tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63065416516964212692024-03-05T19:16:35.833-08:00Christmas Catalogs From Years Past!Once upon a time, children and adults alike would eagerly await Christmas Catalogs in their mailboxes. This website is dedicated to keeping the tradition alive!christmascatalogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09137157104776891375noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6306541651696421269.post-40209470320315674952012-09-19T19:17:00.000-07:002012-09-19T19:19:52.044-07:00Fruit Cake!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">This 1937 advertisement is full of laughing quality.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">It is funny how the wording of marketing works. The best fruit cake is called, "Superfine." Next best is, "Fine." And the meager fruit cake is billed as, "Mellow" but still wrapped in, "Gleaming Cellophane." HA!<br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Perhaps the greatest laugh of all is in the description of the, "Delicious Chocolates" which boasts coming in a, "gay Christmas box." My how our gay times have changed:<br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ATj9VDIDQMh7DB5BUUKZadQ8mVJNG0otkKLBlea9UH-67n3nhGv1okHFhEfFytFhMMNKmOqVqPRuyDZ0hUnhB18tQVx-9sbt0-NkhgrjeTHjV7aNW_SijObKwRdfJ9xApdkkFsTWAcg/s1600/103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ATj9VDIDQMh7DB5BUUKZadQ8mVJNG0otkKLBlea9UH-67n3nhGv1okHFhEfFytFhMMNKmOqVqPRuyDZ0hUnhB18tQVx-9sbt0-NkhgrjeTHjV7aNW_SijObKwRdfJ9xApdkkFsTWAcg/s640/103.jpg" width="440" /></a><br /><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Why, it's as much a part of Christmas as<br />the big green Christmas tree itself!"</span></div>
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I don't know about you, but I am going to spring for the Superfine... "Superfine" strikes me as 40 years ahead of its time! "Fine" is cool too, but I'd rather have the, "Mellow." In the 70's these where the happening terms!<br />
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<b>The price-breakdown of today:</b></div>
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<b>Superfine: $44.76</b></div>
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<b>Fine: $29.74</b></div>
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<b>Mellow: $15.02</b></div>
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<b>Delicious Chocolates: $13.37</b></div>
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Legend has it, my great-great Grandmother bought one of those fruit cakes and it is still in the family.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Page 104 from the 1937 Sears Christmas Catalog</span></div>
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(Catalog Source: <a href="http://wishbookweb.com/">wishbookweb</a>)</div>
<br />christmascatalogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09137157104776891375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6306541651696421269.post-75869247700311806862012-09-19T17:05:00.000-07:002012-09-19T17:23:42.945-07:00Stretch Lounger and Sauna Pants!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">Christmas catalogs had been the best way to find toys for adults until the big stores and internet came along. Some may not consider these toys, yet on Christmas </span><span style="text-align: start;">morning </span><span style="text-align: start;">1972 your child was having a ball with their toy and you found yourself blowing into your Sauna Pants, having laughs until New Years Day, and never-fun-again you felt like a sucker as they were laid to rest in the closet.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">From the 1972 Spiegel Christmas Catalog, we first have featured on page 96 the, "Stretch Lounger." For the housewife looking to keep well-balanced during her workout, the Stretch Lounger is a good idea, but don't get up too quickly to answer the phone. Second, we have the totally awesome Sauna Pants:<br /><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sMZHZJ5CIQAkGbFUwq-hTuuHenkBoYpdWAINmYJ_nQGQUuPmWllZxAwp8jh69JRr__2QL7vxgjYQIel03BJRFsMKSryOUee9DCQ6oDMDqpShZh_jzaBmD1jEcS5a5OlflFGyKA9K7v0/s1600/SpiegelChristmas.1972.P096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sMZHZJ5CIQAkGbFUwq-hTuuHenkBoYpdWAINmYJ_nQGQUuPmWllZxAwp8jh69JRr__2QL7vxgjYQIel03BJRFsMKSryOUee9DCQ6oDMDqpShZh_jzaBmD1jEcS5a5OlflFGyKA9K7v0/s640/SpiegelChristmas.1972.P096.jpg" width="432" /></a></div>
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The Stretch Lounger is a balancing act to work, and even though it is at least almost practical, it isn't much more than an modified beach or pool chair. It was one of those items where one would say to themselves, "If I buy it, I'll have to exercise" especially with the adjusted price of inflation at $96.71. Once you busted your ass, it too was put in the pile of fail.</div>
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Sigh... Sauna pants are still in existence, though they are not quite as lame as those pictured above. You used to blow into a tube to inflate, creating a warm pocket of air. The latest and greatest in sauna pants not only heat themselves, they also vibrate.<br />
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For those wondering, the basic design of both the old and new sauna pants is intended to, "help you shed excess water weight."<br />
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<b>And thus, the static between fitness and disposable income will continue.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Page 96 from the 1972 Spiegel Christmas Catalog</span></div>
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(Catalog Source: <a href="http://wishbookweb.com/">wishbookweb</a>)</div>
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christmascatalogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09137157104776891375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6306541651696421269.post-84744453006135763002012-09-17T22:46:00.000-07:002012-09-19T17:12:03.040-07:00The Boyville and Boyville Jr. Helmet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">Yes, in 1945 for just $1.39 (about $17 in 2012) you too could </span><strike style="text-align: start;">scar</strike><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">spoil </span><span style="text-align: start;">your boy for life with the Boyville and Boyville Jr. helmet:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zr-BVRtlehyphenhyphenV7pxgLsP5GldiTi61QOroHMH70wYqqZgtYW3tGf3m9gxdG24LZ1qO8DiSNy48hHuqGOZoDIzgQY7gN4uJIZqfWMzSTjx3iEQ1dhx9VzOcbGduJtQigDE5mXxB5CSjooQ/s1600/Sears1945_Page0116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zr-BVRtlehyphenhyphenV7pxgLsP5GldiTi61QOroHMH70wYqqZgtYW3tGf3m9gxdG24LZ1qO8DiSNy48hHuqGOZoDIzgQY7gN4uJIZqfWMzSTjx3iEQ1dhx9VzOcbGduJtQigDE5mXxB5CSjooQ/s640/Sears1945_Page0116.jpg" width="462" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Practical suggestions for the boy who</b></span></div>
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What that really means is:</div>
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<i>"Your boy will find it practical when he is being beat up </i></div>
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<i><i>because he is wearing one of our fine deluxe helmets."<br /></i></i></div>
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Okay okay, it was a different time during WWII and boys wanted to be pilots. These helmets were rather popular and it was pretty cool to have one. While the helmets may be seen as impractical today, the ties further down the page seem ahead of style.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Page 116 from the 1945 Sears Christmas Catalog</span></div>
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(Catalog Source: <a href="http://wishbookweb.com/">wishbookweb</a>)</div>
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christmascatalogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09137157104776891375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6306541651696421269.post-48199492340227263322012-09-17T21:46:00.001-07:002012-09-17T22:10:59.111-07:00Where Santa Buys His Suits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">In 1988, Santa had to pay $330 for his ensemble. That is, if he bought it from the Sears Christmas Wishbook that year. While that seems a bit much, the adjusted inflation price 24 years later comes to over $600 in 2012!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzLSykIz5j8FgEX4e1Tiv3cspicHr4uxPt7ykFRgl-e9dMQMu-ZMw_o233IOqIkuncbSzsc7c67wODABVTTyR9HWeZmBW_Gl5tLpU8sspG1i_H0s5tyb3yX_ygcXSWMngom2PxOu55ek/s1600/P503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzLSykIz5j8FgEX4e1Tiv3cspicHr4uxPt7ykFRgl-e9dMQMu-ZMw_o233IOqIkuncbSzsc7c67wODABVTTyR9HWeZmBW_Gl5tLpU8sspG1i_H0s5tyb3yX_ygcXSWMngom2PxOu55ek/s640/P503.jpg" width="465" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />"Children of all ages will believe you're Santa when <br />you don this 10 piece professional Santa set."</span></b></div>
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What a troubling revelation for little Jimmy that Christmas.<br />
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- <span class="st">• -</span> <span class="st">• -</span> <span class="st">• -</span> <span class="st">• -</span> <span class="st">• -</span> <span class="st">• -</span> <span class="st">• -</span> <span class="st">• -</span> <span class="st">• -</span> <span class="st">• -</span> <span class="st">• -<br /></span><br />
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<span class="st"><span style="text-align: left;">Some parents tear out ads like the Santa suit before allowing their kids to drool over the toys. If your parents removed the page from the 1988 Wishbook, this is what was on the other side:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UUthKJWuozQ6ZeoKb3v7jlGNpM6-L8yKiZ9nn_TIC7dcQiLrYXGlZfzvSMXrZYtMBORKMDu0E7KWixdPddbMxbm9nYIHbePPgjTOJbk7OhlJuyducm3OdbWAyReY_wTsPJDXqb2Tvw4/s1600/P504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UUthKJWuozQ6ZeoKb3v7jlGNpM6-L8yKiZ9nn_TIC7dcQiLrYXGlZfzvSMXrZYtMBORKMDu0E7KWixdPddbMxbm9nYIHbePPgjTOJbk7OhlJuyducm3OdbWAyReY_wTsPJDXqb2Tvw4/s640/P504.jpg" width="470" /></a></div>
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You didn't miss much as it turns out, except for the creepy craftsman.<br />
He looks too much like the figurines.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Page 503 & 504 from the 1988 Sears Christmas Wishbook</span></div>
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(Catalog Source: <a href="http://wishbookweb.com/">wishbookweb</a>)</div>
christmascatalogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09137157104776891375noreply@blogger.com0