Toys We Yearned For.

I wanted a scooter, the old-fashioned type propelled by one foot pushing it along. My mother said 'no'. I suspect scooters were too expensive. I remember praying that I could have a scooter when I got to heaven and also that I would still want one when I was old, so that I would enjoy having a scooter in heaven.

Actually, I do still fancy an old fashioned scooter!

I wanted one of those model heads that you could put make up on and do their hair. My mother proclaimed it cheap and nasty so not appropriate. I had action girl and her horse instead.

Unmaterialistic!!

Born before WW2 toys were very scarce and of course no tv advertising made us very in materialistic.
We didn’t know what the latest toys were and I suspect not much manufacturing was on toys.
I always got books for Christmas and as I had a doll I must have had that given at some time.
I had a second hand home made dolls house but I hadn’t asked for it, however it was very treasured and played with by the hour.

In the 1940s there wasn't a wide choice of toys. We got what we were given and knew we were lucky as our family was more affluent than some. For some unknown reason, I yearned for a black doll, though I was never one to play with dolls. On Christmas morning there she was at the end of my bed, in a dress made of material I knew my mum had used for us too. My sister had a matching white doll, similarly dressed.

I'm not sure if I can remember a certain toy that I wanted when I was a kid. But I remember that my family lived too far from any playground, and my mother had to walk with me to the next street to play with other kids. I believe that it was the reason why I bought my children their own wooden playground, so they could play there whenever they want, and since it's at home, I always know that they're safe. They always find some games to play there, and it's shocking to me that they can spend hours there.

A John Bull printing set. I wanted to be a journalist and thought this was the bees knees. My mum wasn’t keen as it had tiny little rubber letters and I had younger siblings who would spoil it or eat it.
I kept on about it after Christmas, and in the end my Nanna got it for my birthday but it had to stay at her house - I visited for the night regularly for ages after.

I don’t remember wanting anything in particular when I was a child but DD2 still says she wishes I’d got her the Mr Frosty that made lurid coloured drinks. As she was allergic to red colouring she never got one! DD1 said the same about a Ra Ra skirt. I was obviously a terrible mother!!

I went through a phase when I wanted a rocking horse, but I don’t think I conveyed the message enough as I never got one.
I did have a pogo stick one Christmas though which I loved!

Well, I never knew the Pink Witch bike had a lipstick holder. That might have put me right off. I did get a bike in the end, by the way, and it was a nice one, albeit second hand and not a PW.
I also had some of the Woolworths roller skates, the ones with a nut and bolt in the middle that can be extended. I don't remember actually learning to skate on them.

I also wanted a Sindy doll - and got one! I ran round to my “friend” next door but one to show her. Only to find she had Sindy, Paul, the car and the little sister. I was devastated.

Amberone

^I had Tressy 'her hair grows', it did but was quite hard to style, and getting it back into the doll took ages.^

I think I said on another thread somewhere that I cut my Tressy's hair off. Don't know if I expected it to grow again, or what ?

I did that too ?. I was addicted to the Dolls hospital page in June and Schoolfriend magazine. I thought I could make all my dolls better like they did so I cut hair and drew biro spots on their faces. Mum was furious and I got a major telling off.

I wanted a Tressy doll but never got one my mum couldn't afford it.

I don't recall really wanting anything, other than a Tiny Tears. I did get a 2nd hand one, but one of the eyes had been pushed in and I hated it.

I'm still not very materialistic and I think I must have been like this as a child. Loved getting books and book tokens.

I actually got a Tressy AND a Cindy one year. My granny bought them for me. I liked them but wasn't a huge fan.

I wanted a bike too and got one, it was second hand and my Dad had done it all up, repainted in maroon, I loved it. I can remember wheeling it in from where it was hidden, very happy!

I'm not sure what I wanted, I certainly didn't like girlie toys. I know I wanted a bike for a long time but that was considered too dangerous (and probably too expensive) I never have been able to ride one so it would probably have been a waste of money. When I was old enough to read my aunt's Horse and Hound I became desperate for a Julip horse but I had to wait till I had a Saturday job and could buy my own.

For a few years I longed for a walking doll, kept gazing at them in newspaper adverts. I eventually got one for Christmas when I was 9, but was so disappointed that she couldn`t walk on her own, I had to hold her arm.

Pink Witch - that reminds me of Edna O’Brien’s novel - The Country Girls, where the main character is so envious of her friend Baba’s Pink Witch, (‘She was my best friend and I hated her.’ ?).

I think they were made by Raleigh though, Grammaretto! The good old sixties, when much of what we bought was still made in the U.K.

For some reason I wished for bagatelle. I wanted the real kind, wooden board and cue, silver balls.
Instead I opened a plastic pinball game worked with a spring. It broke before the end of the day.

My sister was given a pink witch bike. It was a bit embarrassing with its mirror and lipstick holder.
I got a sensible raleigh bike - much better.

My best friends was given a beautiful sparkly turquoise bike for her birthday. I pleaded with mum and dad to have one for Christmas, a few months later.
Imagine my disappointment - I was given a bike but it was an ex postman’s bike which my grandad had painted blue ( supposed to be turquoise) . Bless his lovely heart. He’d really tried his best. I rode that bike all over but always behind my friend, yearning for her bike. ?

I remember those roller skates Bluebelle. I had a pair also, they were from Woolworths I think, hard black plastic on the top.

Think they cost 19/11., just under £1. Yes, you could ‘extend’ them as your feet grew, but fed up with them by then,

Wonder what happened to my skates?

Calendargirl

Reading another thread about toys, how today’s children have too many, set me off thinking back to the toys we wanted but didn’t receive.

When I was about 6, sixty odd years ago, some shoes were advertised on tv, plastic ones with stiletto type heels, in a clear sort of colour. How I longed for these shoes from Santa! Needless to say, both Santa and my mum were in agreement, that such silly shoes would lead to a sprained ankle or worse.

Still think about them though. ?

I know those little Shoes, glitter plastic. I was lucky to get them for Christmas . Only lasted about half a day, the heel snapped off I was heartbroken. Even tho my Dad tried to fix them with glue, even tried heat from a hot Poker to melt them together he couldn't fix them.

Oh I do feel your pain BlueBelle. I too wanted the boot skates though only had those that you describe. Mine were red plastic but just clunked along.
I did get a nice Petite typewriter one year. Thought I was going to be a journalist. Ha.

I wanted a bike but Mum thought they were dangerous. I was eventually promised one if I passed my eleven plus- I passed but then Mum decided a fountain pen would be a safer reward. It was a Parker and probably quite expensive at the time but I was so disappointed. I never did learn to ride a bike.

My main presents were always books, which I loved, plus of course, an annual. One year my brother had a Meccano set once, which I yearned for. He really wasn't bothered about it so I built a few models. I remember him playing with what I made though.