~~~THE 2002 HOLIDAY CELEBRATION BARBIE DOLL~~CONTINUE THE TRADITION OF HOLIDAY BARBIE COLLECTING!!
Written: Oct 21 '02 (Updated Oct 05 '05)
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Pros: The traditional blonde Barbie is beautifully dressed in a crimson colored gown.
Cons: Expensive at full price; must be kept in the box to retain its value.
The Bottom Line: Continue the tradition and pick up a 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll for that special someone (even yourself!) today before she's sold out forever.
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| melissasrn's Full Review: Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll 2002 |
***Now that the Barbie bashing write-off that occurred in the Kids & Family section of Epinions a few weeks ago is over with, I hope that it is now safe to post a positive review about this highly collectible doll :-)
When my now 12 year old daughter, Kelsey, was in elementary and even preschool, she was so obsessed with anything Barbie that she played with her for hours every day and had several boxes full of dolls and accessories. And instead of grounding her, all I had to do for discipline was threaten to take her Barbies away! So to go along with Kelsey's beloved collection of Barbies she physically played with at the time, I began purchasing a Holiday Barbie every year at Christmas time (to remain UNOPENED, of course!) back in the mid 1990's as one of her gifts. And when that series ended with the end of the last decade, my yearly quest continued to include the most recent 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll. Because many of the earlier Holiday Barbies sold out quickly and were then almost impossible to find at a reasonable price, I now get one of the newer Celebration Barbies for Kelsey soon after they are released every fall even though many times she can be found near and after the holidays at a much cheaper price. My nerves can't stand waiting though, so this is one treasured collector's item I don't think twice about paying full price for.
~~~The 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll~~~
Available in both the traditional blonde Barbie as well as an ethnic version with darker hair and skin tone, this review will cover the blonde 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll only. Recommended for ages 6 years and up, this highly collected series of dolls is a favorite among children and adults alike. This years model specifically measures the standard 11 1/2 inches in height (29cm) and includes a beautiful burgandy dress along with shoes, necklace, purse, hair trim piece, and doll stand for those that enjoy displaying their Barbie doll collections in glassed cases, etc. According to the packaging advertising: Barbie makes her 2002 grand entrance dressed in a velvety shade of burgandy. Her golden hair and rooted lashes are framed by a crimson glitter tulle stole. Adorned like the perfect winter rose, she brings the wish of peace, harmony, and good will to all! As a follow up to last year's 2001 model with the beautiful silver dress with red trim, this years 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll is certainly modernly stylish and up-to-date fashion wise as far as the hair style and dress goes.
~~~Detailed Features~~~
Going head to toe, the regally beautiful 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll has the traditionally long blonde thick hair neatly collected into a high, wavy ponytail with a burgandy hair piece at the top of her head. The long bangs are parted on the left side and are stylishly pulled back smoothly around the ears. Her earrings are silver studded and her make-up, which includes shiny burgandy lipstick and lilac eyeshadow, is glamorous and definitely a heavier evening look. The eyelashes are real and "rooted" (not painted on) and her charming silver colored pendant necklace is beaded and contains a larger burgandy stone. Her beautiful crimson glitter tulle stole is attached and drapes lightly across her shoulders, while the long sleeved velvet like dress is full length and definitely formal. The fitted drop-waist bodice is imprinted with detailed long-stemmed flowers in a V shape, which features a glittery tied bow sash at the waist (created with the same material as the stole) and falls downward almost reaching the hem of her dress. At this point, the appearance of her shoes remains a mystery as they are hidden inside the box by her long dress, so we may never know what they truly look like! The grace and glamor this 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll features is quite obvious, and most any child (or even adult!) would be happy to add her to their ongoing collection.
~~~Packaging, Price, & Availability~~~
The 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll is packaged in a burgandy and silver somewhat oval shaped box with a clear, see-through panel in front so that Barbie can easily be viewed inside the box without opening for those of us that wish to keep her contents undisturbed without tampering. The box easily sits upright for display and has the words "Special Edition" written across the front as well as a photo of the same doll pictured on the back. Available seasonally (usually early fall through January) at most discount and toy stores where regular Barbie dolls are sold at varying purchase prices, I paid $34.88 retail at my local brick and mortar Wal-Mart store. She is also available through many major online merchants, but consider shipping costs when ordering via this method. If your nerves can stand it, chances are the price will be slashed considerably the closer we get to December if availability remains. But once the 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll is gone, she's gone! Then you'll most likely pay more at places like eBay, so keep this in mind when making the decision of whether or not to wait for prices to possibly drop before purchasing. For it may be too late if you wait TOO long.
~~~Overall Recommendation~~~
While my 12 year old daughter is no longer enthralled by the magic of Barbie anymore and she long ago placed her large collection into storage downstairs in the basement, I still continue to collect the annual holiday versions for her as part of her Christmas gifts from us. So Kelsey always knows at least one thing that she'll find under the tree every year! But she still keeps a few of her favorites displayed in her room, so I'm already anxious to discover if this year's 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll will be a hit or not with her this holiday season. Only time will tell, I guess! But if I were an adult Barbie doll collector myself, I feel this one would make a wonderful addition and is certainly an edition not to be missed. Once you get started though, it's hard to stop! Sometimes I wonder just why I continue to purchase dolls such as this year's 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll as I know fully well that we will NOT be opening her up any time soon. I suppose it's just a tradition I cannot seem to break, even though my pre-teen daughter has long outgrown her fascination for Barbie dolls and is now interested in more "grown up" things such as popular music and make-up. Perhaps it is MY secret fetish as an adult (maybe I secretly want her for myself?) since I had no time for such girlish things during my own tomboyish childhood. But whatever the true reason, the 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll comes highly recommended from me as an ideal gift for that special Barbie collector in your life, no matter what her age might be! Better yet, get two if your pocketbook can afford it: one left untouched for display and one to play with.
Happy Barbie Collecting :-)
To purchase your own 2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll now online before they are sold out, go to the following website and do an easy search for her (the actual link is too long to copy and paste here):
www.walmart.com
***Barbie Collectibles Special Offer: To receive a Barbie Collectibles catalog and a $5.00 coupon good towards your next Barbie Collectibles purchase of $40 or more, call 1-800-491-7514. Reference source code is A23552i. Restrictions apply. Offer expires March 31, 2003. Valid in the USA only. Limit one coupon per person.
***2002 Holiday Celebration Barbie ornaments are also available in limited quantities wherever Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments are sold.
Questions or comments?
1-800-524-TOYS
Or write:
Consumer Relations
MATTEL, Inc.
333 Continental Blvd
El Segundo, CA 90245 USA
***Check out the following reviews for more dolls in the series:
2004 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll
2003 Holiday Visions Winter Fantasy Barbie Doll
2001 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll
2000 Holiday Celebration Barbie Doll
***And read about the newest version here:
2005 Collectors Holiday Barbie Doll
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 35.00
Type of Toy: Other
Age Range of Child: 9 Years or Older
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