Save up, send off and get

[Zeldar]

Childhood practices that have carried forward into your adult years.

What are some of the things you sent away for in comic books, magazines, from radio instructions, off TV ads, or wherever, when you had to wait days to weeks for your "prized possession" to arrive? Agony on the half shell with all the delay.

Secret decoder rings? Magic kits?

Just anything on the general subject of gimmicks and doodads you were sucker enough to tear off a boxtop or cut the end off a loaf of bread or crush a tin can to a size you could get into an envelope.

Stories, lies, memories...

[Toucanna]

With grandiose dreams of becoming the world's leading girl photo-journalist, I sent away for a black & white camera offered by Bazooka Joe bubblegum. Shot a roll of film, sent it off for developing. The camera wasn't sealed properly and the entire roll was spoiled because light leaked into the camera. Never ordered anything again from anybody (during childhood).

[Zeldar]

My biggest disappointment was a "Malayan Throwing Dagger" which (as it turns out) I described long ago in this early post.

[mattwan]

There's a reason that Sea Monkeys are a universally recognized symbol for loss of innocence.

[lorene]

Sea Monkeys!

[Cub Mistress]

I remember getting a set of Monkees-endorsed practical jokes. It had a joy buzzer and a can of mixed nuts with the spring that jumped out when you opened it.

[Zeldar]

I was a sucker for anything Lone Ranger. Merita Bread (Atlanta) was the sponsor in our region and they were always providing some come-on or other. Pictures, rings, secret something-or-other. Most of it required "proof of purchase" of some Merita product and "25c in coin."

Almost everything was a big letdown, but we never learned.

Wham-o was the big gotcha outfit in magazines and comic books. Even before hula hoops they were grabbing little kids' money hand over fist.