More than ever, a beloved Christmas tradition: Christmas Barbie Dolls

We are already thinking about that magical time of year, the occasion to give, collect and create touching memories that last a lifetime. It's the holiday season, of course, and for 2022, Mattel is launching its largest and most diverse group yet, with a total of five Christmas Barbie dolls.

Four of these dolls are now available at Barbie Signature, before you can get them anywhere else! The fifth (the redhead of the group) is a Walmart exclusive, which will be available. arriving in stores soon. They will retail for $40 each, and there is no purchase limit for these Black Label dolls. That means you can get as many as wish for yourself and as beautiful gifts for all the Barbie fans on your list.

The creator of this year's Christmas Barbie doll also has her on his shopping list. But this year, it means more to him than ever. This is the first Barbie Holiday doll designed by Angel Kent. “Working on Holiday Barbie is an incredible honor, a doll designer's dream, and a rite of passage for Barbie Signature designers,” he reveals. “I still pinch myself and dream of the next vacation when I will be able to share it with my loved ones.”

Of course, with the doll's debut in June of this year, we couldn't help but wonder: Did Angel have to get into the "Christmas spirit," regardless of the weather outside, to find design inspiration for him? “It's fun because, as you know, these projects take a whole year to complete, so I was designing or developing the holiday theme all year long,” he explains. “To be honest, it was easier than I thought at first. As a fantasy designer, the holiday season is one of the most inspiring things in LIFE to me. I conjured up mental images of all my vacations growing up, all the winters I spent in New York City when I lived there (the absolute number one destination in the world for Christmas spirit), and playing the best Christmas music (by Mariah Carey). "I didn't run out of Christmas inspiration."

We asked senior packaging designer Laydiana Chiv the same question, and her answer was very similar: "It's always fun to design something that will come out much later in the year, but a little Christmas music and some tea and cookies me They helped us get in." a festive atmosphere!”

The Holiday Barbie Doll Collection is our longest-running series, now in its impressive 34th year. Our 2022 entries embody the spirit of the season in vibrant red dresses inspired by the beautiful poinsettia, a symbol of goodwill and community spirit. Their ensembles dazzle with a sparkling poinsettia detail at the neckline and a layer of tulle and satin petals adorning their long, voluminous skirts. Each of the five dolls features a different hairstyle and red lips complete their look.

Considering the number of Christmas Barbie dolls we've made over the years, we wondered how Angel approached her first addition to the series, to ensure her design fit with what came before and also stood out as a wonderful creation. By herself. “My strategy was to pick a strong Christmas element and run with it, and in this case, it was one of my favorite plants, the poinsettia,” says Angel. “Its color is so rich and velvety that it instantly evokes the Christmas spirit. Poinsettias are warm, feminine and glamorous. Mix them with Barbie and you have Christmas magic!”

We also wonder the same thing about the doll box, which is always designed to be suitable for display. With over three decades of previous introductions, creating a unique packaging design could have been a challenge. "I mean, all the doll designs and packaging have been so iconic," Laydiana agrees, but adds that "it's always fun to remember what was done in the past, the trends, the materials and the colors, which can be very inspiring."

This year, Laydiana took a page from Angel's book and was inspired by the poinsettia. “The packaging is beautifully framed by those Christmas flowers, with a touch of gold glitter dust to give it some magical sparkles,” she says. “And to really make the dress stand out, I chose a beautiful lush green to complement the dress. You can't go wrong with red and green to celebrate the holiday season. It's timeless!

The holidays may still be months away, but as Angel and Laydiana prove, it's always a great time to get into the spirit of the season. Adding one or more of the Christmas Barbie dolls to your collection today and getting them as gifts for your loved ones is a great way to reconnect with those special feelings all year long.

By Mattel Creations