09/11/2025

ON SUNDAY November 9, 2025 theSunday Special IV

Fads we loved and left behind BY HANNEF ESQUANDER D DER

Troll dolls Wild neon hair and jewel-studded bellies made Troll dolls bizarre and a little creepy, but absolutely beloved. Their odd charm and goofy expressions made them s ha do tel go Wild neon h made Troll d but absolut and g irresistible collectables in the ’90s. Kids braided their hair, swapped them like Pokémon cards and some even believed they brought good luck. They were not just toys; they had personalities. Some were themed, others just plain weird, but all brought joy and colour to our lives. The Trolls of WRGD\ PD\ ORRN GL̆ HUHQW EHFDXVH they have been modernised by DreamWorks, which produced all WKH ¿OPV 6RPH PD\ QRW OLNH WKH new look, but they are still as cute. h P e go the we wei olo GD ey ea ¿O w lo t w w co WRG the Dre WKH new

of Princess Diana in 1997. Although they were special, these purple Beanies were not limited edition. Adults genuinely thought they would be worth something in the future. That future is now, and sadly, the purple Beanie’s estimated value is only around US$200 on the resale market. Pokémon Few fads have had the staying power of Pokémon. From Game Boy screens to the TV screen, it was more than a game; it was a lifestyle. Every kid had a favourite Pokémon and the hunt to ‘catch ’em all’ felt like a never-ending adventure that spanned playgrounds and weekends. Perhaps it is not quite right to call Pokémon a fad, since it evolved and has stuck around. With new generations and VSLQ R̆ V 3RNpPRQ FRQWLQXHV WR FRQQHFW people across ages. Whether you are trading cards, playing Pokémon GO or collecting the plushies, the franchise is not going anywhere any time soon.

T RENDS come and go. What changes faster than a trend is a fad. One day, it is all around you and with just the blink of an eye, it is over and everyone forgets and moves on. But trends and fads make our lives more fun. They bring joy and add some colour to our daily life. It is not about trying to blend in or losing our sense of individuality, because we choose and decide what we like and don’t like. We are just in it for fun. That is what this is all about. Tamagotchi Before smartphones, Tamagotchi was the only gadget we carried around with us as kids. These little digital pets needed feeding, cleaning and attention or they would go straight to pet heaven. Most importantly, Tamagotchi taught us about responsibility. Pocket-sized and pixelated, Tamagotchis became the ultimate play ground status symbol in the late ’90s. While their chirping was sometimes annoying, owning one felt like being part of an unspoken club. Even now, seeing one triggers a wave of nostalgia. With the current wave of nostalgic comebacks, Tamagotchi has been re-released and updated with a colour screen and Wi-Fi connectivity to elevate the experience. It may be time to hatch one again. Labubu Labubu is a craze that is hard to ignore. Some might think they are ugly, but the sales figures of Popmart, the Chinese retailer where these little monsters are sold, prove otherwise. Popmart saw a 726.6% increase in just one year, with The Monsters series generating 3 billion yuan in 2024, up from 368 million yuan the previous year. It is impossible to take the train or walk through the mall without

seeing a Labubu dangling from someone’s handbag, phone or even belt loop. But what is Labubu without its pre decessors? All the other fads that were equally fun and cute from yesteryear may have come and gone, but for those who were part of it when it was cool, we might still have them somewhere in storage or in a box stowed away under the bed. It may be time to take them out and give them a second life.

Furby When Furby hit the scene, it was like owning a tiny alien that spoke its own language. Its blinking eyes and robotic voice were both fascinating and slightly terrifying. People were buying all the GL̆ HUHQW YHUVLRQV UHOHDVHG 3DUHQWV ZHUH not exactly happy because these Furbies did not come cheaply. As creepy as they sometimes were, Furby brought a kind of magic. It felt like a step toward the future, a talking pet that could remember things. Now they sit somewhere in the storeroom collecting dust, but why not try inserting some batteries to see if it still talks?

Beanie Babies With their heart-shaped tags and punny names, Beanie Babies were once considered serious investments. People lined up out side shops and paid big money, FRQYLQFHG WKHVH VWX̆ HG DQLPDOV would one day fund university tuition. Not really the case, but we had our fun. Each Beanie had its own backstory, adding charm and per sonality. There is a special edition purple Beanie with a white rose on its chest, released in honour of the passing