Mom and daughter bond unboxing mom’s collector-edition Barbie dolls

Barbies from mom Brittany Gambrel's collection
TikTok/@brittanygambrel

Barbie’s making a huge comeback, but is it finally time to cash in on those collectible dolls still in the box?

Not for TikTok mom Brittany Gabrel, who saw this “Barbie” moment as the perfect time to un-box her dolls with her daughter. She filmed the proceedings and posted the video to TikTok to the tune of Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” (from the “Barbie” film). Watch it here:

@brittanygabrel The real world isn’t what I thought it was. -Barbie #barbie #collector #holidaybarbies #thebarbiemovie #millenialbarbie @barbie @Barbie Movie ♬ What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture “Barbie”] – Billie Eilish

Explaining why she and her daughter opened all the Barbie boxes, Gabrel wrote, “I won’t raise her to miss out on living today … I remember wanting to play with these as they sat on a shelf collecting dust in hopes I could sell them and become a millionaire … I loved Barbies when I was her age and had quite a set up. I still have most of them and all her furniture. I have been blessed to be able to pass them all down to her.”

The video’s had over 1 million views on TikTok, with over 1,300 of comments from people cheering Gabrel on.

“You didn’t know it back then but THIS is what you collected them for,” wrote Circe Andromeda. “What a beautiful memory.”

“This has me crying,” wrote Torrie. “Getting to exist in the moment with this joy instead of putting it off.”

Others recounted their own experiences of opening their Barbies.

“I’m so glad I opened and played with every single collector/holiday Barbie,” wrote Brie Lynn. “I always told my mom, toys are meant to be played with!!”

MORE: ‘Barbie’ fans driving up price on an obscure Allan doll

And when one commenter pointed out that she could have paid for her daughter’s college education with the money lost by opening the boxes, Gabrel posted another video refuting this assertion. Only one doll is worth more than $200, and the rest are selling for much less.

@brittanygabrel

Replying to @Jojisrealgf Wouldn’t even cover the cost of books… 🫣 #barbie #barbiegirl #holidaybarbie #collector #1988barbie #barbiemovie

♬ united in grief – veleffy

Way to go, mom!

Family & Parenting, News, Parenting

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About the Author
Jennifer Graham Kizer
Jennifer Graham Kizer has written features and essays for over a dozen magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Health, Parents, Parenting, Redbook and TV Guide.

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