They were short, blue and bald. They lived inside mushrooms in a remote part of a medieval forest and loved to sing and dance. They created a phenomenon across the world that few toys have been able to surpass. They were three apples high. They were Smurfs.

Smurfs (or Schtroumpf as they were known in French) were the brainchild of Belgian cartoonist Peyo, who first introduced them to the public in a series of comic strips in 1958, as supporting cast for the real protagonists of the story. Smurfs didn’t play second fiddle for long; they were so popular with readers that they quickly acquired their own comics and merchandising lines. And merchandise they did. Smurfrabilia came out in force: plush toys, school supplies, swimsuits, plates, cups, foodstuff, sheets, clothing, automobile accessories, lunch boxes, nightlights, video games, wallpaper patterns, the list goes on and on and on. By far the most popular avatars of Smurf nation were the little 2-inch PVC figurines, first produced in the mid-1960s. Small, cute and vibrantly colored, the figurines started a frenzy of collecting first in Europe and after 1978, in America. Smurf figurines were so small that dozens could be obtained for very little money and before you knew it, an entire Smurf army adorned bookshelves and tables.

Hanna-Barbera debuted a Saturday morning Smurf cartoon in 1981 and finally America caught Smurf fever. PVC figurines began amassing like locusts on both sides of the Atlantic (and the Pacific). The most popular cartoon Smurfs also became the most collected figurines. Papa Smurf had quite the fan club, along with Smurfette (the lone female Smurf). Brainy, Lazy, Handy, Hefty and Greedy also had their devotees. Gargamel and Azrael, the evil wizard and his cat, were required pieces for any respectable Smurf collection.

Because it was dubbed in so many different languages, the cartoon indelibly impressed Smurf culture on children globally. The cartoon finished its run in 1990 but the figurines continue production. A passionate collector can recreate the Smurf village in its entirety and have enough left over to start several Smurf colonies. Smurf yeah!