I am in your - ahem - oldest and wisest age group. [img]wink.gif[/img]

My youngest daughter discovered American Girl books in her school library in Arizona when she was in the third grade (1992-93). She brought home all the books they had, and we read them together, not realizing that there was more to AG than just the stories. One of the last books we read still had the coupon in it for the free catalog, so we sent for it - when it arrived, both of us were astounded to realize that the catalog had dolls! Literally no one that I knew was aware of Pleasant Company or American Girl; I'm sure they had almost no presence in the Southwest at all that many years ago. We got her favorite (and mine) - Felicity - for Judy for Christmas 1993. The next year, AGoT was introduced, and Judy got AGoT3 for her 11th birthday in February 1995. She continued to receive clothing outfits (some historical, mostly AGoT) throughout middle school and high school, and would occasionally get her dolls out to dress and do their hair.

After Judy left for college, I was looking for something in her closet and found her dolls she had packed away. I got them out to play; and when my husband saw me with them, he asked if I wanted one of my own. He got me AGT21, and my own <s>addiction</s> collection was born. [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]