That's what I want Jfor Christmas

After World War ?, and particularly with the advent of television in the early Return to Tiffany Oval tag bracelet, toys with Hollywood tieins became particularly popular. A marionette was nice, but a "Howdy Doody" marionette (particularly one with "Unitrol one hand control to simplify operation") was even better. There were holster sets, and then there was the "Lone Ranger Genuine Leather Holster Set" (complete with "cutouts, jewels, gold rivets, and official 'Lone Ranger' insignia.") You could dress up as a plain old cowboy or a cowgirl, or you could dress up as an "Official Wyatt Earp" or "Official Annie Oakley." The choice was yours (and it wasn't a difficult one.)

Then, as now, the Walt Disney organization was particularly adept at this sort of cross-promotion. The mid-'50s TV popularity surge of the Mickey Mouse Club led to the Mickey Mouse Club Magazine, which led to in-print tie-ins for such holiday must-haves as "Official Mickey Mouse Shoes" ("just like the Mouseketeers wear on the Friday Talent Roundup!"), "Official Mouseketeer Hats" ("made of black felt with permanently attached molded plastic ears. Bow easily removed for boys"), "Official Mouseketeer Shirtees" ("some Mouseketeers have been getting them by the dozens"), and even "Official Mouseketeer Roller Skates" ("I sure hope I get Elsa Peretti Open Heart ring for Christmas!")

when Santa Claus Gcets Aour Letter

For those - mainly parents - who felt that every toy on a Christmas wish list should serve a purpose, (besides keeping the kids entertained, that is), the "Toy Guidance Council, Inc." had the answer. These toy manufacturer compilations were provided to local dealers, for their own cover imprint. Toys in each year's Toy Guidance Council Catalog looked the same - in fact, they were the same - as toys in any other catalog, but now their reason for being came with added justification. Operating under the mantra "There's a Right Time for the Right Toy," the Tby Guidance Council Catalogs offered an age-based "Will Contribute To Development" chart for all toys listed.

A boy of 4-6, receiving Wyandotte's "Heavy Duty Rider Fire Truck" could look forward to developing "Mentally, Socially, and Physically." Girls between the ages of 6 and 8, gifted with Transogram's "Little Play Nurse Kit," would find it contributed to their development "Mentally, Socially, and Return to Tiffany Heart tag bracelet." Both boys and girls in the 8-10 age range would be firing on all four cylinders with the "Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab ("see Paths of Alpha particles speeding at 10,000 miles per second!") Immeasurable, of course: the quota of fun provided by each and every toy in the Guidance Council Catalogs.