So many of our childhood favorites, from toys to clothes, now grace the shelves of thrift stores around the world. Many of us probably wouldn’t think about them often if it weren’t for people like Stefany Kay, the creator of ‘Tales From The Thrift,’ who is dedicated to finding and sharing these treasures from our collective past. Bored Panda spoke with Stefany to learn more about her unique passion.
“I’ve always loved thrifting and finding random, sometimes weird items,” she told us. “I started out documenting my wacky finds on Instagram and TikTok, and over time I realized the content people responded to most were the nostalgic pieces that reminded me and my followers of our childhoods. Whether it’s a doll you had growing up or a body spray bottle that’s 30 years old, there’s so much room for reflection in the things you find at thrift stores.”
One of Stefany’s recent prized finds is a working Lil’ Miss Singing Mermaid doll from 1989. This toy was part of the mermaid craze that took off in the 90s following the success of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. With its adorable face, bushy blonde hair, and jeweled tail, it captured the hearts of many children. The doll was a particular hit because it sang a sweet tune when squeezed and even worked underwater—of course, Stefany was no exception to its charm.
Stefany remembers receiving the Lil’ Miss Singing Mermaid as a Christmas gift when she was a kid. “It was hands down my favorite toy,” she shared. A few months ago, Stefany posted an old photo on Instagram where she’s grinning with the unopened box of the doll in her hands.
So you can imagine how excited she was to stumble upon the same toy in a thrift store years later. “I could not believe the one I found still worked with fresh batteries!” she said. “It took me straight back in time when I heard her sing! I almost bought one online several times, but the thrill of the hunt is so satisfying when you finally do find it.” On eBay, these dolls retail for up to 400 dollars, but Stefany scored hers for the symbolic price of $3.99.
For some, nostalgia can be a bittersweet feeling that leaves them longing for the past and feeling upset with the present. But for Stefany, it’s a source of joy. “I get nostalgic almost every day!” she says. “I try to keep it fun and light because it connects me to a time when life was more manageable and fun-focused. I use it therapeutically to deal with all the ‘unfun’ stuff adult life has to offer.”
Nostalgia is not only a powerful emotion but also a very useful one. Psychologists have found that it can benefit our mental well-being, improve our mood, and help us connect with others.
“You dip in nostalgia, you dip into the past,” says Tim Wildschut, professor of psychology at the University of Southampton, “to motivate yourself, to pursue important goals, to imbue life with meaning, to feel connected. And then you go on and life takes over, you know, until the next time.”
What’s more, archaeological records suggest that even our prehistoric ancestors, living 300,000 to 500,000 years ago, might have experienced nostalgia. Instead of making new flint tools from scratch, they often refashioned old ones. Researchers believe these tools were kept as “memory objects,” holding emotional significance and connecting them to their predecessors.
According to Krystine Batcho, a psychology professor at LeMoyne College and nostalgia researcher, reminiscing on our memories, even if they are not positive, has an evolutionary explanation. Nostalgia usually feels good because, over time, we tend to remember our past more fondly while the negative aspects fade away.
“Remembering things as better than they were serves an evolutionary purpose. If people were to remember things faithfully to the original, most women would never want to have more than one child,” Batcho says. “It’s a function of species survival that we can gloss over the bad portions of the past.”