Catalogs, Kewpie Dolls & Good Karma
Can you believe all the catalogs coming in the mail this year? Our poor mail carrier Carol must feel like a pack mule for Harry & David’s. Every day for the last four months at least two or three slick and shiny catalogs have piled up on my desk. And since I do most of my shopping at local stores, their mass media blitz is wasted on me. And then it came. Bright and glossy with a Mickey Mouse nutcracker, Sock Monkeys and an old fashioned milk shake mixer on the cover. This one piqued my curiosity and suddenly I was taking a nostalgic walk through Betty’s Attic (Since 1914: Where Memories of Yesterday Live On Today!) That really sucked me in. This catalog is a stroll down memory lane for anyone who had a toy as a child. And the offerings date back to Betty Boop and Kewpie Dolls from 1949. But who can pass up the memories of an Ant Farm, that Drinking Bird than tips over, drinks and tips back up? Yes, there is a Mystery Date game from 1965, a Bozo the Clown Bop Bag, and a variety of Raggedy Ann & Andy Dolls. If you are a Sock Monkey fan, the choices are endless, and Little Rascals collectors will like the DVD set. There are many old classic cars, sports memorabilia, t.v. favorites like Andy Griffith wall calendars and Twilight Zone DVDs. And many of you will remember Howdy Doody. There are t-shirts for Howdy, and the Beaver, and Hogan’s Heroes. Memories would not be complete without lots of Peanuts and Walt Disney merchandise. The Grinch is well represented too along with some neat stuff from the Wizard of Oz. One of my favorites, is the original Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book from 1950. That’s a year before I was born! Hello Kitty and John Wayne are both represented in Betty’s Attic, too. Now there’s a contrast. Don’t forget about the memories of music. Elvis, The Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix, The Rolling Stones…all have stuff to sell. You can even get an original Boy Scout Manual 1911 edition. There are plenty of games and puzzles, too. Monopoly in many forms. Try out some Yoda slippers or Superman knee socks. I have my eye on a Star Trek bathrobe. Don’t forget about Bullwinkle, Felix The Cat, Scooby-Doo and the Smurfs. They are all here for the taking. And finally, you can actually pick up one of those red and chrome Retro Kitchen Stools from the 1950s. Everyone had one. Part stool with a vinyl seat and back and part step ladder. I used it to get up on top of the fridge where my mom hid the Pepperidge Farm cookies. Good grief, that’s enough of that. I actually suggest you do most of your shopping locally. There are plenty of great gifts at that little store down the street. But if you are looking for that one nostalgic item for that certain old fogy like me, you might rummage through Betty’s Attic.
Everyone here at The Healthy Planet magazine would like to wish each of our 90,000 monthly readers, a healthy and happy holidays. These past few years have been tough on all of us. And yet we are still hopeful that better times are close at hand. Whatever faith you subscribe to, now is the time to turn that faith into action. All roads back begin with the first step forward. Healing begins with random acts of kindness. Good Karma is the key to all recovery.
J.B. Lester; Publisher