake Disc Resurfacing Engine Boring & Head Resurfacing MERV PUGH Regional Rd. 8, Port Perry VISIT THE : WINDOW BOX 2 For Your Hl | Christmas Gift List! i featuring 8. *CRAFTS PINE *QUILTS J DURHAM RD. 57, CAESAREA - 986-4833 985-9345 J OPEN TUES. thru SUN. 10 A.M. to 6 P.M.