Holiday Barbie Collector with Grandma's help

I was never a big Barbie fan. I grew up in the late 80's and early 90's. I was one of only 2 girls in a neighborhood so playing with Barbie was a "rare" sight. My collection of the Holiday Barbie didn't start until my grandmother gave me my first Holiday Barbie on Christmas when I was in middle school. My fist thought was "are you crazy Grandma, I am way past the Barbie stage." So I smiled and said "thank you." After my grandmother left I took my Barbie and put her in the basement to stay. The following year sure enough I opened yet another Holiday Barbie from my grandmother. This time I was brave enough to ask why she was giving me the Holiday Barbie. She smiled and said "it's nice to give something that will hold a meaning for you someday." Again being so youg I still smiled and said "thank you" not knowing what she really ment. The years went by and my grandmother continued to give me a Holiday Barbie and I continued to place them in the basement. The funny thing that I didn't realize at the time was that I was very careful to place them on a high shelf and cover them with a sheet (I think at the time my reason was so that my grandmother would not see them in the basement when she came over). It wasn't until I was a Junior in high school that I finaly understood what my grandmother told me that one Christmas. My grandmother had gotten very sick and was in the hospital. She had to have heart surgery along with other operations. While she was going through all of that I started to think "what if????" It amazed me at the amount of times I thought about the Holiday Barbie Collection my grandmother had given me. I finally understood that even though it might not have been that music CD, those shoes, or that money I wanted for Christmas what she had given me over the years was much much more important to me. I know had something that "I" could remember her by. Thankfully with many prayers and very gifted doctors my grandmother made a great recovery and was able to return home. That same year she had gone to the hospital I was talking to her on the phone about a month or so before Christmas. She asked me what I would like for Christmas this year and without even thinking I said "my usual." I am now a mother of 2 and my first born was my son and I didn't want to exclude him from something like this and my husband was not going to let me get him a Barbie every year so he has his own collection of the GI Joe Dolls. Thankfully I was blessed with my daughter a year later and she now collects the Holiday Grocery Barbie Dolls. Of course she will also get all of the Holiday Barbie dolls that my grandmother gave and continues to give me.

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I cried, too
by: Anonymous

I've been collecting Barbie for years, but have not come across such a touching story. I hope some one in my family will have the attachment to my Barbies that you have. I had all boys.

Barbie
by: Arie570

I cried when I read your story and Im glad your grandma is still around to buy you the Holiday dolls. My grandma died 11 years ago and last year my grandfather died on Christmas day.

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