Hi there, guys and dolls! Yowza, Christmas is almost here. Are you all done with your shopping? Well, good for you. I’ve still got such a looong list to go, mainly for some little ones. Isn’t it fun to put a little cheer on those angelic or devilish little faces? So this week’s Raves n Faves are some of the kickiest toys from my 1950s era. Some of them are still around in this modern age and I’ll just bet that most of you have played with all or some of them.

Play-Doh – Oh, the smell and texture of Play-doh. Doesn’t that stuff just take you back to your childhood. You could make anything with that stuff. And it’ll last forever if you let it dry out (on purpose or by accident). You can even eat it (yeah, I wouldn’t recommend it, though). Pretty successful item for something that started out as wallpaper cleaner….

Silly Putty – The great fleshy mimicker. This stuff is fun! Copy your favorite comics, stretch it and make funny faces. It pulls like taffy, you can throw it at people with little or no pain to them. It, well, that’s about it… Amazing that it’s still kicking around, considering that’s all it does. Ah, kids these/those days…

Magic 8 Ball – The prophesy. Oh, great Magic 8 Ball, what will the future bring? Reply hazy. Will I ever find the man of my dreams? Better not tell you now. Will I be rich? Ask again later. Excellent, er precise answers, huh? Use this divine oracle to help you decide every major decision you ever have to make. Just think how it will continue to confound and confuse you even further. Isn’t that just wonderful? The Magic 8 Ball says cannot predict now. That’s. Just. Great.

Frisbee – Now who hasn’t tossed this around? The beach, the park, your grandmother’s living room, classroom when the teacher’s out, all kinds of great places. They’re a terrific device to get rid of that hideous vase that Aunt Frida gave you last year for Christmas, by just, oops, accident.

Slinky – What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs and makes a slinkity sound? A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing! Everyone knows it’s Slinky. Also really hurts when you accidentally sproing your arm in it and it pulls on your arm hair or poke under a fingernail with it. Oh, and give it to an uptight cousin and watch them try to uncoil it. A little unresolved frustration for them, but hours of entertainment for you as you watch them try to straighten it out. Perfect for the mid-afternoon lull between unwrapping presents and Christmas dinner.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more posts. And don’t forget to give my Poppy Cove Mysteries a try if you haven’t already. 

Toodles, Barbara Jean