Retailer reveals the top gifts that the nation missed out on as children, with Game Boy, Barbie Dream House and Sega Mega Drive making the top ten.
The disappointments of Christmases past still weigh heavy on the minds of British adults, according to a nationwide poll by Argos revealing the gifts that Brits were sad to miss out on as children.
Game Boy topped the list of longed-for gifts, with Mr Frosty and SEGA Mega Drive coming in a close second and third. Those now in their 40s were most likely to have put Mr Frosty on their Christmas list, while those currently over 50 desperately wanted a Walkman.
The top ten gifts that got away are:
- Game Boy
- Mr Frosty
- SEGA Mega Drive
- Lava Lamp
- Walkman
- Barbie Dream House
- Rubik’s Cube
- Karaoke Machine
- Twister
- Furby
Among the gifts that adults missed out on as children, overall respondents would most still like to receive a lava lamp but those now in their 30s and 40s still really want to try out the SEGA Mega Drive to re-live their childhood gaming dreams.
Those still pining for the gifts that never made it under their tree can find a selection of the most popular presents from Argos at www.thegiftthatgotaway.co.uk, complete with the original catalogue images for a welcome blast from the past.
In addition, nostalgic Brits can comment on Argos’s dedicated competition Twitter post with the item from The Gift That Got Away website that they most wanted, along with #ArgosChristmasMagic, and the Argos delivery elves will surprise lucky winners with a delivery of their longed-for gift.
The list of the gifts that got away comes as searches for ‘retro’ on the Argos website increased by 110% in November compared to the previous month as the nation entered a second lockdown. Meanwhile in the same period, Sega Mega Drive, Mr Frosty and Stretch Armstrong have seen huge upticks in page visits of 324%, 241% and 258% respectively.
The new research found that two fifths (38%) have been buying nostalgic items over the course of the pandemic, with two in five (43%) saying it brought them a sense of comfort and 30% wanting some escapism from what’s been a very difficult year.
“After a long and difficult year, people need some Christmas magic more than ever,” said Rob Quartermain, senior campaign manager at Argos. “We want to bring some joy to the last weeks of 2020 by surprising people with the gift they always wanted as a child but never received.
“The memories of not receiving that Barbie, board game or console lingers on decades later, so we hope the nostalgic gifts will sprinkle some magic to their festive season.”
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