Seeing the thread about “Why did it used take so long to receive stuff by mail” reminded me of the times I mailed cereal boxtops with quarters taped to them. We lived in a small town, so we didn’t have stores with neat stuff.
I remember sending for a water pump that shot up a rocket. It went incredibly high. Very cool! I also sent for a three stooges club kit. And many other things I have forgotten.
It was always exciting waiting for them. They always took an eternity to arrive. But when they did arrive it was hog heaven!
This happened 50 or more years ago. Did you kids ever do this? What did you send for?
I remember collecting a ton (looks like it was only 5) of action figures UPCs to get the accessory pack for my Star Wars guys…
The kitchen at my previous job was stocked with Pop-Tarts, so I took the lids from those and got a few fun things, including my beloved Chicken Hat (a tie in to the Chicken Little movie). I also have a tiny remote controlled car that sits on top of a pen.
I sent away to Cap’n Crunch for a commerative Canadian Quarter - in my twenties. My housemate bought the cereal so I sent the boxtop and order form in his name and mine and we each got back a signed letter from the Cap’n himself and the coins in a laminated plastic pack. I still have them and the letter somewhere.
I also won a free poster from Shredded Wheat that I had to send away for and 20 years later still hangs in my kitchen.
Most recently, I guess I did the modern version, and went online to get a free scarf. Nice, but there really was something about collecting box tops and entrusting them to the postal service and then waiting weeks for the prize to arrive.
When I was a kid I sent a couple of box tops and a dollar, and received a Beatles Yellow Submarine. It was about six or seven inches long, and was battery-powered. I wish I still had it – or at least, I’d like to see a photo of one.
I bet that was way, way cool Johnny L.A.
That reminded me of a submarine I sent for. I believe you put in baking soda and it would power it in the water. Yeah, those were the days!
The little ones – a couple of inches long at the most – used to come in the cereal box. I had a few of those, as well as SCUBA divers.
You are correct Johnny L.A. many times cereal boxes would have a big star burst “FREE INSIDE!”
Not cereal but cat food. When I was 8 or so you could collect tokens off the Tender Vittles box and send away for a heart-shaped cat food dish. I saved 'em up and sent away and got the dish for my cat. 
When that cat passed away I got the dish back from my mom (I had moved out) and gave to the cat I had then. She used that dish for the next 16 years, until she passed away. I still have it in her “memory box.”
I sent in boxtops from some cereal(I forget which one) for a Tony The Tiger breakfast set-bowl, cup and spoon.
I knew someone else would mention this. That’s what Grandmom and I sent off for and I was so excited when it came… then so disappointed when it looked and performed nothing like the one advertised in the picture.
(Assuming it’s the same, this from the '60s.)
Anyone remember the Cornyphone? It was a yellow plastic harmonica shaped like an ear of corn, offered by Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.
I also had a Woody Woodpecker Door Knocker. You stuck it on a door with adhesive. You then turned a knob on the side of it and Woody would “peck” on the plank. I stuck mine onto my bedroom door.
Yeah – boxtops, Bazooka Joe Comics, other stuff. I got
A penlight
Cocoa beans (!) from Coco-Marsh drink
A Miniature Camera
other random stuff
I currently collect MyCokeRewards points and LeanCuisine Delicious Rewards points and have got some useful stuff (ski lift tickets, kitchen gadgets, electronics) but none match the majesty of the Chicken Hat.
I got a couple plastic boat kits. A sub and battleship-ish thing. Not the baking soda kind, but I did buy one of those with real money.
Mrs. FtG’s mother years ago got some silverware with Betty Crocker coupons. We still use them.
I remember sending out Kellogg’s tops for a 110 camera. When it came in the mail my mom gave me a roll of film and I took the 12 or 18 pictures and found that it would cost a couple of months allowance to develop it, so I abandoned photography. I still think about it when I go on a hike or something and take 50 or 60 digital shots of a single memorable feature to get a decent shot by default.
Like Brainstall, I sent away to Cap’n Crunch, but for some bumper stickers and a kite.
Czarcasm, Tony the Tiger is on Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, btw.
Yeah, they were always less than the picture indicated. But, you have this moment in time with your grandmom helping you send for this. Priceless!
In the early '80s, I collected UPC symbols off cereal boxes to send in for a hand-held electronic baseball game. Turns out the cereal company underestimated the number of orders they’d receive and didn’t order enough games. To make up for this, some (like I) received a game that was better than the example on the box!
Woosh, btw. 