The Hot Toy of 2013 - Playskool's #BigHugsElmo (Review & Giveaway)

I was 14 years old when I discovered Tickle Me Elmo in a toy store in August 1996. You squeezed him and he let out his signature giggle. Elmo’s laugh is so contagious, I just knew he would make me feel better on crummy days. I begged my Mom to buy him for me for Christmas. “What does a girl entering high school need with a Sesame Street toy?” she retorted.

Fall came, and the colder the weather got, the more popular Tickle Me Elmo became.  There were stampedes of people whenever a retail store got a shipment. It became pretty clear that no matter how badly I wanted Tickle Me Elmo, he was not going to be under the tree. Christmas Eve came and along with it, the tradition of our parents allowing us to open our “biggie” (aka most expensive) present. My box was roughly the shape of the one Tickle Me Elmo came in. It couldn’t be him….could it?

Unbeknownst to me, my Mom had returned to the toy store that day in August. My very own Tickle Me Elmo had been hiding in our hall closet all those months I openly pined (and whined) for him, my Mom holding her breath that he would stay silent in the box, preserving the surprise. 

Ladies and gentleman, Big Hugs Elmo is the hot toy of 2013, and I’m so happy (and a little relived) that my daughter already has him before the holiday rush.

A Daughter's Hug, A Monster's Hug #BigHugsElmo Giveaway

I was never a hugger until Hannah was born and I became a mother. My favourite times of the day now revolve around her hugs – that awesome first, sleepy hug in the morning, extra cuddly because she’s still waking up. The second is the daycare pick-up hug – the excited, gripping, so happy to see you hug (which is often accompanied with a slobbery kiss and comes after the “MOMMY!” yell from across the daycare’s playground).

But, my favourite hug of all is Hannah’s surprise hug. These come at random times, in random forms and often catch me off guard. Sometimes she grips my leg while I’m washing dishes. Other times she climbs on top of me while we are watching TV on the couch. And then there’s her reciprocal patting on the back hug – which she has been doing for almost a year now!

Sometimes I think she senses I need a hug, other times she needs comfort.

She loves giving hugs ALMOST as much as she loves Elmo.

Glo Worm 2.0

When I found out I was pregnant, a small part of me looked forward to playing with all the cool, new toys that are out there. It's amazing what a few decades can do to the toy industry and how advanced some toys have become.

Case in point - Playskool's Glo Worm.

Here is the one I had as a child, who served as my nightlight:

Here is what my Mom bought Hannah:

Other than the photographic evidence of clear differences, the only "whistle" my Glo Worm had was that his face lit up WHILE you were squeezing him.

In addition to a glowing face, Hannah's "Gloworld Sensory Glo Worm" plays an assortment of songs - some meant for daytime (upbeat, louder) and others meant for nighttime (slower lullabies). And the songs aren't terrible! They are actually quite catchy and I will find myself humming them at random points in the day. Hannah's Glo Worm also has a setting for the face JUST to light up with no music at all. Furthermore, he has rings, a teething toy and even a crinkly flower. At first I thought the crinkly flower was a weird add on that she would never use, but she actually likes the sound and feel of it quite a bit.

Sometimes when Hannah is fussy I'll play the songs for her and she's actually soothed by the music. She also spends hours staring at her Glo Worm taking in all his fun accessories. He is often placed in the diaper bag for outings and he is as important to pack as her sleepers are for an overnight trip.

I have no idea how much my Glo Worm cost back in the day, but Hannah's retails for around $30. My Glo Worm is currently in my old toy box that's now in Hannah's bedroom. When she's a little older I'll show it to her so she can see what I had when I was her age. Hopefully if I put a battery in 80s Glo Worm he'll at the very least light up.