Where was that globe 25 years ago? S would have been entertained for hours with that.
DDs were born in 1994 and 1996. Middleton WI where Pleasant Company started and still had main warehouse etc. even after Mattel purchased in 1998 and renamed the company American Girl in 2003. Within the last couple of years everything moved by Mattel from that location. I was back for a HS reunion last year and one of my classmates works for a robotic firm that has leased that huge warehouse space - they were only using about 1/5th of the space but they are rapidly growing. My niece who grew up near Middleton WI (born in 1990) had an American Girl doll, several outfits, and also having her own outfit with matching doll outfit (have a cute picture of this). AG still produces clothes that match AG doll and also ‘Bitty Baby’. Bitty Baby has been part of their line since DDs were young, but since then they have also introduced “Wellie Wishers” which is a smaller sized doll than AG line.
When I started purchasing accessories and some clothes for AG dolls, they also offered “Mini Dolls” which are 6 1/2" and cost at the time $25 each. It was a good way to have a huge variety of historic type of dolls in a compact way. We pretty much kept them in their little box and took out for play and then return to the box. We have a lot of AG story books about the time in history on these particular dolls. Our niece and her family moved to Montgomery AL in 2020, and their DD’s classmates would have AG parties - and my one DD was fine with letting them use her AG doll while the other wanted to keep her Samantha ‘pristine’ - still in original box. So I bought off the secondary market a few AG dolls, mini-dolls, clothes, and some stuff through AG/Mattel so our niece’s DDs would have the dolls and accessories for these ‘parties’. They only lived in Montgomery for a year (niece was in school there for transition from Major to Lt Col in Air Force). As soon as they were moving away, she boxed it all up and DD2 collected it (at the time, DD2 was also living in Montgomery AL).
Our first of 3 granddaughters was born in 2018, and she now has a few of the AG dolls, all of the mini-dolls, a few Bitty Babies, some clothes in a bin - which outfits get put on and properly put away. I purchased The American Girl Story large book on secondary market and also purchased a second book for GD2. This book has been most interesting to GD1, and she sees the mini-dolls that are in that book and is very intrigued with the periods of time for these historic dolls. Since GD3 is almost 2 years younger than GD2, and GD1 will ‘outgrow’ these doll experiences (except for helping the play with the younger sisters who are just age 2 and a few months old), I am done with any purchasing. I went more than a little nuts in early 2020 - didn’t keep track of spending on PayPal/Discover - DH would be shocked. In early 2024 I purchased some clothes for GD1 with matching stuff for AG or Bitty Baby - even with deep discount/sale I spent over $600.
The target age for AG dolls is 8 years old. GD1 is now 7. GD1 is most interested right now with the little dog - and I have some here at home that I have in bins, so I need to ‘find them’. Coco is one of the dogs. There was more than one dog that went with certain AG dolls. I see in their March 2020 mailed catalog some puppies and also a tuxedo cat, orange tabby cat, class pet hamster. Husky puppy, Pomeranian puppy, Chocolate lab puppy. The price shock for me March 2020 they had a California Cool Volkswagen Surf Bus and accessories to create Joss’s surf bus. Joss’s outfit, $34, Joss’s PJs $24, Joss’s Bulldog with Life Vest, $30, and the Volkswagon Surf Bus $650! – more than 50 small pieces to lose!
GD1 wants to have AG doll play with a dog, because their busy household cannot have a dog. I doubt that they will replace their guinea pig when it dies. Our DDs had a guinea pig for a period while growing up, and later we had a gap, and then they wanted one again when they were older/high school and shortly after my cancer recovery. After college, DD2 had a guinea pig until she got a large dog, and DD1 wanted the guinea pig and cage and DD2 wanted DD1/family to have Chester (light brown and white guinea pig).
DH’s mother insisted on getting ‘My Twin’ dolls for DDs - even though I said the younger DD was too young to have the look-alike doll. MIL sneakily snipped some hair from each girl and had the dolls made up. I think non-American girl sized dolls have gone away. I did purchase from the company a matching outfit for DDs. Those dolls were big, and DDs were just not interested in playing with them.
IDK how the toy industry is adjusting to their China manufacturing, if they had ‘stocked up’, and the trade talks between the two countries’ Presidents. AG stuff is made in China.
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I love globes and maps.
When I worked for a company that had branch offices all over the US, I had an atlas of the US states in my desk drawer and if I received a call from a branch I didn’t know where it was, I’d whip out that state’s map and find it.
My brother (not 7 but 63) has a world map set of 3 panels that decorate his living room, a big globe that sits in a frame on the floor, and several other globes. We love to know where things are.
I love it when there is a suggestion for a gift like this that is unique and that I’d love to give (and play with!). I hope you find the perfect one.
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You can’t really get paper road maps/road atlas and travel guides any more. We have one we keep in DH’s auto for trips in case google maps and the car mapping just have us not really comfortable ‘knowing’ where we are going ‘for sure’ and like the extra verification. Every road trip (except the one DH has taken lots by himself between our town and his hometown) we have referred to the big map by the passenger ‘navigator’. I have another that is a little smaller Rand McNally Road Atlas and Travel Guide, copyright 1994 that I look at as reference at home while also on the computer with Mapquest. I also have some AAA regional fold-out maps and a few state ones I am keeping.
So, most of the globes I saw were a bit more than I wanted to spend (> $100). I mean, this isn’t my grandchild. Instead, I found a flat, interactive world map. The best part is that it’s bilingual (English/Spanish). The mom is American and the dad is Peruvian. The friends’ grandson is being raised with both languages spoken in the household. The mom was thrilled with that aspect of it!
https://www.amazon.com/Bilingual-Interactive-Educational-Electronic-Christmas/dp/B0B7JKCRQP
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Ooh, and flags! He’ll be ready for Jeopardy! in no time.
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Whenever D1 suggests presents for her kids, she would usually send a link (usually not very expensive items). It makes it easier for everyone. I am the only one who goes rogue’s sometimes.
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My DIL sends links too, but I like adding a surprise. Last Xmas/Hannukah, I sent a Lego train to GS. Then my son asked for one.
So, Father’s Day, he received a gift certificate for a fairly new local restaurant, as requested by DIL. He also got a big Lego set, and a car with his company’s logo on it. Grandson will get a miniature car, just like his father’s.
My son sent me a picture of grandson sitting cross legged, holding the instructions for the car.
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Long ago my mother was cleaning stuff up and found a metal cookie tin. Inside were a bunch of Hot Wheels/matchbox cars. Suddenly my 17-18 year old brothers were playing with them - for hours! If their friends came over, the friends were playing too.
We do love our old toys. While I was never a lego person, and my kids really weren’t either, I have a lot of 60+ year old friends who still ask for them for Christmas (and not to share with grandkids).
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My DD had two American Girl dolls (Molly and Kitt) and a million accessories. My mom loved buying that stuff. I bring it out for GD1 (6) and GD2(4) to play with. I would love to send home with them but I don’t know if they have room. DD has two boys so doesn’t want them.
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My niece took her D with us to local mall and lego store. While there she bought 3 lego “people” for $10 plus a bunch of other things. I bought the niece’s D a cute small lego set on Amazon that had 2 lego people and 2 vehicles for < $7, which I felt was a pretty good deal. Yesterday, niece sent me a video of her D assembling the lego vehicle—so cute! Nephew-I-L is a lego-addict and design engineer so lego rules in their home.
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My 4 year old GD is a one-store girl at the mall … she would own everything in Claire’s if she could!
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I’m also a one store girl at the mall - no patience to go to more than one per day. Claire’s would not be my choice but I do like pink and I know most things in Claire’s are pink
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And sparkly!
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I’m pretty sure GD has never been to a mall, but she would like pink and sparkly.
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Me too! Nordstrom. One hour max.
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We have a really great mall nearby. GD has been going there since she was little … on her first trip, she saw a green flowered dress that she fell in love with at first sight. It happened to be in her size and on a great clearance. That child held it that entire day, then wore what she called her “cozy dress” until she outgrew it (and was sad that it didn’t fit). Mostly, though, she enjoys riding the escalators, checking out the mannequins at Nordstrom, and watching people.
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We just don’t have any really functional ones anymore.
We don’t really have malls in NYC. The only stores GD1 has been to are toys stores.
Yesterday was GD1’s ballet recital. There were 7 adults who came to watch her do a 2 minute dance. Half way through she decided she was done with the dance. She didn’t just stop, she literally put her head down and shook it. She then proceed to look for us in the audience. She waved to whoever she saw. After the show she said to me, “Po-po I didn’t see you because it was too bright.” (I think she meant the stage was too bright and we were too dark)
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Happy Fathers Day to any other grandpad here.
I played 90 minutes of soccer this morning, then went to pick GS up so his parents could do some house cleaning before inpection/appraisal this week. DW went to help so I fed GS lunch and am doing his nap.
Post nap will be family dinner at our Mexican place
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