Happy Holidays and Holiday Barbies

Name:  Happy Holidays and Holiday Barbies

Made by and When: Mattel, Various Years from 1990 through 2023

Material: Vinyl, tulle, other fabrics, synthetic hair, paint, faux gemstones, and plastic

Height: 11-1/2 inches

1990 Happy Holidays Barbie

The 1990 Happy Holidays Barbie using the 1987 Christie sculpt.

Head Sculpt: ©1987 Christie

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Dark brown long wavy hair with bangs adorned with one tulle ribbon that matches the dress fabric, brown painted eyes with painted upper and lower eyelashes, open smiling mouth with painted teeth and light red lip color

Clothes/Accessories: Barbie wears a gold sparkle-embellished fuchsia tulle gown with ruffled collar and skirt, dark pink gemstone choker, faux diamond stud earrings and ring, high-heeled shoes. Accessories include a star-shaped gold tone B-initialed keepsake ornament, hairbrush, doll stand, and a poster.

1994 Happy Holidays Barbie

The 1994 Happy Holidays Barbie uses the 1987 Christie head sculpt.

Head Sculpt: ©1987 Christie

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Black rooted waist-length wavy hair, brown painted eyes and upper and lower eyelashes, parted lips with red lip color and painted teeth

Clothes/Accessories: The glamorous faux fur-trimmed golden dress has a white and golden lace underskirt with holly and berries at the neckline and bodice; also wears a holly and berries headband, gold tone drop earrings, and high heel shoes. Accessories include a hair brush, doll stand, and a 5 x 7 frameable picture of the doll.

1998 Happy Holidays Barbie

The 1998 Happy Holidays Barbie is the last doll in this series.

Head Sculpt: Nichelle

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Black rooted upswept hairstyle with stiffened tendrils framing the right side of the face, brown painted eyes, smiling closed mouth with deep red lip color

Clothes/Accessories: Dressed in a black velvety fabric gown with silver glitter accents, a pink satin cape and jeweled tiara, high-heel shoes, a ring, and has a hairbrush and a doll stand

2009 Holiday Barbie (©2008)

The 2009 Holiday Barbie uses the Mbili head sculpt.

Body: ModelMuse

Head Sculpt: Mbili

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Waist-length dark brown hair, brown painted eyes with painted upper and lower eyelashes, closed mouth with dark pink/mauve lip color

Clothes/Accessories: Barbie wears a pink gown with tulle overlay, glittery gold lamé waist sash tied in the back with long ends that drape to the doll’s right, high-heel shoes, and pink gemstone-encrusted chandelier earrings. A doll stand is included in the package.

2013 Holiday Barbie

2013 Holiday Barbie

Body: ModelMuse

Head Sculpt: Pazette

Designer: Judy Choi

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Long brunette rooted hair, brown painted eyes and eyelashes with silver and charcoal eyeshadow, smiling mouth with painted teeth and dark pink lip color

Clothes/Accessories: Wears a silver lamé gown, silver drop earrings, high heel shoes, and has a doll stand; (the separately sold doll ornament was made by American Greetings for this year).

2014 Holiday Barbie

2014 Holiday Barbie

Body: ModelMuse

Head Sculpt: Goddess

Designer: Linda Kyaw

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Long rooted brunette hair, light brown painted eyes with painted upper eyelashes, closed mouth with dark red lip color

Clothes/Accessories: Wears a red and gold gown, gold tone choker, no earrings, high heel shoes, and has a doll stand

2017 Holiday Barbie

The 2017 Holiday Barbie has slightly raised, painted eyes.

Body: ModelMuse

Head Sculpt: LaVinia

Designer: Carlyle Nuera

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Shoulder-length rooted brunette hair has curled ends, raised brown-painted eyes with painted upper eyelashes and gold eye shadow, closed mouth with red lip color.

Clothes/Accessories: Barbie stuns in a removable red metallic full-length gown with halter top-bodice, a center-split skirt, and gold high-heel open-toe shoes. Accessories include gold tone drop earrings, a red faux-gem embellished gold star, and a doll stand.

2018 Holiday Barbie

The 2018 Holiday Barbie is the first in the series with Afro-textured hair and upslanted, almond-shaped eyes.

Body: ModelMuse

Head Sculpt: Asha

Designer: Carlyle Nuera

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: The first Black Holiday Barbie with natural textured rooted brown hair has brown painted up-slanted almond-shaped eyes with painted upper and lower eyelashes, and a smiling mouth with red lip color and painted teeth.

Clothes/Accessories: Wears a red tulle gown with rows of ruffled tulle on the collar, bodice, and skirt, and wears red shoes; the headband, choker, and bracelet contain a combined 30 faux pearls to represent the 30th anniversary of the Holiday Barbie brand.  Accessories include a doll stand and certificate of authenticity. 

2023 Holiday Barbie

The 2023 Holiday Barbie commemorates the 35th anniversary of the Holiday Barbie brand.

Body: ModelMuse

Head Sculpt: Daya

Designer: Kelley Lindberg

Hair, Eyes, Mouth: Dark brown rooted side-parted hair with curled up ends, brown painted eyes with painted upper eyelashes, smiling mouth with deep red lip color and painted teeth

Clothes/Accessories: Wears a gold gown with a glittery gold bodice and gold star embellishments on the transparent overskirt; has a transparent short cape on a ribbon tie, gold earrings, and gold high-heel shoes. A doll stand is included in the package.

Other Details About Both Series: The Happy Holidays Barbie series debuted in 1988 as a white doll only in that year and the following year. The first black doll in the series was introduced in 1990. The 1990 doll included a keepsake ornament. A Hallmark ornament that replicates the 1991 through 1998 dolls was sold separately.  In 1998, Mattel retired the Happy Holidays Barbie series.

The Holiday Barbie series followed in 2004 and has continued. Two dolls designed by Bob Mackie were offered in 2005 and 2005. Along with other non-holiday Barbies released in 2009, the 2009 doll celebrates Barbie’s 50th anniversary. The 2018 and 2023 dolls commemorate the 30th and 35th anniversaries of the Holiday Barbie brand. A separately sold Hallmark ornament replicating each doll in this series was available through 2012. American Greetings produced the 2013 Holiday Barbie ornament. The Hallmark Holiday Barbie ornaments resumed in 2015 and have continued annually.

Gallery

Collage of 1990 through 1998 Happy Holidays Barbies:

Below are individual Photos of 1990, 1994, and 1998 Barbies:

Below is a collage of 2001 through 2016 Holiday Barbies:

Below are individual Photos of 2009, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2023 Holiday Barbies:

View the retired Happy Holidays Barbie series here.

See all dolls in the Holiday Barbie series through the 2025 doll here.

References:

Barbie Wiki Fandom

My Vintage Barbies Holiday Barbie Dolls

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Published by DeeBeeGee

Doll collector, historian, co-founder of the first e-zine devoted to collecting black dolls; author of black-doll reference books, doll blogs, and doll magazine articles.

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