what do you mean discontinu-new tab-american girl. kirsten gone. that was her doll. but what about-where is samantha? search for her. she's been archived? that makes no sense what does that mean. you can still buy the books? I'm so deeply saddened. millions of little girls will never discover 1904. what about the history, the fun, the love, the joy? deprived. they'll be deprived. what about the others? oh sure, keep molly and those other crazy new ones. AND felicity soon? what is this crap. my childhood creativity, it's sinking, just from her retirement. deep, deep sadness. must comment on facebook.
In case you didn't follow that, American Girl decided to retire (by decided, I do mean quite a while ago- apparently 2009) the doll that I absolutely-coveted-would-die-without-yanked-on-my-parents-for-every-day-for-a-year when I was six. I begged my parents for decades and hours for this doll. I read her books cover to cover, time and again. She was my Harry Potter when I was in first grade and I couldn't let it go. I harbor deep sadness for the generations of girls who will not get to enjoy Samantha and her advice that "Actions Speak Louder Than Words."
***
Imagine my excitement, Christmas Eve 1991. One present, each evening before Christmas day. One gift, to be chosen, among all the others, for early love (or, to stay the whining from my brother and me every year). This eve, my mother chose the gift and said "I promise, you'll want this one."
And was she right. The moment I opened that long rectangular box, my enthusiasm was uncontrollable. It was shrieks and jumps and face grabbing laughs. "SAMANTHA!" was all I could emit. Grasping her to my chest, breathing in her plastic hair, examining her prim turn-of-the-century outfit. She accompanied me to midnight mass, and every day for the next two years, whenever I could get permission to tuck her under my arm, whispering in her ear.
My best friend had Kirsten, and she and Samantha were best friends, across the span of time from of 1854 to 1904. They kept diaries and wrote letters to each other. They fought when we fought, watched CMT with us, and ate ice cream when we did (rather, had ice cream smudged on their plastic lips).
***
I guess when we hit adulthood, they archived their childhood adventures as we did. Samantha, Kirsten and Felicity were created in 1986, and matured 23 years later. I guess they finally went to college?
Nooo Kirsten was my girl! I even got to be her once in an American Girl fashion show and carry a doll in a matching outfit.. it was SO COOL!
ReplyDeleteI was so bummed when I first found out that they were retiring them :(. I had Kirsten and Addy and my sister had Felicity. I'm pretty sure they're all still at my parents house, but now I want to make sure they're safe wherever they are!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to have ruined your Friday like that, but glad to know someone else was as sadened as I was about the situation :)
ReplyDeleteso sad! although perhaps even more sad that i don't know what you're talking about--i'm hoping it's because american girl got very popular well after i was in "doll" age, but i could also be incredibly clueless.
ReplyDeleteI had Kirsten!! I found out they retired her when my Second Graders that I teach told me...They were awed when they found out that I had an American Girl doll too, haha!
ReplyDeleteOh no!! I loved American Girl dolls too, sadly though I never got one. They were my dream doll. I still think about them!
ReplyDeleteI still have Samantha - and I also have Felicity. We even went to Williamsburg to a special tea that they had when they announced Felicity. Those dolls, and the books, are amazing!
ReplyDeleteI had NO idea they "archived" these dolls! I have both Samantha and Kirsten (and others...) back at my dad's place.. I remember wanting Samantha in the WORST way and having pretty much the same reaction you did when I got her ;)
ReplyDeleteBTW, have you ever been to the American Girl store in NYC? It's insane. Overwhelmingly awesome.
I was a Felicity girl myself.
ReplyDeleteThis is seriously sad. :-(
But I think I still have all the book sets!
WHAT?! No! This is ridiculous! Why on earth would they do that? Samantha was the first real object that I learned to save up for. I went on to save up for Molly and a "make your own" doll. It taught me the value of a dollar saved. Samantha's books were some of the first chapter books I read in elementary school. This is absolutely awful. Bad bad bad.
ReplyDeleteSamantha was my fave by far :)
ReplyDeleteI found this out last Christmas when my 7 year old cousin was asking for Kirsten because it was the last year she could get her.
ReplyDeleteI wanted Kirsten like no other, asked for her for three years until I finally decided that if I didn't get her that year I'd give up. When my grandparents handed me that rectangular box I was overjoyed, I played with Kirsten so much that she had to go to the doll hospital to get her hair replaced :(
She's tucked away safely at my parents waiting for our first daughter.
Also, this summer I met a lady that worked at Pleasant Company and I was in awe, I must have told her 3 times that she had the coolest job ever!
This makes me sad! Kirsten was, by far, my favorite -- but alas, I never received a Kirsten doll for Christmas. I loved paging through the catalogs and looking at the elaborate canopy doll beds, the clothing options, and everything that the American Girls had.
ReplyDeleteI was a Kristen girl... and this makes my heart hurt. :0(
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing, even though it is so depressing! i had no idea.... i had kirsten and my sister had samantha. i know i have kirsten packed up safely in my basement though :) those dolls were the best. i loved saving my money to buy the cool accessories too.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I'm not alone with this! Samantha was my LIFE and I'm pretty sure the American Girls are the reason I love history today.
ReplyDelete@4thandFolded: Didn't ruin it! Ha! Increased my awareness which I appreciate :)
Oh my goodness, NO!!! This is the saddest news! Samantha was my favorite doll. She slept in her own little bed next to mine for a lot longer than I care to admit. I used to study the catalogs for hours. Yeah, I was slightly obsessed :)
ReplyDeleteThat's sad! I loved reading about history via the American Girls! Kids in this generation are missing out on SO MUCH!
ReplyDeleteOh no! Samantha lived with me as well. I have all of the books (in a boxed set no less... and still) too.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh oh my gosh this is DEVASTATINGGGG!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard this until now...and it is so so so so so so so beyond sad! I still have my Kirsten doll...how could they do that?!?! She was my favorite. Actually, all of the "originals" were my favorite. I read all the books...subscribed to the American Girl magazine (I'd like to note that many of my Halloween costumes were created based on their suggestions).
Um, why do you need to "archive" them??? Are they going to write new stories for new girls during the same time period?!?! This is absurd.
Also - does this mean that our original dolls are going to be worth lots of $$$ now that you won't be able to get them in stores??? I'm terrible.