The Gifts That Got Away: InStyle Editors On Unfulfilled Wish Lists

"I was a full-on Keroppi fan with all of my school supplies, notebooks, and a few toys in tow; all I needed was the bed set to confirm my true fandom. However, my wish never came true as I never received one for Christmas," Stephanie Perez-Gurri, Assistant Accessories Editor.

"An Easy-Bake oven was on the top of my wish list for years, but my parents always thought it was a dangerous idea. I definitely pouted about it every Christmas. But looking back, they probably were right because to this day, I am a complete klutz in the kitchen. Spills, burns, and small fires are a total norm for me," Alexis Bennett, E-Commerce Editor.

"From the ages of seven to nine, I put a drum set on the top of every Christmas list. I loved music, and I loved being loud (I was the third of four kids, so I had to get attention somehow). I also had the world's biggest crush on Zac Hanson at the time and thought drumming was super cool because of him. Guess I'll never realize my full-rocker potential!" Ann Jacoby, Assistant Fashion Editor.

"I don't know why I wanted that Dream House. I didn't even play with my Barbie's very much. I think I just thought her house was really cool. Back when I was a kid, her dream house was made of thick cardboard (not plastic), and it was very groovy with its modern couches and coffee table and sleek console. There were even fake books on the bookshelves. It looked like the cool ranch houses I saw in my parents' subscription to Sunset Magazine. I never did get that Barbie House, and I'm not sure why," Glynis Costin, West Coast Bureau Chief.

"I was very obsessed with cars we as a child. My neighbors had a Power Wheels Jeep and a Corvette. I would ask them to play with me just so I could drive it. I begged my parents for the Jeep, but never got it! Now, my parents have given my nieces and nephews Range Rovers and Mini Coopers to buzz around in (eye roll)," Ali Pew, Style Director.

"I was obsessed with American Girl books growing up and wanted Samantha. But my parents thought the dolls were too frivolous! In retrospect, they were right," Kristina Rutkowski, Market Editor.

"Every Christmas for about five years, I remember checking out the sizes of all my presents trying to figure out if the red Jeep Wrangler I was dying for could fit into those boxes. At just 5 years old, I had a need for speed that could only be satisfied by this Wrangler with a max of 5 miles per hour, with under-the-hood storage of course," Alexis Parente, Assistant Fashion Editor.

"All of the cool kids had one. You could put stickers on it to make it your own. You could go on a nice leisurely ride, slow down the speed with that back wheel brake, and then, fold it up when you were done. Smart. Simple. Fun. Maybe I'll get one for my nephew this year and "borrow it" from him," Lauren Brill, Assistant Photo Editor.

"I always wanted a piano growing up. I took a lesson once and epically failed at reading music notes. But I always thought they were chic, and that if I really wanted to, I could sit down and play like Mozart. As I grew up, I realized that would never happen. But still to this day when I see a piano, I always get excited and have the urge to sit down and play mary had a little lamb, which I have never fully mastered," Elana Zajdman, Accessories Editor.

"Any Spice Girls fan can attest that during the 1997 holiday season, no toy was more coveted than a Spice Girls doll. I was able to get my hands on Ginger, Baby, and Scary (shout out to my parents), but my all-time favorite—Sporty—was just out of reach. Her track pants and matching crop top epitomized cool," Claire Stern, Associate Editor.