30 years later, Cabbage Patch Kids were even fans

By Kate Brumback

Cleveland, Ohio (AP) -. Standing to be in an open, Freehand, Circle, a group of about five dozen adults reciting the oath on the best adoptive father in the world. Then, when the word was given to encrypt the room to find the perfect baby.

Are collectors Babyland General Hospital, birthplace of Cabbage Patch Kids. And are not dolls after the mass market, which triggered a frenzy of three decades ago. They came to a limited edition, hand-sewn baby hanging - not the wrists in Babyland General call.

In the foothills of the North Georgia area, Babyland General resembles a southern style house with white columns and a large veranda. Inside, the mother of carbon is the basis of the crystal glamor.

If crystals begin on the base of the tree to light and an announcement over the loudspeaker, the mother of carbon is extended to collect the visitor to see the mother of carbon deliver a baby. A nurse gives mother a small dose of carbon "Imagicillin" to help remove the leaves and a large portion of pats or TLC, and then took the audience on breathing exercises before drawing a naked doll leaves.

Every baby in the limited collection of Christmas Appalachians in recent panels at the event was unique, and some people have trouble choosing.

"I have a face like that," said Arrington collectors Wilma. "That's the first thing I look."

"And your hair," said her husband, John ,.

"The hair and the celebration should go hand in hand," agreed his wife.

For others, it's a bit more abstract.

"It is the personality and appearance of the baby, because we come here, and some we bring, and we do," said Eileen Cancilla, another collector. "This is the baby chooses us."

On this day, six called Cancilla and her husband, Bob, who traveled in Northern California. At home, have a collection of about 2,500.

And if everyone is clearly focused on getting children they want, not in a hurry, or fight for individual babies - in contrast to 1983, when the production was produced by the demand for dolls Version mass and chubby fight broke overwhelmed toys.

"Everyone respects everyone," Rebecca Wagner said. "If a person sees a baby they want, and then reverse the other person."

Wagner spent her Cabbage Patch Kids love his daughter, 24, Victoria, and both have more than a thousand dolls. Make the trip to Cleveland, Ohio, in general Babyland several times a year.

Collectors sometimes have difficulties in explaining their passion with friends. Bob Cancilla endure a few jokes about his hobby a few years ago to retire from his post as deputy sheriff.

"They laughed until they found that the value of older babies," he said with a smile.

Latest babies start hand sewn from at around $ 225, but the dolls before frenzied mass market can for tens of thousands of dollars to sell.

During his trip to the most recent event collector in November Bartolomé wickets and a baby in 1978 they pay for the use of "time to take" a payment plan for the most expensive doll was.

But what keeps these collectors make several trips a year to Babyland General formed close friendships with other collectors who share your passion. The Arrington, which are also used to Ohio for seasonal collection of cases, live an hour away.

"The main reason why we had moved here because of Babyland" John Arrington said.

And while like all babies in their collections, each collector has a favorite.

Victoria Wagner is a Blackberry Winter 1980 issue preemie hand by Cabbage Patch Kid creator Xavier Roberts signed in the summer of thought.

"This is my oldest son and is so small," he said. "That's because my pride and joy."