We had a big discussion on reborn dolls at a family gathering a while back, and there were even numbers sitting on either side of the fence.
 

The main point of discussion was wether or not reborns are more than a toy. For some women, they can fill a void left from some unhappy news, or a family death and it takes the focus and pain away from it all. For others, they are glances back on memories of their children. They are certainly far more than a toy, and are not really designed for children to play with. They should be kept away from children if possible, as there are more suitable alternatives for them. The main difference between the reborn babies and other dolls is their similarity with real babies. No one can easily find any difference in the appearance, size, open nostrils, fingers, nails, or eyes, between a lifelike doll and an original baby. Even weight of the baby is same to that of original baby. Usually, the dress of the dolls is right with the current trend with all baby outfits although these can be changed pretty quickly with a variety of reborn baby clothes on offer.

 

We also discussed some of the prices that reborn dolls go for, and while I agree they can often be expensive, I dont think they are priced to simply make money; the amount of work that goes into creating a doll is very time consuming and the techniques can be fiddly and troublesome. To create the features that some of the dolls have are worth every penny, and when you see one of these reborn babies you will know what I mean.

 

The final point in the discussion on reborns was regarding their status as collectors pieces. Once again, I see this as no different to, say, grandpa collecting this trains, my brother collecting video games, or uncle and his radio controlled cars. Reborn doll collecting is the next (bigger) step from dolls houses and is attractive to those that may have been brought up around them.

 

I dont see any of this as contraversial, but its a pity that others can't see the beauty of reborn dolls. Next time, I will have to take some samples round for them to see! I'm sure that will change a few opinions.

 

Do you have a family like this? Have you had discussions on reborns with them, or with friends and collegues? If you have any comments, let me know - i'll add any interesting points to this page.