When I was growing up in the eighties I remember a doll that my mom
called "the ugliest baby doll in the world".  It was called a huggable
(I think) I remember having one, and I also remember there was a movie
made starring the dolls, a bookworm, a precious apple, or cherry
enclosed in a glass case, owned by an evil witch, and a mirror that
you could walk through to enter the town of the huggable people.  I
think the witch was trying to capture the huggables to make a potion
to make her youner or live forever.   Can you help me to believe that
I am not crazy?  Nobody else I know ever remembers any doll of this
nature.  Also, could you tell me where I might be able to find any
huggable merchandise.  Thanks.

Hello taters-ga,

What an intriguing question. All I can remember from growing up in the
80s are the Cabbage Patch Kids (I never had one, but it sure seemed
like everyone else in the world did) and the Care Bears. However, I
did some searching and I think I found the doll you are looking for.

The dolls were called Hugga Bunch (or Hug-a-Bunch). According to the
following description of the Hugga Bunch movie from a reviewer at
Epinions.com you remembered it very well - I'm impressed!

"The girl then hears noises coming from her bedroom closet mirror, and
these adorable Huggabunches puppets come out of her closet. They
decide to help the girl, and take her to HugginLand, where the puppets
live. The puppets believe that the only way to prevent her grandma
from leaving home is to make her young again. After singing some cute
songs that are catchy for younger kids, they go and talk to the all
knowing all seing bookworm. Yes, thats a worm puppet, in a field of
big, larger than life books. The worm says that the girl must go to
the evil witch's castle and take some of the special tomato like
fruits back to her grandma - that is what has kept the witch so young
--but don't let them touch the floor, or the fruits will disappear..."
http://www.epinions.com/mvie-review-273D-307BF7E-38B30CB2-prod1

More info on the Hugga Bunch movie from EOnline:
http://www.eonline.com/Facts/Movies/0,60,8265,00.html

You'll find the Hug-a-Bunch doll listed on this neat list of 80s toys
(talk about taking me back):
http://www.80schildren.com/toys/default.htm

From what I could find, the dolls were designed by Lloyd Middleton in
the early 80s, and were manufactured by Kenner Toys of Cincinatti, OH
http://www.lloydmiddleton.com/
http://www.kennertoys.com

There is a good bit of Hugga Bunch stuff for sale on eBay
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&ebaytag1code=0&query=hugga+bunch

Search Terms Used
movie huggable witch mirror
hugga bunch
"hug a bunch"

Hope this information helps to take you back!

inquisitive-ga

Your not crazy the dolls and the movie exist but they are not called
Huggables their called Hug a Bunch.  If  you google the term Hug a
bunch you can find a picture somehwere.