The must have Christmas present of 1984

I was tweeting about what to buy my 4yo this Christmas, do I buy the Barbie she has seen advertised on telly really wants?  I object to Barbie on lots of levels (pink stinks, unrealistic images of the female body, gender stereotyping, over packaging, not Sindy), but I know deep in my heart that I also really loved my Sindy dolls.  Elsie, who writes the wonderful Babylonlanetales blog and specialises in the art of coveting things, sent me a picture of the Sindy house she bought her 6yo daughter on eBay (very good move).  I was suddenly transported back.  When I was little I so coveted a Sindy house like this:

Look at that pool and roof terrace!

Many years later I found out that one Christmas my parents did buy me a Sindy house. But when my Dad took it home and began to put it together he decided it was badly made heap of plastic junk and took it back to the shop.  Instead I got a Dolls House.  In all fairness, this was a great present which stood the test of time.  Although its occupants upgraded to a larger residence, its contents are still cherished possessions:

Mum's fallen asleep in her dinner, toy's everywhere, nothing new.

Mr A's mum remarked recently that the Dolls House bears a striking resemblance to the real Alexander Residence.  We both peered inside, looked round the room we were stood in, looked back into the Dolls House and went quiet for a moment.  It's scarily spookily true (except we have carpets).   I wonder if this one move by my parents all those years back may have helped define my tastes somewhat. So extending that argument to its logical conclusion...had I been bought a Sindy House, would my house now sport a roof terrace, stables and pool?

I doubt it, so many influences contribute to defining your tastes (and your income). But it hit me that toys can have a huge impact on your life.  And that I am still no closer to knowing what to get the 4yo.  Sorry, I get in some hideous wrangles over the politics of toy buying,  I now know how my parents felt...

So did your toys define you?  What stands out looking back?  What do I get the 4yo for Christmas ;)

By the way, I've been shortlisted for the Brilliance in Blogging Award, if you've enjoyed reading this, would you take just one little minute to vote for me?  I'm in the first category- Fresh Voice of 2010 http://www.bmbblog.co.uk/2010/12/announcing-the-brilliance-in-blogging-short-list-.html