50 Pictures That Perfectly Encapsulate What Christmas Was Like In The ‘90s

The Talkboy came into existence after it was used by Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone 2. Before the film, the toy actually never existed. While writing a sequel, the creator, John Hughes, knew that in certain situations (like while booking a suite at the Plaza Hotel) Kevin would need to pass as an adult.

So he included a futuristic recording device in his script that would allow the boy to change his voice. Together with toy companies, they came up with a silver device that featured a microphone and a cassette tape for recording sound and conversations.

The demand for the toy was so high that it was almost impossible for them to keep up. It continued to be popular beyond the 1993 holiday season, and in 1995, they introduced Talkgirl, a purple and pink version of the original.

The ‘90s also gifted us many jingle hits that withstood the test of time, just like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and NSYNC’s “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.” Her 1994 hit is considered a holiday classic, with Billboard ranking it number one on its list of the Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs.

The tune was written very early in the singer’s career on her little Casio keyboard. It was the first Christmas song she ever wrote, and she definitely didn’t expect it to become an icon of the '90s, let alone of all time.

Taking this nostalgic journey through the festivities of this decade, it's clear that the holiday season back then was a combination of iconic movies, toys, and memorable music. The Game Boy or Tickle Me Elmo might not have withstood the test of time, but the popular Christmas films and jingles have sneakily entered the 21st century and don’t seem to be leaving any time soon. And we’re totally fine with that!

For more of that magical charm of the '90s, make sure to check out our earlier publication on the most popular gifts from that era.