Part 2
Gifts
Catalogs: One of the major highlights of being a kid in the 1960’s was waiting on the Christmas catalogs to arrive. All the majors had catalogs: Penney’s, Sears, Montgomery Wards, and Aldens. Kids would page through them, dreaming of Christmas morning.
https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalog/1964-Montgomery-Ward-Christmas-Book
https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalog/1965-JCPenney-Christmas-Book
https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalog/1968-Sears-Christmas-
Top selling Toys for Christmas:
Mattel's Chatty Cathy talking doll (‘60) pull string talking doll, second in sales behind Barbie.
Ohio Art Co.'s “Magic Screen” Etch-a-Sketch ('60) Name one of the 100 memorable toys of the 20th century.
Mattel's Ken doll ('61) Developed as Barbie’s companion, named after the creators (Ruth Handler) son.
Chatter Phone (‘62) Designed by Ernest Thornell, who’s daughter would drag around an old phone while playing.
Kenner's Easy Bake Oven ('63) The idea came from the pretzel machines on the NYC subway which used light bulbs to heat the pretzels.
Hasbro's G.I. Joe (‘64) GI Joe was developed to compete with Barbie. The term “action figure” was coined to eliminate the term “doll”.
Wham-O's Super Ball ('65) Supposedly if the average adult throws the ball on a hard surface it will bounce over a 3 story building!
Hasbro's Lite Brite ('67) Using a standard light bulb, Lite Brite created pictures by punching translucent colored pegs through a opaque black paper.
Suzy Homemaker Toy Appliances ('67) The Suzy Homemaker doll along with her stove, refrigerator and other household items was very popular in the 60’s. As the women’s liberation movement marched on, Suzy’s sales declined and she was off the market by the 70’s.
Mattel's Hot Wheels ('68) Another toy for the boys market to be like Barbie is to girls.
Ideal Toy Co.'s Flatsy dolls (‘69) Marketed for little girls. The commercial featured a theme song “She’s flat and all that!”
Another You Tube video!
What 1960s POPULAR toys REALLY was In America!
Games were popular gifts and were enjoyed by the entire family. Many of the games we wanted for Christmas are still popular today.
Gifts for adults:
Singer, not just for Mom!
Cameras for everyone! (I got one from Mom and Dad!) Remember the flash cubes?
Cigarettes, a very popular gift in the 60’s!
“Plug in gifts” were very popular for wives and mothers.
Can’t forget Dad!
Tomorrow Christmas food.
Gifts
Catalogs: One of the major highlights of being a kid in the 1960’s was waiting on the Christmas catalogs to arrive. All the majors had catalogs: Penney’s, Sears, Montgomery Wards, and Aldens. Kids would page through them, dreaming of Christmas morning.
https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalog/1964-Montgomery-Ward-Christmas-Book
https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalog/1965-JCPenney-Christmas-Book
https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalog/1968-Sears-Christmas-
Top selling Toys for Christmas:
Mattel's Chatty Cathy talking doll (‘60) pull string talking doll, second in sales behind Barbie.
Ohio Art Co.'s “Magic Screen” Etch-a-Sketch ('60) Name one of the 100 memorable toys of the 20th century.
Mattel's Ken doll ('61) Developed as Barbie’s companion, named after the creators (Ruth Handler) son.
Chatter Phone (‘62) Designed by Ernest Thornell, who’s daughter would drag around an old phone while playing.
Kenner's Easy Bake Oven ('63) The idea came from the pretzel machines on the NYC subway which used light bulbs to heat the pretzels.
Hasbro's G.I. Joe (‘64) GI Joe was developed to compete with Barbie. The term “action figure” was coined to eliminate the term “doll”.
Wham-O's Super Ball ('65) Supposedly if the average adult throws the ball on a hard surface it will bounce over a 3 story building!
Hasbro's Lite Brite ('67) Using a standard light bulb, Lite Brite created pictures by punching translucent colored pegs through a opaque black paper.
Suzy Homemaker Toy Appliances ('67) The Suzy Homemaker doll along with her stove, refrigerator and other household items was very popular in the 60’s. As the women’s liberation movement marched on, Suzy’s sales declined and she was off the market by the 70’s.
Mattel's Hot Wheels ('68) Another toy for the boys market to be like Barbie is to girls.
Ideal Toy Co.'s Flatsy dolls (‘69) Marketed for little girls. The commercial featured a theme song “She’s flat and all that!”
Another You Tube video!
What 1960s POPULAR toys REALLY was In America!
Games were popular gifts and were enjoyed by the entire family. Many of the games we wanted for Christmas are still popular today.
Gifts for adults:
Singer, not just for Mom!
Cameras for everyone! (I got one from Mom and Dad!) Remember the flash cubes?
Cigarettes, a very popular gift in the 60’s!
“Plug in gifts” were very popular for wives and mothers.
Can’t forget Dad!
Tomorrow Christmas food.