It's blow molded Christmas!

As a lover of Blow molded figures, there isn't a single thing on this page I would not accept with open arms.

New Six Million Dollar Man Shirt in our Redbubble store!

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Get the expanded digital edition of Rack Toys here.

The Creepy Elves Christmas Catalog

Recently I stumbled upon this Simpson's Christmas Catalog at an antique mall, it was a little pricey and had few toys so I considered not buying it until I noticed something odd. There was a theme going on as many of the pages were populated by these two creepy elves.

It was so weird, I had to purchase it and share, more after the jump.

A blow mold Christmas!

 I want to back up a truck and TAKE ALL OF THIS!

Don't forget to join our new facebook group.

Get the expanded digital edition of Rack Toys here.

Pod Stallions Mini Sode 4: Top Five Christmas Presents

Ok, this isn't much of Mini as it runs over an hour (Boy, we can talk!) but it is a fun show nonetheless.

For this "Mini" Jason proposed the challenge that we talk about our "top five" Christmas presents as kids. That's a hard thing to pick but we managed.

Topics include Kenner Star Wars (duh), Mego Superheroes, Hot Wheels, more Kenner Star Wars (we are Gen X after all) Six Million Dollar man, Tony Rosato, failed 80s sitcoms, calling your mom at work, Florida in the 1970s, Brian's weird childhood,  the Fisher Price Adventure People, Star Team, Starroids, Indiana Jones and did we mention Kenner Star Wars?

  Download the Show Here

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Christmas Wishlist 1981

This past summer, my family sold the home that belonged to my grandparents, a place I spent some very happy Christmases in. I even wrote a blog post about it back in the fall.

While it was obviously a sad time, it also had it's bright spots. One of them was discovering the woman kept everything I ever drew or wrote in her home. It was a really warm feeling to be honest.

Seeing as it's Christmas, I thought I'd share my  wishlist from I'm guessing 1981. Every year I'd cut out pictures from catalogs and present it to her so she'd know what I'm on about. I had posted one from 1979  but  I totally forgot about this one.

As you can see Star Wars was my big thing that year. 

Smurfs? That was total peer pressure, every kid in my class was into them that year and I felt kind of like the odd man out for not having any on my desk.

I did get the At-At from my folks (and it was EPIC!) but I'm not sure I got any of the other stuff, I certainly didn't get any Smurfs.

Fond memories like this is why I started this site and I really wanted to share it. Thank you.

and the stockings were stapled with care

i say this without any irony, my family is actively seeking a cardboard chimney and would treasure it.

Atari Dreams

My grandmother never threw catalogs out, she let them sit until the new one came in.

So I can remember spending the better part of a year staring at this image, plotting as to how I would make the Atari 2600 mine.

I had to get my first job but it was so worth it and it changed Christmas forever.

The BIonic Age

Christmas always reminds me of the Bionic Man, I think it's because he was pricier than Mego or Big Jim.

I honestly got every Bionic toy I had at Christmas and it was a sweet three years, let me tell you.

1985 Child World Toy Catalog

Even though I personally was a teenager at the time, I fondly remember stocking a toy aisle full of a lot the things in this Child World Toy Flyer from 1985.

 This piece is chock full of happy memories for 80s kids from the popular Care Bears, Go Bots and He-Man to the more forgotten toys like the Hugga Bunch, Zybots and Robotix, there is a lot to love.

1985 Child World Catalog

Classic Toy Store Ads on PlaidStallions

Hagensick's Playroom 1975

1981 Toys R Us Flyer

Childworld 1975

Childworld 1981

1975 Toys R Us

A Corduroy Christmas

I'd like to pretend this is a snippet from our office Christmas party.

Thank you  everyone for a really terrific, positive year. I deeply appreciate all the kindness and laughs you've shared with me by reading, listening and writing in, I am humbled by the responses I get to this crazy project.

So as I go on to my usual week hiatus, I want to wish everybody a very happy Christmas and joyful New Year. 

BrAiN

Beno's Toys Christmas book from 1979

Seeing as Christmas and shopping is all that on our minds right now, let's take a look at the specials offered 36 years ago with the Beno's Toy flyer.

I've never heard of this California based chain but I sure recognize the toys like Kenner Star Wars, Play-Doh and a metric ton of classic hand held electronic games!

Begin the tour of the Beno's Christmas Book right here!

Classic Toy Store Ads on PlaidStallions

Hagensick's Playroom 1975

1981 Toys R Us Flyer

Childworld 1975

Childworld 1981

1975 Toys R Us

Merry Christmas!

Hey All, I'm about to embark on my annual Christmas hiatus from all things polyester and plastic for a few days.

I'm not going to lie, 2014 was  rough and at times, it made me want to throw it all away . What really kept me grounded was all the positivity and kindness i received from you folks daily. Thank you for that, it means the world.

Plaid Stallions will return at the end of the month, this year Jason and I will be tackling the retro awards together (which was skipped last year due for unhappy reasons). I'll also be posting some Christmas toy memories on our facebook page all day today.

From my family to yours, I wish you all the very best. May your holidays be filled with joy. See you in 2015, I have a lot of fun things planned.

Brian

Colouring BooK Theatre: Spiderman's Christmas

Spider-Man's Christmas: Giant Story Colouring Book by Marvel Books

I found this book at a flea market the other and seeing how it's Christmas, I spent the money and nabbed this gigantic book from 1984.

It's done in '84 by the Marvel Bullpen so it's nicely done rip of the Parkes Run books from the 70s.

Grab your crayons and still suit and join me after the jump

The Christmas Letter

Above is me, Christmas 1971 after having dined on my sister's (absolutely delicious) play-doh. It's the first Christmas I made awkward but certainly not the last....

I just wanted to say take the time to wish all of you a warm and happy Christmas and prosperous new year.

2013 is a year that I'm mostly happy to see the back of with the exception of rhis site, each year it grows into a more and more positive experience and is a steady provider of joy for me.

That's mostly because of you, the wonderful folks who read, comment and help out around here. I'm very thankful for the many friends I've made. To paraphrase from the great Daniel Roebuck, I used to collect toys but now I collect friends.

Thank you to everyone for your comments, kind words and most of all for making me laugh..

Thank you to everyone who bought Rack Toys, the support for my first publication was incredible and intoxicating, I am in your debt.

Thank you for checking out PodStallions and being so gracious with your input and comments, they are all the reward we could hope for.

Most of all thank you for getting the spirit of Plaid Stallions, it's wonderful to put positive energy into something and see it pay back ten times over. The internet can be a negative place and it's so heartening to see it go the otherway so naturally.

My best to you all.

BRaiN

PS: I'm taking off for a few days for obvious reasons, we'll return in the new year with a new Podcast, the retro awards and a new book announcement. See you in the future!

Pod Stallions 12: Wish Book Kids

It's December and we wouldn't even have this site if it weren't for the 70s Wish Book catalogs that magically landed on our door steps every fall.

Episode 11 is dedicated to our crazy 70s Christmas memories, the letters to Santa, the arms length wantlist and how Star Wars just turned the whole thing into "Space-Mas".

The discourse is mainly about traditions, toys and of course, collecting. It always boils down to that.

Download the Show Here

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• A letter to Santa (AKA Brian's grandmother) in 1979 was perhaps a bit too meticulous.
• While Mattel Shogun Warriors were high on both of the guy's wish lists, only Jason got one.
• Jason had the wonderful Star Bird by Milton Bradley.
• Both of the guys had Bulletman the human bullet.
• A 1977 article about the Kenner Star Wars early bird kit.
• Mattel's Flying Aces was another toy memory from Jason.
• Pulsar was a toy denied to Brian as he was deemed "too gross".
• The Kenner Six Million Dollar Man line is a particularly happy Christmas memory for Brian.
• The Batman viewmasters  were in Brian's stocking in 1975.
• Jason fondly remembers the Spider-Man/Captain America ricochet racers.

Plenty more content on the PodStallions Facebook page!

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79 Micronauts love

I love old Christmas catalogs, I love Micronauts but the 1979 Sears Canada catalog will always be a favourite of mine as it holds a special place in my heart.

My Micronaut love really piqued in 1979, spurred on by those glow in the dark aliens with gorgeous Ken Kelly package art. However, the real reason I love this catalog is that I used it's graphics for a detailed letter to Santa, probably my last and the only one still in my possession:

I didn't get everything on that wishlist (although I have most of it now save for the cat calendar and the remote controlled sand crawler.) I clipped a lot of images out of that wishbook but some were lost to time. Whenever I look at this thing, it brings me back to that great time.

Wishbook-A-Rama!

Seeing as it's December (which I'm actually surprised about, seriously where the hell did November go?) and this site is about catalogs, I am launching "Wishbook-A-Rama". Each week I'll post different Christmas catalog spreads, some you've seen, some you haven't and we can all make our respective wish lists. This will be combined with the usual Fashion mockery, rack toys and podcastery. I'll even have a Cyber Monday special for the first time in my life.

Enjoy and happy holidays.

-bRaIN

A Corn Syrup Christmas Special

I know I said I was done posting and on holiday but then Tom (who sent in this above bit of awesomeness a few years ago) sent me an early present. 

This home movie shows Tom giving his mom a lesson in how to work a Stretch Armstrong properly. If that wasn't cool enough, it's a really nice pastiche of a 70s Christmas complete with funky turtlenecks and (now) vintage beer cans. It's not even my family and this brings back good memories. 

Click here to see it on Youtube

 Thanks Tom and Merry Stretchmas!

Christmas is.....Soft Knits

And don't you *&%^ing forget it!

Nothing in this life, did I loathe more than that prerequisite itchy V neck sweater from an Aunt and Uncle. I have never been more honest in saying "You shouldn't have"...

Stocking Stuffers!

Any Christmas catalog worth it's ilk has a stocking stuffers section, a glossary of lower priced and unrelated items that are "just perfect". I personally own the skeleton bank about and am totally eyeing that cow creamer. More perfect last minute gifts after the jump: