Innocent-looking it may be, but parents everywhere would never again underestimate the pulling power of a pair of pudgy stuffed arms and too-closely set eyes. Never again would they spend the weeks before Christmas waking up in a cold sweat because they couldn't - for love nor money - find a toy store that had any in stock. What am I talking about? The year of 1983, that's what, and the Cabbage Patch Kids craze (or curse, as parents might refer to it).
The Cabbage Patch Kids - not to be confused with the poor imitation Flower Patch Kids, which didn't even have separate fingers - didn't hit the big time straightaway, though. In the beginning, they had been the subjects of an art exhibition created by scuptor, Xavier Roberts. He used German fabric sculpting and quilting methods to produce his (originally termed) 'Little People', which he'd sell at various arts and crafts fairs to substitute his art school fees. Roberts later opened up an area of Babyland General Hospital as a 'birthing' and rehoming department for his Cabbage Patch Kids. Here, people would come to buy their own doll, and even today tourists flock to the site in Georgia, US.
As the popularity of the dolls grew, in 1982 Roberts partnered up with toy manufacturer Coleco to meet demand from the masses (this had been given an unexpected boost with an appearance on reality TV show Real People in the US).
By modern standards, these dolls were rather ugly, with pudgy, round faces, stumpy arms and small, close-set eyes. What seemed to draw kids to them, however, was their uniqueness - a point that was cleverly marketed and made the dolls stand out. Each doll came with its own birth certificate for its new owner to keep in pride of place, so each Cabbage Patch Doll also had its own unique name. Once the adoptive parents (the doll's new owners) filled out the included paperwork and sent this off to the manufacturer, they would then receive a first birthday card in the post! And as if they weren't unique enough, the computer-controlled manufacturing process randomly made small changes to each doll so that no two dolls were the same.
Despite rioting in the aisles as parents fought to get the last Cabbage Patch Doll in the run up to Christmas, the dolls were discontinued in 1989. Hasbro took over production from this point, adding a number of gimmicks, such as ones wit kazoos they could play. Unsurprisingly, this didn't take off, so in 1994 Mattel took over the Cabbage Patch Kid license. The most revolutionary change Mattel made to the dolls was making some available in vinyl - making for much more durable playmates. In 1996, there was also a range of Olympiakids released to cash in on the Olympics that year.
The Talking Cabbage Patch Kid was a side line launch that was perhaps a bit ahead of its time (something Furbys would later get spot on). The price tag for owning a doll that was able to detect the presence of another doll and converse with it without any human interaction was pretty steep back then, plus there was the added price for many of the nightmares that would come from owning such a 'toy'.
In 2003 Toys R Us had its chance to make a mark on Cabbage Patch Kids. It decided to produce 20-inch kids (compared to the usual 14 inches) - in celebration of 20 years of Cabbage Patch Kids.
But enough of the facts. What everyone wants to know is: were they worth the bruises, Mum? Of course they were.
Do You Remember Cabbage Patch Dolls?
Do You Remember Cabbage Patch Dolls?
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Anonymous
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OK, got my first CPK in 1986 she had a really weird name when I got her , so I sent my certificate to "Babyland General Hospital" and they kindly changed her name to Natalie Jane which I wanted to call her. I love CPK?s and have 4, my 1st and 2 new-ish ones and last year my husband and I went to USA to Babyland General Hospital where I bought a lovely soft sculpture kid. Sad I know, as I am 27 yrs old and still a big kid! But hey!, I?m happy :) Long live the Cabbage Patch Kids!!!!
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Anonymous
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Today is the 5th Sept 2006 and I have just received my first cabbage patch doll. I got her from ebay it says 1978, 1982 on the tag and has a brown sig on bum. She is sooo cute. She has a white and blue dress on with little socks and bottees. A white bonnet and a dummy. I always wanted one of these when I was younger so I am reliving my childhood now. I dont know her name so got to think of one for her, she came all the way from America. I am so happy to have one now ( a little bit sad for a married 27 year old with 2 childrren I know)
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Anonymous
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How funny, CPK - my sister and I got one for Xmas once - they had bright yello plastic dummy's and they came with their own birth certificate that you had to send off to Cabbage Patch world.. I also had a tape with all of their songs on it.. I still to this day know the words word for word... "Cabbage Patch kids growing in the garden cabbage Patch kids growing in the sun and the most amazing thing about a cabbage patch kid.... each one grows to be a special on..." ha ha I'm now 26!!
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Anonymous
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My mom got my sister and I CPK when they first came out. We both still have ours, but mine is short a passifier and some clothes and my sisters had an accident and it now has a hole in it's cheek. About a year ago my grandmother gave me another one that is still in the box! It's a 1982 doll with red hair in pony tail brads with a white headband, blue eyes and a purple jogging suit on that has a little kitten on the shirt. Apparently it was one of the first CPK after the name was changed from "Little People". I am actually thinking of selling her. Now that I am older and have no place for her in my home, I would like to find someone who will take care of her. To the editor, the Garbage Pail Kids was a different company that tried to use the CPK likeness to make money. The creator of the CPK quickly sued them and it was settled out of court and the Garbage Pail Kids had to change their items so they wouldn't be infringing on copyright laws.
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Anonymous
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I just find it funny to read how people hate Cabbage Patch Kids or find them creepy. I had three of them (all girls), and I don't know if I still have any down in my parents' basement. I still am a little mad at myself for giving them haircuts, save the preemie.
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Anonymous
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I had a boy cabbage patch doll his name was louis he had auburn brown hair I absolutely loved him anyways when I was three my aunty put brown dry dog food in his nappy when I wasn't looking and when I went to change his nappy I thought he had actually soiled himself and started showing all family what he could do hahaha for a few years I thought he was real. I also remember a Cabbage Patch Kids cartoon in the mid 1980's and I don't know the name of it and would love to find out what it's called does anyone remember it at all I know the story line was some one was trying to kidnap one of the cabbage patch kids. If anyone remembers it can you email me the name at tenneale_kelly@hotmail.com
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Anonymous
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My sister had one of these , Roxanne its name was and it came with an adoption card thing ,Mum sent it off and a year later it got a birthday card.I wanted one but my dad said i should get out and get a job , i was 17 at the time :0)
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Anonymous
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I had a girl doll named Bridgette. I remember using a pen to draw an "incision" on her stomach and then I used nail polish to "sew" her up. I became a nurse when I "grew up." Now I have bought three CPK's for my 8 month old daughter Abigail. All 3 have her name is different spellings. It is so much fun searching for the doll that has a name that is the same as a little girl or boy that you know. I am still searching for a Tom, Tommy or Thomas.
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Anonymous
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i was scared of the cabbage patch kids i'd all ways cry if i ever saw one
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Anonymous
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I was born in 1991, after the main CPK blast, and my 1st earliest memory of the CPK dolls is seeing them at some toy store or another, getting freaked out, going home, and having these horrible dreams about those creepy lil things. My second memory of these dolls was when I walked into the sitting room, and my parents were watching the news, and they were talking about how some CPK doll ate a little kid's hair. They still creep me out :( No offence.
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