It’s so strange to see the wave of nostalgia toys that are hitting the kids’ stores recently. Strolling through the toy section in Target is a journey to childhood. Transformers, Lite-Brites, Care Bears, who would’ve thought that they’d come back? Now the kids who first played with them are having little ones of their own, and what could be better to play with than the stuff that we loved? I had a huge collection of My Little Ponies. They were an aqua-friendly herd — I remember playing with them most in the bathtub and the kiddie pool in the back yard. The fake terf that we had spread over the deck (Ooh, remember that?) was the perfect field for frolicking. My favorites were, of course, the babies. My favorite, that is, until they came out with a teenager-size (bigger than the babies, smaller than the moms) pony who had delicate, iridescant wings. She was truly beautiful. I must not be the only one hit with such a poignant strain of nostalgia — even some of todays most talented artists aren’t immune, including Annie Leibovitz. Opening October 21st, Milk Gallery will be featuring a set of oversized My Little Ponies (How’s that for irony?)decorated by what they bill as “some of today’s leading female artists.” The project seems a little too similar to the cows, and the set of rather bad copycat projects it spawned for my liking. However, will I be there? Oh yes. Who can resist My Little Ponies? My six-year-old self would never forgive me.
{ 2005 10 19 }
linakalia | 19-Oct-05 at 12:57 pm | Permalink
to this day i regret giving my entire my little pony collection to my cousin…especially the huge purple stuffed animal version. i want my my little ponies back!!
Bronwen | 19-Oct-05 at 10:12 pm | Permalink
I don’t think I ever owned one. But I had the perhaps even dorkier plastic Breyer horses which I set up in the suggestive landscapes around the creek behind Marianna’s house.
Ruth | 20-Oct-05 at 12:48 pm | Permalink
Lindsay,
Me too! (Sorry for causing a resurgence of the emotional trauma.)
Bronwen,
Ooh! I remember Breyer horses! The Clydesdale was always the old, wise one (Because he was the biggest.). One of the others was always mean. I had a set of the little ones in a stable, with their breed name on the doors.
Patricia | 22-Oct-05 at 2:38 pm | Permalink
I love your writing. So engaging. I always loved My Little Ponies (probably one reason you had so many). There were so many toys on the market that “did it all” for you. The little ponies just begged for flights of fancy.
Annika Raaen | 25-Oct-05 at 10:48 pm | Permalink
The first My Little Pony I ever owned was in 1985. Cotton Candy. I remember sleeping with her every night until one morning I couldn’t find her. I was traumatized.
Thanks for the memories!!