Christmas is just the best, but it takes a pretty special gift to stand the test of time. But these gifts manage it! Even 20 years later, we wouldn't be even a little disappointed to find them under the tree.
1. Nintendo 64
One of the greatest systems of all time — and the way retro gaming has taken off, we'd love to unwrap one of these bad boys. Who's up for Mario Kart?
2. Tamagotchi
I'm convinced that there are landfills along the Eastern seaboard that double as Tamagotchi mass graves given all the kids who neglected them. All those '90s kids can get a do-over, though, because they're back for Christmas '17.
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The first movie came out in 2001, but Harry Potter made his debut in print four years earlier, in 1997. Even 20 years later, it's always a treat to dive back into those pages. Always.
4. "Spiceworld" by Spice Girls
Admit it, you can't help singing along whenever "Spice Up Your Life" comes on the radio in the car, right? Just like your teenage self, driving your parents nuts back in 1997 if you got the CD for Christmas.
5. Spider-Man Web Blaster
Yep, 1997 was the first time kids got a chance to sling webs just like Spidey — and that was before any of the Tobey Maguire movies. Good news: you can still get one!
6. Ride-On Batmobile
Driving around in your own little Batmobile? Yes, please! So what if 1997 kids could only go 3 mph in this beast — 2017 adults could probably make a few choice tweaks to that.
7. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
If you were lucky enough to be in a family adopting that new DVD technology, you could watch Austin Powers over and over, without rewinding, until you had all the jokes memorized. And it's still a classic.
8. Sony PlayStation
If you were into games but didn't have an N64, you probably had a PlayStation. To unwrap one with Final Fantasy VII would be the perfect Christmas morning — with a memory card, of course.
9. Ella Enchanted
Harry Potter wasn't the only classic children's character unleashed on the world 20 years ago, as Ella also made her debut, giving us a vivacious young lady — one who does the rescuing, rather than being rescued.
10. Disney's Hercules
Hercules gets a bit lost in the '90s Disney releases — it's no Aladdin or Lion King — but it deserves better. Go back and watch it — it holds up well. Maybe we didn't realize what a gem we had 20 years ago!
11. Smart Watch
The Seiko MessageWatch, a watch that was also a pager and could send and receive short messages, came out in 1997. You can't get them anymore — Seiko discontinued the service in 1999 — but I wouldn't turn down an Apple Watch today!
12. Oreo Fun Barbie
There's something special about this mash-up of branding that resonates across the ages. If you think Barbie's body image is unrealistic, wait until you partner her up with Oreos! You kind of want to study this or put it on display, don't you?
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