Childhood nostalgia: the toys we wish we’d got

When you’re little, Christmas is about one thing: pure excitement. You’d lovingly write wishlists, rummage through toy catalogues and some presents seemed within reach. But we all have that one unfulfilled wish – the toy that tirelessly haunted our dreams back then but never became a reality.

Ramon (34): dreaming of the Tyco Super Rebound

Tyco’s Super Rebound was THE remote-controlled car of the late 90s. A real beast, it could roll over and keep going, master every ramp and was virtually indestructible. For years I dreamed of chasing it across the meadow and letting it jump off the pavement. But I never unwrapped a remote-controlled car under the Christmas tree. I still think about it sometimes and wonder how much fun I missed out on – or whether I should just treat myself to one now.

Simon (41): forbidden wrestling action figures

I didn’t grow up in an eco-warrior home per se. But toys were supposed to be meaningful and creative, which is why Lego and Playmobil were the only plastic toys I was allowed to ask for. With the hope that’s what I’d actually find under the tree. Action figures were strictly forbidden, as my mother considered them «too brutal». She was less systematic when it came to TV. I was allowed to watch recorded wrestling matches when I wanted, but the spandex-clad plastic figures were off limits.

Patrick (47): thwarted skate bike adventure

In the early 90s, I wanted nothing more than a skate bike. This ludicrous vehicle somewhere between a unicycle and skateboard appealed to me. It was all down to an ad for the Max Skate Bike, which is incredibly cringe-worthy in retrospect. But hey, back then it was the hottest thing in town – at least for a while.

When I was allowed to try out my friend Dominik’s skate bike – he’d actually got one for Christmas – I soon realised it wasn’t for me. Riding the unicycle with training wheels was lousy – and that was if you actually managed to ride at all. Once I’d finally managed to sit on the bike and pedal in a reasonably steady and balanced position, the front skateboard wheels made sure I fell over at the slightest bump. And so I’m still grateful to my parents for never getting me my own skate bike.

Darina (31): yearning for the Barbie and horse

As an only child, I usually got what I wanted. Not because I was spoiled, more because I used the toys I already had in more imaginative roles. So one day, my favourite doll jumped onto paper skis with Stabilo sticks and gave birth to triplets the next day, which I accompanied with loud screams. But there was one particular doll I longed for: a Barbie, preferably with a horse.

Dolls

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Barbie Doll and Horse

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Dolls

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Barbie Doll and Horse

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But my mum didn’t let me have the «skinny kitsch doll». Although I can understand why today, I didn’t back then. After all, almost all my friends had one. I did eventually get a Barbie as a present from a friend. My parents weren’t thrilled and I soon grew bored of it too. I was probably more interested in her four-legged companion right from the start. This marked the beginning of my horse phase.

Stefanie (30): the Labrador pup that never came

It’s Christmas Eve and I rush to the Christmas tree, where my parents hand me a big parcel. It wiggles strangely on my lap, and suddenly I hear a lovely bark – a Labrador puppy sticks its head out at me. I’m the happiest person alive. That’s how I kept imagining the gift, but despite my pleading and promises, this dream never came true. Instead, I discovered Pipi Max: a dog that could drink, bark, walk on a lead and – to my great amusement – pee on anything it encounters.

My parents’ answer was: «Nope, you don’t need that.» «Ok then can I at least have Nintendogs for Nintendo DS?» I replied. Obviously, I didn’t have the games console either, but they could’ve got me it at the same time as the dog simulator, since all the cool girls in the playground had them. Everyone except me, of course. And everyone pet their dogs and met up for a virtual walk. In the end, I had no choice but to look over my friends’ shoulders as they played, because I didn’t get a virtual dog either. My parents said something to the effect of I’d get bored of it before long. A few years later, their suspicions were confirmed. I inherited a friend’s Nintendo DS and was finally able to take my virtual dogs for a walk. It was fun – for about half an hour.

Lorenz (46): the Carrera track I couldn’t forget

Full throttle on the straight, then briefly off the gas, through the bend and straight back to full throttle. I could only dream of breathtaking driving manoeuvres like that as a child. Now and again I was allowed to do a few laps on the Carrera track at a friend’s house. Sometimes, there was also one set up in the toy store and I could get a taste of racing there.

Car racetracks

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Carrera Formula Free Racing

Car racetracks

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Carrera Formula Free Racing

I can’t understand why my parents never got me a slot car track. Perhaps they cleverly steered me in the direction of more «creative» toys like Lego or Playmobil – or perhaps I just didn’t want it enough. A few years ago, I actually bought my first Carrera track. I’d have loved to give it to my daughter, but she never wanted one. So this big kid could still play with it after all.

The unfulfilled wishes that never fade

Whether it’s remote-controlled cars, Barbies or piddling plush dogs, the toys of our childhood are often more than just material things. They’re symbols of a time when dreams were carefree and wishes were big. Even if some dreams haven’t come true, the stories remain alive to this day, and that might be precisely why we love to tell them.

Which toy did you want as a child but never got?