I Celebrated my 25th Birthday at the American Girl Store

When I was about 8, I received my first American Girl Doll for Hanukkah. My mom and I worked really hard to choose on of the dolls that looked the most like me, and my grandma ordered it for me. She was part of a line called American Girl of Today, which, more recently, is called Truly Me. She had brown hair with short bangs, green eyes, and wore the “meet outfit” that all American Girl of Today dolls came with at the time; cream colored short-sleeve shirt with a purple sequin flower, green tweed-looking skirt, purple tights, purple boots, and a purple cardigan. It was adorable. And I named her Josefina.

Josefina’s name was inspired by a doll from the historical line that’s been around since about 1986. Josefina is a young Latina girl living in New Mexico in 1815. I loved the named Josefina, so I stole it. It was a little while later that I learned Josefina’s name was pronounced “hoh-say-fee-nah,” but mine is pronounced with the J. Years later, I just started calling her Josie.

Now that the basic history is out of the way, I can get onto the story.

I love American Girl. They had something for everyone, and their catalogues (which my mother and I would get frequently) were full of clothes for every occasion. I was a cheerleader, so Josefina got a cheerleading outfit. Josefina also got a gymnastics outfit. I liked to sing, Josefina got a “rockstar” outfit, which included decorated jeans, a purple newsboy cap, and an electric guitar (that actually played music!). There was a long plum-colored overcoat with fur trim with a matching hat and fur mittens (all faux). A ski outfit that included pink pants, a long-sleeve pink shirt, and an adorable pink vest…the list goes on. Josie was spoiled with clothes (not that I bought any of them…thank you, family).
Eventually, I even got a second doll. This one didn’t look like me. She was an American Girl of Today, but she had short, curly blonde hair. I named her Michelle. She and Josefina were sisters, and they both shared outfits. I loved them both immensely. As I got older, however, my interest in playing dolls waned slightly, and I eventually gave Michelle—and a lot of the clothes—to my younger cousins. Josefina always stayed with me, though.

The official brick-and-mortar American Girl Store was in New York. That’s what I always knew. I always wanted to bring Josefina to the American Girl Store, but, for obvious reasons, that couldn’t be done. I did get to go to the store two times, but because they were part of larger trips, Josefina couldn’t come along. But I did always get an outfit! So that was cool. Then, in 2011, an American Girl store opened at Tyson’s Corner. It wasn’t until college, though, that I went for the first time (I’m pretty sure). The first time I went, there were multiple new historic dolls, and a wider array of what the dolls could look like.

One of the biggest attractions about the American Girl Store is the American Girl Cafe, a tiny bistro where girls and their dolls could eat (the dolls were given little chairs that hung on the table). I was never able to go when I was younger—since it was in a different state—and by the time it came to Tysons, I had deemed myself too old to want to go. The only chance I would get would be if my younger cousin wanted to go, and I would have to play it way cool. But I was away at college for her birthday trips there, so I had resigned to the fact that I’d likely not go unless I had a kid of my own.

And then my 25th birthday came along. I am not a partier, I don’t drink much, and I didn’t have any real idea for what I wanted my birthday to be.

But then I remembered one of my lifelong dreams. I wanted to bring Josie to the American Girl Cafe and Store. So I recruited my friend Layla, and we brought some dolls (she borrowed one of mine) to the American Girl Cafe for lunch.

It. Was. Awesome.

First of all, I didn’t feel insecure at all. Part of it is because I’m just learning that it’s time I let myself enjoy things, but also because the staff was incredible! I explained that I was always either too far away or felt I was too old to visit the cafe, but I’d finally decided to make the visit. The staff didn’t act strange or judge at all. I mean, I guess they could have been judging, but they certainly didn’t make it seem as though they were. I even got a crown for my birthday. Our dolls did too.

After a lovely meal of Chicken Tenders and Skillet Cookie for me, and a Burger and Chocolate Mousse flowerpot for Layla (it came in a little plastic flower pot!), it was time to hit the store.

Now, I want to preface this next part by saying that I know that I am extremely privileged to be able to “see myself” in dolls and television. As a white person, I am constantly represented. I know there are people of color and people with disabilities who never see themselves represented in pop culture. This is a problem that needs to be solved. I will never understand what it’s like to be so not-represented in pop culture.

American Girl introduced a new doll to their historical line in 2009 named Rebecca Rubin. Rebecca Rubin is a daughter of Russian immigrants, and they are practicing and committed to their Judaism.

Rebecca Rubin is Jewish.

Now, I’ve done my research, in addition to my own personal experiences, and I’ve never seen a doll actually identified as Jewish. They never made Hanukkah Barbie. Bratz dolls didn’t come with menorahs. There’s a woman on Etsy who makes Barbies with Talit (prayer shawl), but that’s custom made. No one, in my experience, has ever mass-produced a doll who was Jewish.

Until Rebecca Rubin.

Rebecca’s outfit is a white dress with a pleated purple bottom, a purple jacket (bouclé, as the site so fancily puts it), black tights, and purple mary-jane slippers. She comes with accessories—a purple floral shaw (traditional of the time), a purple hat, and a little purple purse. There are other sets one can buy—Hanukkah set, Shabbat set—but I only really wanted the doll.

I had to call my mom in the middle of the American Girl store for insight. The Rebecca Rubin doll really meant so much to me. I loved American Girl, and now they had an historical American Girl that could identify with. However, on the other side, the doll is not the cheapest thing in the world. Like, at all. As an adult trying to save money and be, you know, an adult, did I really need to be spending money on a new American Girl Doll?

Well, this time, the answer was yes. I do not often make super frivolous purchases (I usually spend money on clothes) and this doll really meant a lot to me. So, with the aid of some of my mom’s money, I got the doll. She was adorable, and I love her so much.

picture taken in Layla’s car, so the lighting is a lil strange.

Long story short: I love American Girl. I have for so long, and I will forever. I have no regrets about visiting the store, or getting a new doll. It was an amazing experience that I waited a long time for, and I have a doll that is identified to be Jewish. I ended the day very, very happy, and very satisfied with how I chose to celebrate 25 years.

Just do the things that make you happy.

Peace, friends.