Today, we try to answer one of the less profound, but strangely intriguing pop culture questions of the day. And although it could be a little exclusionary for some, we suspect that there are enough hardcore fans out there to weigh in on the topic. Today’s odd little face-off asks the question – which was the coolest vacation that the Brady Bunch ever took? Before you tell us, however, perhaps we should refresh your memory a little.
As you may recall, there were three significant excursions that the Brady clan took during their television run – The Grand Canyon, Hawaii and King’s Island, OH., each of which tested the strength of the family to work as a team more than any potato sack race, and each proving in the end that there was no adversity that the Brady family couldn’t handle.
In the first two seasons, the family went on an annual camping trip, although these were slightly less than memorable escapes. Their third (and final) camping trip during the opening of season three proved to be far more adventurous and perilous, as they ventured to the Grand Canyon. Heck, they didn’t even get to their destination before the problems started, when an old prospector (played by Jim Backus) imprisoned the group at an old ghost town. Then, upon freeing themselves, they had to endure a grueling pack mule trip to the basin of the Grand Canyon. Finally, settling in at their campsite, they became most unsettled as Bobby and Cindy disappeared in the night without a trace. Little did they know that the youngest pair of siblings were only delivering a flashlight filled with beans to their new Native-American friend, who had run away to become an astronaut. Things all worked out in the end with each member of the family ceremoniously getting their new Indian name.
For the opening of season four in 1972, their destination was the tropical islands of Hawaii, where things were turned up a few notches. Treacherous spiders crawled on Peter, Bobby almost got clobbered with a wall hanging, Greg dangerously wiped out in his big surfing debut, and a disgruntled archeologist, played by none other than Vincent Price, decided to capture the boys in a dark cave – all of this because Bobby decided to mess with an ancient tiki statue. Much like their previous vacation, the family ends up celebrating with the locals in the end, as they pig out at a luau.
At King’s Island, a relaxing getaway turned into chaos, as the kids managed to lose a tube containing dad’s important architectural drawings somewhere within a bustling amusement park. Working together, however, they scoured the park and, just in the nick of time, solved the mystery of the missing plans. Their mission accomplished, they all took a gleefully terrifying ride on the big roller coaster, scaring the muffins out of their trusty housekeeper, Alice, who somehow remained able to smile after being dragged along on three of these harrowing vacations. This will refresh your memory:
So, which of these popular episodes do you recollect most fondly as you scan back through those television memory banks? As a kid, which of these locations did you dream of visiting, and were maybe even just a little envious that the Brady family got there before you? Share all those Brady Bunch memories with us as we fondly recall these remarkable retro family excursions.
1964 was a period in American history where the hope for the future still burned bright from the previous decade. Technology and industry were making great leaps, especially in the area of space exploration, and the city of New York recognized that the time was ripe for an encore to the 1939 World’s Fair. The planning was placed in the able hands of Robert Moses, a man who had already given the city so much in the way of public parks, and his vision would make the 1964 World’s Fair perhaps one of the best-remembered in the history of the event. Today, we thought we would travel back to this magical moment in time and take a trip to the 1964 World’s Fair.
Perhaps surprisingly, this was not an officially sanctioned event, for it would seems that the international body that oversees the World’s Fair refused to give its permission for a number of reasons. First of all, another World’s Fair had been held too recently in the United States, violating their long-standing rules. Secondly, the fair would need to charge admission and be held over two six-month seasons, both of which were also not allowed. Undeterred, the city went forth anyway, despite the fact that the regulating body would ask many of the major nations to not participate. As a result, the Fair mainly focused on American industry, with only a handful of smaller nations participating.
Located on the grounds where the 1939 World’s Fair had been held, in Flushing, NY, the event was billed as the first billion-dollar fair and attendance expectations were high. But it would take many months for this fair to catch the attention of the masses and the numbers were pretty disappointing in the first year. The fair would eventually go on to make over 50 million dollars, but only thanks to a surge in popularity in its final few weeks.
But despite the financial hardships and lack of sanctioning, this was a Fair that left its visitors in awe. The biggest corporations of the day spared no expense in their exhibits, such as the ultra-popular Futurama exhibit, hosted by General Motors. Here, visitors could catch a glimpse of what the future might look like as they traveled in moving chairs through the large exhibit. Bell Systems also utilized similar single-passenger vehicles to transport guests through a series of dioramas that depicted the innovations in the communications area, including such futuristic devices as speaker phones, touchtone phones, and the most amazing of them all, the video phone.
Here is some wonderful footage of the Futurama exhibit:
A few of the companies would ever utilize the talents of a man who knew how to please the crowds, Walt Disney. He would design “It’s a Small World” for Pepsi – a boat ride familiar to anyone who has ever visited a Disney theme park. He would also introduce a new technology he had been working on called audio-animatronics, allowing both human and beast to move in life-like fashion. He would put dinosaurs in the Ford exhibit and Mr. Lincoln reciting his Gettysburg Address for an exhibit sponsored by the state of Illinois. Finally, for General Electric, he used his audio-animatronics in a revolving theater to tell the story of electrical innovations past, present and future in the “Carousel of Progress.” Upon the fair’s completion, all of these exhibits would be moved to their new home in Disneyland, where many can still be seen.
Two other items that seems to be most fondly remembered from the World’s Fair are the Vatican’s display of Michelangelo’s Pieta and the Belgium waffles that were offered in the Belgian Village. While these confections are now commonplace in just about every restaurant that serves breakfast, they apparently have never tasted as good as they did at the World’s Fair, at least according to what those that tasted them continue to insist.
Today, little remains of the World’s Fair. A public park, a few buildings and some ghostly remnants are all that are left. The iconic Unisphere globe still sits in the center, a reminder to the fair’s theme (“Man’s achievement on a shrinking globe in an expanding universe”) and the rusted observation towers loom overhead, over 40 years after they carried their last passengers. But the memories of the 1964 World’s Fair remain strong in the minds of everyone who had an opportunity to visit, to explore, and to dream of what the future might hold. And as far as what the future holds concerning another New York World’s Fair, there is currently a movement under way to make a bid for the 2020 World’s Fair. With a little luck, perhaps there will finally be a reason to polish up the Unisphere after all these years.
Were you one of those youngsters lucky enough to visit this iconic event? Or, perhaps you heard stories passed on from friends or relatives that attended. We would love to hear your recollections of the 1964 World’s Fair in our comments section, as we fondly remember a time in our history when the future seemed so promising, so limitless.
Just in time for Christmas this year, Commodore has decided to offer retro computing fans one of the coolest blast-from-the-past products that we’ve seen in a while. It’s the new Commodore PC64, a reasonably powered personal computer with an old school persona. That’s because it looks identical to the iconic C64 that first took the home computing world by storm in 1982. This retro computer boasts 4GB of RAM, an Intel Atom processor, Nvidia graphics, WiFi, and a terabyte of hard drive space, all packed into that clunky typewriter-esque plastic shell from yesteryear. And what better way to see what it looks like than to simply watch this vintage Commodore 64 commercial:
Now, doesn’t that bring back memories? Over 30 million of these were sold in the decade that followed, as American homes joined the computer age. The original product needed no monitor (any television would do) was easy to operate, and most importantly, was capable of playing an onslaught of 8-bit video games. If you were one of those early gamers, perhaps this video will pull at the heartstrings a little bit, maybe even surprise you at how good the games actually looked back in the day:
Were you the proud owner of a Commodore 64? Did you have a favorite game, one that you played for hours on end? In our comments section, help us remember the early days of home computing as we look back on this innovative product from 1982 – and tip our hats to Commodore for allowing us to revisit our retro computing roots AND have wireless internet access, all at the same time.
Over the years, television has introduced us to some rather remarkable beings from other worlds and we have collectively welcomed them with open arms, intrigued by their strange customs, mannerisms, and in some cases, appendages. They’ve made us wonder, made us think, and more often than not, made us laugh. So, for today’s face-off, we pose the question – who is the coolest TV alien? We’ll offer a quartet of choices to get you started, but the sky’s the limit. The only thing we request is that your alien must be from television, not film, so E.T. is out of the running. Also, please share your reasons for your vote, so we understand why this particular alien has won your heart. With that said, let’s get started!
Hailing from the planet Melmac (where the sky is green and the grass is blue), our first nominee is Gordon Shumway, better remembered by the acronym “ALF” (Alien Life Form). A fugitive on the run from the Alien Task Force, ALF is at a disadvantage from our other contestants in that passing him off as a human was entirely out of the question. Still, ALF did his best to acclimate himself to our strange ways, and for television viewers of the 80s, this furry foreigner won the hearts of millions with his zany antics and heart of gold. Well, maybe not the hearts of our feline friends:
Our next visitor also crash-landed on earth (yes, it’s a recurring theme) in the 60s, and coincidentally, also in Los Angeles. His human host, a newspaper reporter, gave him a place to live and cleverly concealed his true identity by giving everyone the impression that the visitor was really just his eccentric “Uncle Martin.” Of course, we all knew him as My Favorite Martian, a television series that debuted in 1963, starring the wonderful Ray Walston in the title role.
From the eccentric, we travel to the absurd – to meet the constellational clown of the universe, the irrepressible Mork from Ork. Traveling the galaxy in an egg-shaped craft, his landing site was Boulder, Colorado, after making a brief pit-stop in Milwaukee a few decades earlier to visit Ritchie and the Fonz on Happy Days. At his new destination, he met the lovely Mindy McConnell, an earthling who not only allowed the illegal alien to share her residence, but also would eventually give him her hand in marriage (assumedly granting him citizenship in the process, although we certainly aren’t Constitutional scholars over here). The unlikely couple appeared for four seasons together on Mork & Mindy, the hit television show that premiered on ABC in 1978.
Finally, no list would be complete without the inclusion of our most logical of contestants, Mr. Spock from the planet Vulcan. Granted, his visits to Earth were few and far between, but his legendary status around the universe is unmatched. Portrayed by Leonard Nimoy for three seasons on the sci-fi classic, Star Trek, Spock’s pointy ears, neck pinching technique, and advice to “Live Long and Prosper” enthralled viewers of all ages and made him a cultural icon. And who knew he could dance?
So, there you have it, our fab four from the future who made a lasting impression on us during our brief encounters. Of course, we’ve left out many other extraterrestrials worthy of consideration. Perhaps your loyalties lie with Worf or The Great Gazoo or even Superman! Make your case and tell us who gets your vote for the coolest television alien, as we present another face-off for our friends and fans at Retroland.
The story of Iron Eyes Cody is a rather fascinating one. With a solitary tear dripping down his cheek as he mourned the increasingly polluted land around him, his image served as a catalyst for modern environmentalism and encouraged many to do their part in helping to clean up the growing litter problem. A champion of Native-American causes, an actor that appeared in dozens of films, he is without doubt the single most recognizable Native -American face in modern culture. Of course, there’s just one little tiny detail, a seldom -mentioned tidbit of information that somewhat clouds the history of this iconic character – he wasn’t really an Indian.
Let’s first take a look at the iconic commercial that started it all, from the early 70s:
The son of Italian immigrants, Iron Eyes Cody came into this world in 1904, born in Louisiana and given the name, Espera Oscar de Corti. Although his father would eventually desert the family and move to Texas, Espera and his brothers would soon follow. Always an avid admirer of the Native-American culture, he realized that being an Indian might help him get his foot in the door in Hollywood. He changed his last name to Cody and moved west, with aspirations of the big screen. He began dressing in full Native American garb, including moccasins and a longhaired wig, and began to describe his heritage as part Cherokee, part Cree – conveniently leaving the Italian part out.
He found work almost immediately in tinsel town and its seemingly endless production of cowboy films. In 1925, he appeared in the Cecil B. DeMille film, The Road to Yesterday and would go on to appear in over a hundred others over the next six decades. He also made appearances on the television shows Gunsmoke, Bonanza and Rawhide.
But all of these roles paled in comparison to the exposure and recognition he was afforded by his memorable 1971 commercial for the non-profit group, Keep America Beautiful, a community improvement and educational organization. The ad featured a fully garbed Cody, paddling his canoe past billowing smokestacks and floating pollution before setting foot on land. Upon exploring the city he has come across, he is pelted with a garbage bag that spews a pile of refuse around his moccasins. The camera slowly pans in for a close-up of his face and focuses on the lone tear as a voice-over admonishes viewers with the words “People start pollution, people can stop it.” It has been estimated that this commercial was viewed over a billion times in the years that followed.
Iron Eyes would go on to champion a number of Native American causes and act as a spokesman for their groups. He is said to have met with every president since Roosevelt to discuss Indian matters. He would eventually marry an Indian wife and adopt two Indian children. His efforts made him a hero among Native Americans. In fact, even after they found out the truth about his real heritage, they still felt he had done so much for the Native-American community, that they couldn’t help but respect the man immensely.
And to his dying day, Iron Eyes Cody always insisted that he was what he appeared to be. Defiantly, he would challenge: “You can’t prove anything.” And the fact is, it isn’t all that important what this man’s heritage actually was. In his heart, he was an Indian and his impact as such was profound.
We welcome your thoughts and comments about this unforgettable presence on the television screens of our youth, as we fondly remember Iron Eyes Cody, here at Retroland
For millions of kids around the country, today marks the end of one of the most beloved traditions of childhood, summer vacation, and begins a new year – with new teachers, new desks, new lockers, and perhaps even new friends. Sure, depending on where you live, your children may have already started, or still have a week or two off, but this is as good a day as any to talk about one of the most memory-filled days of our collective youth, the first day of school.
Even if you didn’t start school in August as a kid, you were probably participating in another activity around this time of year, back-to-school shopping – both for clothing and school supplies. Some kids loved this part, others loathed it, and it probably depended on how much choice you had in the matter. If you got to pick out your clothes, you probably enjoyed it. If mom made the fashion choices for you, perhaps not so much. Dressing rooms, anyone? If you were lucky, however, you might just have a shiny new Muppets or Holly Hobbie lunchbox, maybe even a Trapper Keeper or Pee Chee folder to show off to your future friends – proving on day one just how cool you really were.
When the big day arrived, you sat and ate your breakfast, your head swimming with questions. Would your homeroom teacher be someone you could deal with for the next 9 months? Was that math teacher you had been assigned to really as evil as your sibling described, or were they just trying to scare you? Who would you know in your classes? Would your locker be conveniently located, or in some isolated nook of the school, far removed from every single class? And if it was your first day at a new school, there were hundreds of other questions racing through your brain while you ate your Cheerios. If only we all had this friendly advice from Kermit the Frog to see us through:
Of course, all of these questions would be resolved soon enough, and by the end of the day, you usually were assured that everything wouldn’t be as bad as you anticipated. Finding out that a bunch of friends were in one of your classes could make all the difference in the world. And by the end of the year, you might even miss a bunch of new friends that, at the beginning of the school year, you barely even knew. Still, no matter how many times you endured the first day of school in your formative years, each new year brought a shiny new set of jitters.
Over at Sesame Street, here’s a clip of another popular character recounting (sorry) their first day fears:
As we reflect upon this memorable day, we invite you to think back to your own first days of school and share with us at Retroland what you remember most, your fears and your triumphs and your surprises. Meanwhile, we give a collective nod of sympathy to all of the kids who didn’t get much sleep last night, and who may have eaten their cereal this morning with a familiar look of dread on their face. At least back in the day, we knew that if we made it through the first week of school, we would be rewarded with an onslaught of Saturday morning cartoon premieres. But that’s another story for another day…
One of the greatest living authors of speculative fiction, Ray Bradbury turns 90 on August 22, 2010. His long and distinguished career spans well over fifty years, and his literary contributions have served to influence the minds of millions of readers around the world. Of course, many of his writings have also been depicted numerous times in film and television adaptations as well.
The book that first brought him widespread recognition as an author was Fahrenheit 451, the 1953 dystopian novel about a world where books are no longer allowed, and one “fireman” (book burner) named Guy Montag, who eventually sees the error of the world’s ways and opts to fight the system. Other notable writings include The Martian Chronicles in 1950, a collection of short stories about the colonization of Mars from those who seek to escape the atomic horrors of earth, and Something Wicked This Way Comes, written in 1962. The book would take many elements from Bradbury’s childhood experiences with carnival-folk, and the author credited these encounters with changing his life and motivating him to become a serious writer. Perhaps it would better to listen to Ray himself describe these encounters, on this wonderful video clip of Ray speaking at a public library:
Remnants of Bradbury’s work can also be found throughout the world of popular culture. He was a contributor to an early 70s children show, Curiosity Shop, created by Chuck Jones. He wrote 65 episodes and provided narrative for The Ray Bradbury Theater on HBO (and later, the USA Network), which aired for six seasons, beginning in 1985. Mr. Bradbury also served as a consultant for the American Pavilion at the 1964 World’s Fair and even did some work for the Walt Disney Co, helping them to design the iconic geodesic dome at Walt Disney World’s Epcot Center, as well as the attraction’s storyline.
Join us at Retroland as we celebrate Mr. Bradbury’s 90th birthday by sharing your own memories of his beloved stories. Which ones were your favorites, and what impact did they make on your impressionable young minds? We welcome all of your thoughts, comments and birthday wishes on this memorable milestone of his long and prolific career.
Of all the face-off questions we’ve posted in the past few months, it was inevitable that we would eventually find our way here – to compare and contrast two sillier than scary sitcoms – miles apart in their type of humor, but equally beloved by millions. You’ve all watched both series – if not firsthand, then certainly in syndication – and we suspect you have some passionate opinions on the subject. So, today we post the timeless question – which show did you prefer, The Munsters or The Addams Family?
First, let’s look at The Munsters, which debuted on CBS in 1967 and ran for two seasons (concurrently with The Addams Family). Family patriarch Herman, his beautiful wife Lilly, and their son Eddie lived with their extended family, the ever-inventive Grandpa, and Lilly’s beautiful niece, Marilyn in a decrepit mansion located within a quiet suburban neighborhood. In their minds, they were a completely normal family, but to the rest of the neighborhood, they were simply horrifying. Still, the happy-go-lucky Herman and family did their best to contribute positively to their community, even if their kindness wasn’t always appreciated. Let’s look in on 1313 Mockingbird Lane:
Next, we have the decidedly more goth-looking Addams Family, a series based on the dark and twisted humor of New Yorker magazine cartoonist, Charles Addams. Like their competition, this show debuted in 1964 and ran for two seasons. Here, the heads of the household were the delightful couple of Gomez and Morticia Addams, who were far more fun-loving (and frisky) than they were frightening, and were the proud parents of two adorably odd children, Wednesday and Pugsley. The other members of the creepy clan, however, were quite disturbing appearance-wise and kept unsuspecting visitors a little more on edge. Whether it was the dismembered hand living in a box named “Thing,” their tall and ghoulish butler Lurch, a batty witch named Granny, the walking hairball Cousin It or the playfully-sinister Uncle Fester, they managed to send away their own share of terrified visitors with their playful antics. Here’s a look at the creepy clan, complete with iconic theme song:
So, now it is up to you. Tell us which of these frightfully funny families were your favorite, and be sure to state your reasons why, as we celebrate both of these macabre sitcoms that continue to live on in the hearts of millions of fans, some 40 years after their original run.
As you may recall, we have been reporting on a number of soda manufacturers who have released old-style versions of their products in recent months. First there was Throwback Pepsi and Mountain Dew, and in recent weeks, Dr. Pepper released a retro version of their popular soft drink to celebrate their 75th anniversary. While the biggest selling point has been the replacement of high-fructose corn syrup with good ol’ fashioned sugar, it has also been rather refreshing to see all of the old packaging re-emerge.
Well, now a beloved cereal is jumping on the retro packaging bandwagon. Cap’n Crunch has recently released versions of their line of cereals with the old 60s artwork created by Jay Ward – that’s right, the same Jay Ward that created such animated pleasures as Rocky and Bullwinkle and George of the Jungle, among others. Each box of retro-crunch even contains one of six limited-edition collector cards on the back.
Of course, now this announcement has us daydreaming about the glory days of Cap’n Crunch, so it would only be fitting to offer a couple of those vintage commercials from the days of our youth.
Oh, what the heck – here’s one more. This little gem is from 1965:
Were you a fan of Cap’n Crunch back in the day? Were you particularly fond of Crunch Berries (when they were in season, of course) or Peanut Butter Crunch, or were your tastes more exotic, preferring the less-successful flavors introduced over the years such as Vanilly Crunch, Punch Crunch and Cinnamon Crunch? Share your memories of this beloved breakfast cereal with all of us at Retroland as we applaud the release of these retro packages.
In recent weeks, we’ve been asking you to tell us your favorite neighbors, doctors, cars, and cartoon bands from television. Today, we would like to hear you sound off on who your favorite TV mom is. We’ve picked a handful of memorable matriarchs to get you started, but you likely have some choices that you feel are more deserving, so don’t be shy. Let’s get things started, shall we?
First up, the wonderful Barbara Billingsley from Leave it to Beaver. Was there a kid in the 50s that didn’t want a mom like June Cleaver? Always ready to help with life’s problems, always cooking up some tasty snack in the kitchen, she was everything a stereotypical mom should be, which she had to be, considering the chauvinistic attitudes of her family members.
Next, we present the lovely Carol Brady, mother of a sibling six-pack on The Brady Bunch. Portrayed by Florence Henderson, Carol didn’t spend quite as much time in the kitchen as June Cleaver. After all, she had a superhuman maid named Alice to lean on. Still, she gets extra points for perkiness and groovy wardrobe choices, and more importantly, she always put safety first:
Natural mom to Richie and Joannie on Happy Days, as well as surrogate mom to Fonzie, Marion Cunningham (Marion Ross) had a refreshingly independent side to her, never afraid to speak her mind, even if it meant standing up to The Fonz.
Not all television moms get to just sit around baking cookies. Florida Evans, for example, exemplified a working class mom on Good Times, struggling to make ends meet while raising three children in the inner city. And although she faced numerous hardships that someone like June Cleaver could never have handled, she still always put her family first:
Finally, if you want to talk hardships, perhaps no television mom ever faced comparable trials and tribulations to that of Caroline “Ma” Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie. Portrayed by Karen Grassle, Ma watched over her brood tirelessly, facing obstacles that none of these other television moms could begin to fathom.
So, tell us which character you think is most deserving of the title “Best Television Mom” and be sure to include your reasons why. Remember that we’ve only presented the tip of the iceberg, so scan those memory banks and share your favorites with us, as we celebrate all of these wonderful women, here at Retroland.
Today, we try to answer one of the less profound, but strangely intriguing pop culture questions of the day. And although it could be a little exclusionary for some, we suspect that there are enough hardcore fans out there to weigh in on the topic. Today’s odd little face-off asks the question – which was the coolest vacation that the Brady Bunch ever took? Before you tell us, however, perhaps we should refresh your memory a little. 
In the first two seasons, the family went on an annual camping trip, although these were slightly less than memorable escapes. Their third (and final) camping trip during the opening of season three proved to be far more adventurous and perilous, as they ventured to the Grand Canyon. Heck, they didn’t even get to their destination before the problems started, when an old prospector (played by Jim Backus) imprisoned the group at an old ghost town. Then, upon freeing themselves, they had to endure a grueling pack mule trip to the basin of the Grand Canyon. Finally, settling in at their campsite, they became most unsettled as Bobby and Cindy disappeared in the night without a trace. Little did they know that the youngest pair of siblings were only delivering a flashlight filled with beans to their new Native-American friend, who had run away to become an astronaut. Things all worked out in the end with each member of the family ceremoniously getting their new Indian name. 
For the opening of season four in 1972, their destination was the tropical islands of Hawaii, where things were turned up a few notches. Treacherous spiders crawled on Peter, Bobby almost got clobbered with a wall hanging, Greg dangerously wiped out in his big surfing debut, and a disgruntled archeologist, played by none other than Vincent Price, decided to capture the boys in a dark cave – all of this because Bobby decided to mess with an ancient tiki statue. Much like their previous vacation, the family ends up celebrating with the locals in the end, as they pig out at a luau. 
Over the years, television has introduced us to some rather remarkable beings from other worlds and we have collectively welcomed them with open arms, intrigued by their strange customs, mannerisms, and in some cases, appendages. They’ve made us wonder, made us think, and more often than not, made us laugh. So, for today’s face-off, we pose the question – who is the coolest TV alien? We’ll offer a quartet of choices to get you started, but the sky’s the limit. The only thing we request is that your alien must be from television, not film, so 
The story of Iron Eyes Cody is a rather fascinating one. With a solitary tear dripping down his cheek as he mourned the increasingly polluted land around him, his image served as a catalyst for modern environmentalism and encouraged many to do their part in helping to clean up the growing litter problem. A champion of Native-American causes, an actor that appeared in dozens of films, he is without doubt the single most recognizable Native -American face in modern culture. Of course, there’s just one little tiny detail, a seldom -mentioned tidbit of information that somewhat clouds the history of this iconic character – he wasn’t really an Indian.
For millions of kids around the country, today marks the end of one of the most beloved traditions of childhood, 
