In 1996, no three words were more triggering than Tickle Me Elmo. The Christmas gift of the season was that plush toy. This toy was the cause of price scalping, riots at Toys R Us, family feuds and mayhem to the a.m. The whole ordeal was ridiculous to me.

I hadn’t seen this consumer fervor since the 1983 Cabbage Patch Kids … that was utter chaos. Hell, the movie, Jingle All The Way (1996) was inspired by the Cabbage Patch Kids, and some part, Tickle Me Elmo. THEE must-have toy Christmas.

I digress.

---

Thrifty Payless Drug Store

I was working at my first “real” job, that wasn’t a paper route, lawn mowing, or babysitting. The store manager, Bob Moran, understood this therefore you liked me for some reason. Even at 20 years old, I knew I didn’t know everything. One day in November that same year, he approached me with a cardboard box. No labels whatsoever, they were ripped off.

Bob asked, “Can I trust you, Carlos?”

I looked him in the eyes, “Yessir.”

“Ok, then,” he continues. “Don’t ask me what is in this box. Furthermore, hide this box somewhere that only you know. Do not tell me even if I ask. Just retrieve it when I tell you it’s time.” He looked me over. “Understand? Am I clear?”

“Crystal, sir,” I answered promptly.

He smiled. “Good boy.” He handed over the box which was very light in weight.

I peered down at the box. “Now, sir?”

“Yes, please.”

I scampered off to a place that I knew no one would look, let alone know about. In fact, I almost forgot about it!

---

[a couple weeks later]

Bob casually walked up to me on the sales floor before opening on a Saturday. “It’s time.”

I looked at my watch; 8:56 a.m. “Almost 9am, sir.”

He corrected me, “No, Carlos. It’s time to bring me the box you hid.”

“Oh!” I exclaimed. “Absolutely, sir.” I walked off, and returned with the box.

He examined it. His eyebrows furrowed. “You didn’t open it?”

“No, sir. You said not to open it! You asked if you could trust me with it, so I didn’t,” I retorted.

He patted me on the shoulder. “Good boy. Please put out the toy that’s in the box however you wish in the appropriate aisle.”

With my box knife, I opened the box. Four units of Tickle Me Elmo were tightly packed in there. The most coveted toy of this Christmas season. It can’t be found in the Alderwood-Lynnwood-Mountlake Terrace area.

I found the right spot, tagged it, “limit 1 per customer”, and they were gone within minutes.

After that mess, I haven’t heard of another toy that dominated the American mind since. With supply and accessibility at an all-time high, it would create that crazed demand.

The popular toy for 2023 is the merchandise for the Barbie Movie: Barbie doll, Ken, Dreamhouse (2023) and of course, the Hot Wheels Barbie Corvette.

Christmas is about gift giving, right?