You Are What You Were. Celebrate Retro Pop Culture At Retroland.
For anyone, young or old, who ever doubted the existence of Santa Claus, those doubts were summarily laid to rest in the immortal 1947 holiday classic, Miracle on 34th Street. Only the most jaded scrooge could have a heart impervious to the charm that has made this a tradition holiday favorite ever since its original release.
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Extolling the virtues of Frosted Flakes for over half a decade, Tony the Tiger has exclaimed his way into the hearts of kids and adults everywhere with his exuberant expression, “They’re Grrrreat!” But Tony did more than that, he taught every kid a lesson along the way – the importance of having a balanced breakfast every morning.
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There are very few times when a kid can throw a projectile at one of his friends or adversaries without parental admonishment. And yet, once a sufficient blanket of snow has fallen, the rules change. The potential for war suddenly looms ominously behind thick trees and parked cars and any other place that offers a momentary shield. Attacks come without warning and without mercy. After all, winter is here and that once-peaceful white powder is all that is needed to encourage battle, not to mention create an ample stockpile of munitions. Negotiations are futile, retribution is demanded - this is the season of the snowball fight.
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Dolls have always happily provided companionship to little girls, acting as security blanket and trusted companion. But Chatty Cathy offered something more, something special. Not only could you talk to Chatty Cathy and share your woes but, thanks to the tug of a ring on a string, Cathy could talk back. And talk she did.
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In what would become the last animated feature produced by Walt Disney to be based upon a fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty was one of the most ambitious endeavors Disney ever embarked upon. Costing $6 million to produce (an unheard of sum in 1959,) requiring nine years of planning and three years of filming, and utilizing a new 70MM “Super Technirama 70” process, the result was an animated feature that was simply stunning - perhaps one of the finest achievements ever in animation and a film destined to become a timeless classic.
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Popcorn has been an American staple since Native Americans brought it to the first Thanksgiving. It grew in popularity throughout the country as street vendors hawked it and eventually became a staple at movie theaters in the 1900s. Once television came into being and attendance at movie theaters waned, so did the popularity of popcorn-- that is, until marketers began tying home television watching with the fluffy snack. And presto! There was once again a niche for those beloved kernels of puffy corn product.
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Ah, Scrabble. Play it often enough and you start seeing those lettered tiles in your dreams, forming words that would be worth 100 points if they actually existed. The much-loved game has endured for over 50 years, providing both family enjoyment and competitive play. Out of all the board games, Scrabble is truly a Cinderella story.
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You've just spent the evening knocking on every neighborhood door within sight, watching your pillowcase or plastic jack o' lantern gradually fill with tasty confections. Returning home, you eagerly dump out the rewards of your labor and scan to see what you've collected. And, much like every other kid who has ever performed this ritual, you are likely to come across a few rolls of little tablet-shaped candies wrapped in clear plastic. Both sweet and tangy, with a distinct powdery consistency, Smarties have been a staple of Halloween for over six decades.
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The offspring of the celebrated confectionery clan we'll call the Sugar family, Sugar Babies are the diminutive nuggets of sweetness that bear genetic resemblance to their proud parents, Sugar Daddy and Sugar Mama. They have satisfied the hunger of sweet-toothed fans for over 70 years and counting.
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Okay, you really weren’t supposed to eat them, but how were kids to know? After all, they were in the candy aisle. Technically though, the liquid inside was the candy, not the wax container that surrounded it - which didn’t stop kids from ingesting enough wax to turn their digestive tract into a candle, sans the wick. That’s right, we’re talking about the wax bottles of our youth.
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