MISFIT TOYS: BARNEY

Misfit Toy Stats

Name - Barney

Type - Lost

Age - 35 - 30 years

Origin - Manufactured

Height - 2 1/2"

Demeanor - Friendly

Meet Barney, our final misfit toy of the 12 Days of Christmas! Barney started out life as a Christmas ornament, so I suppose technically he's not a toy. But really, aren't all Christmas tree ornaments toys? I know I played with most of the ornaments on my tree when I was little, so like it or not we're saying Barney is a toy. Besides, he thinks he's a toy, so that's all that matters. Like most of the misfit toys I really don't know their story. The same goes for Barney. I saved Barney out of a fifty cent bin of toys in a thrift store. This little wooden snowman was very dirty and his glued on hair was a mess. Barney simply looked lost in a sea of broken worthless toys.

While cleaning Barney up after I got him home, I noticed a little hole at the top of his head. Of course, that hole in the head is like a scar and it tells Barney's story! Okay, work with me now, but I bet Barney was a cherished Christmas ornament for some kid. Every year that kid looked forward to helping decorate the tree and every year he placed Barney on one of the lower branches of the tree. As the child grew, Barney kept advancing upward to a new branch each year. I'm sure he was excited to be moving closer to the angel on top of the Christmas tree. That's where all the special ornaments like to hang out. Sometimes Barney was taken down and played with by the child. Barney's favorite thing to do during the holiday season. But one year something happened. The hook in his head was loose and poor Barney eventually fell off the tree and rolled under the couch. Barney was trapped there throughout Christmas. Dust started to collect over him year after year as he was forgotten about. Each year he missed Christmas. He longed to be hanging on a Christmas tree branch again, but it wasn't to be. One day, the sofa was lifted away. He was so excited to be found, but his excitement faded when someone scooped him up and threw him in a box labeled thrift store. And that's how I think Barney became lost.

Btw, what is Barney? Is he a snowman? A clown? An ice skater that's lost his other skate? Maybe he's holding a wrench and he's Santa's sleigh mechanic. Regardless of what Barney is, he has finally found happiness with all the other misfit toys.  For the first time in many years Barney has his hook back and is now hanging on a Christmas tree once again.

Merry Christmas everyone and check back later today for one last misfit toy post. It's the group photo!