BEST OF 2020

In the Rainbow High Facebook group I'm part of, I saw a link to a Youtube video of 20 minutes of some guy complaining about the worst doll disappointments of 2020. Like the doll world needs more negativity. Ugh. Why waste so much time on that? I don't get it. 

So I'm doing my part to put some positivity out there as we bring this year to an end. 

This post is going to contain a favorite doll/toy/non-CB and a favorite Charlie Bear for each month of this year. 

First up for January, I had to go with Fantasy Friends Luna Eclipse. Hairdorables Series 4 had just came out and Saige almost made my pick, but this girl has been front and center on my coffee table since I got her, and I adore her. It has to be her. 

For January's CB, I'm choosing Jill. 

I didn't get very many in January, but I did get Dan and Jill to go alongside Anke. If you'd told me my favorite of those three would end up being pink Jill, I wouldn't have believed you, yet here we are. I need to give all three of those more attention. 

February's doll was a little difficult, but I just had to go with Hairdorables Series 4's So Extra Emily. Phoebe was another contender and so was LOL OMG Angles. I love both of them, but I love Emily more. 

Emily is really refreshing because we are currently in this trend of big-eyed dolls. We've been stuck in it for years, but they used to be better at having varied eye shapes. My Scene Nolee and Bratz Jade and Kumi still had big eyes, but were also clearly East Asian. Yet you don't see that with lines like LOL, Shoppies or the more recent Rainbow High. They all have the same eyes. So I was thrilled to see Hairdorables break that mold and make an obviously Asian girl with beautiful big eyes that weren't the same as the other girls in the line. 

February's CB is also purple! 

This is the sweet Angel Cake. She, Eleanor and Roman were my odd-furred bears from the 2019 collection. I do love Roman to pieces, but Angel Cake ended up being my favorite of the three. She's just a little bit more cuddly for some reason. 

March's doll is a clear choice: my boxed vintage Jetta from the Jem line. 

I went to a doll show on March 7th and then to goth night that same day. Those would be the last big events I'd attend all year, because right after that, I got sick and by the time I was well, we were in the early phases of covid. 

Jetta is my all-time favorite Jem character, so to have a boxed doll of her has been something I've wanted for decades. It's so nice to finally have her and I got her for a fab price, too. 

 

March's bear is the beautiful, rich orange Satsuma. 

Satsuma is an older bear that I had to import from the UK. He was probably the last or one of the last international packages I'd get at that time of the year, because covid. 

April was slim-picking for dolls, so my non-CB spot is going to...a different type of bear. 

Ariel is a Kaycee Bears. They're way more limited edition than Charlie Bears. I got super lucky in April and managed to get Ariel and a dragon named Idris for $75 each on ebay, which was really way below their retail prices. Especially for the dragon! 

Idris was almost my pick here, but Ariel won out because she's a bit more cuddly. 

Can you tell I love orange? I really love orange.

My CB spot for April goes to Rea the binturong. I adore binturongs. 

I very rarely buy CB twins, but I ended up with two Reas because it just happened that way and I love both. 

I got way more vintage SSC and vintage-themed SSC this year than I ever expected. 

I've wanted Party Pleaser Plum for a long time and finally caved and got her in May. 

May's CB is the glorious König. 

I wasn't sure I'd want a plain tiger. I lean more toward the unusual animals or odd colors, like Dandy the white lion and Clock the silver lion, but König was too good to be missed. 

June's non-CB pick is Gregory Ghost from Bananas Bunch 3. I bought so many damn Bananas trying to get this guy only to constantly fail. So when a full case of Bunch 3 showed up on ebay for next to nothing, I went for it...and got 3 Gregorys! 

He's one of the coffee table chosen ones. 

Danuta was one of my unplanned CBs. I had Marisa on pre-order, but Danuta looked rather dull in promo photos. It wasn't until she came out in Australia that we got a good look at all her lovely colors and I added her to my pre-orders. 

I was immediately drawn to this odd-eyed girl when I chose my bear and she's so gorgeous. She's definitely the sleeper CB of the year and one of my favorites all-around. 

Oh, man, July is loaded with great dolls. Cave Club, the first Rainbow High. I almost picked Roaralai. I almost picked Sunny. I almost picked OMG Chillax (Dreamy Bones). 

But I HAD to pick my girl Luna. 

I only got 3 CBs in July, so Baby Bam (Anniversary Bamboozle) was a pretty easy choice.  

August is about as bad as July with too many choices. Hairdorables Series 5 arrived and killed it. Masquerade Queen Willow here is the one that demanded to be chosen, but Masquerade Phoebe put up a fight. So did Prom Perfect Hairmazing Neila. 

I'm breaking my rules by allowing two to step forward for August, but I simply could not choose between Willow and Zombies 2 Wynter. I looooooooooooooooove Wynter. 

August's CB is the darling Bambino. This little guy is a bit smaller than my ideal cuddler, but because he's almost completely that ultra soft tyber fur, he's actually one I've gone back to time and again for sleepytime cuddles.

September's toy is the darling Sightseeing Alien from Cloudees Series 3. 

Very close runner up is Itty Bitty Prettys Spice. I really almost picked her. 

September's CB is Peach Cobbler, one of only two bears I've bought from local stockists.

October's doll is Raisin Cane from the Altaya SSC remake line. 

I always wanted a Raisin doll!

October also had the Series 2 Fantasy Friends so Raisin beat out them for this spot. It was close though. 

I only got 3 CBs in October and none of them is jumping out at me, so my handmade Mermista and Soundwave from etsy are taking the spot instead. 

Gah, I love these two. 

November's doll is the wild and crazy Bashley, the completely unexpected addition to the Cave Club line. 

I cheated with the dolls one month, so I'm cheating with the bears, too. There are two November picks. 

First is Lee. Lee was an unexpected love. I knew I liked him when I chose him, but he beat out both other new arrivals and ended up being one of my few chosen bears that went on vacation with me. 

And second is Carousel, my lovely big boy. He was one of my top most wanted from the entire year and he did not disappoint one bit. 

I got some great dolls in December, but it's still an easy pick for favorite: Karma!

The CB is also easy: Roger!

SO CUTE.

That was fun. I need to remember to do this every year.