Halloween Goody Bags & Other Awesome Trick-or-Treats

Retro 1970s and 1980s trick or treat goody bags.

Trick or Treating was truly the highlight of Halloween for this chubby kid. I've wanted to blog about these Halloween Trick or Treat goody bags every October and thanks to RetroJunk.com I finally have an image! The best house you could ever visit while trick or treating in the 1970s or 1980s, was the house that gave out goody bags. 

If you were a kid in the 1980s you may recall these white paper bags featured scary black and orange Halloween themed graphics. Generous neighbors would fill the bags with different fun sized chocolate bars and other treats. The only thing that topped these awesome goody bags were the rare homeowners who doled out FULL SIZED chocolate bars. 

I haven't gone trick-or-treating in more than 25 years, but I wonder if anyone gives out goody bags or full sized chocolate bars today? My other personal favorite were snack cakes such as Hostess Twinkies or Drakes Devil Dogs. Sadly, Mom typically confiscated any snack cakes or apples (who the heck wants an apple on Halloween anyway unless it's covered in caramel!) She felt these were easy targets for hiding razor blades.

I liked when folks gave Devil Dogs as
Trick or Treat snacks, but mom
always thought they
had razor blades in them.

Preppy Eastland Boat Shoes | Eastland Knot

Every prep between 1986-1987
owned a pair of Eastland boat shoes

I am always honest here so it's only fair that I admit that, well, I wasn't always cool. I didn't own my first pair of Doc Martens until tenth grade. I believe it was in ninth grade when I indulged in the famous 1980s Eastland brand boat shoes. 

If you were seriously preppy, you always paired your slouch socks (preferably E.G. Smith brand) with your Eastland shoes along with the Eastland Knot. We all wore Eastlands, they were a must back then, especially as a Catholic high school student, what else was a kid to wear?

Visit Eastlandshoe.com to learn ore about the Eastland Knot.

Calgon Take Me Away | Bubble Bath

Calgon Take Me Away!

One of my favorite commercials and slogans back in the '80s, was for Calgon brand bubble bath. The famous slogan, "Calgon, take me away" was uttered by busy and exhausted 1980s mothers and housewives all across America. It must have really caught on, because to this day, people still joke about it.

I think those commercials and the concept of being, "taken away" by a bubble bath influenced me growing up. I loved taking bubble baths with Calgon. I would fill the tub with way too many bubbles and just relax reading my teen magazines as bubbles spilled over onto our bathroom floor.

Here's an example of one of the famous Calgon TV commercials. Remember this?

Inflatable Blowup Gumby from the 80s

Inflatable, blue up Gumby hung out
 in my room until about 1988.

At twelve, I became obsessed with these inflatable, blowup palm trees. I can't find the exact palm tree online to share them with you, but they were the coolest. I had a small one and one that was huge, like five feet tall.

I especially loved the blowup, inflatable Gumby. I would put hats on him or dress him in a cool band t-shirt. I think I held onto Gumby for a while and then I outgrew him in about tenth grade. Does anyone remember the blowup Gumby or inflatable palm trees from back then?

Remember Over Our Heads? The cool gift shop on Facts of Life? Click here to view the huge, green inflatable palm tree I had in my bedroom and loved almost as much as Gumby.

Blue Mascara 1980s Makeup

I loved blue mascara in the 1980s.

Back in the days, I thought I was so cool with my electric blue mascara. Colored mascara was popular with teens and preteens in 1987 and yes, just like everything else, it has made a comeback. Did you wear colored mascara? 

I Loved The Love Boat in 1980

The Love Boat rocked my Friday
nights between 1978-1982.

Like most TV-lovers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, I spent my Saturday nights glued to the TV waiting to "set a course for adventure, my mind on a new romance." I'd sit about two feet away from the screen (even though Dad warned me that I would ruin my eyes) and anxiously wait for The Love Boat. 

I loved the theme song. I loved the special guests like Charo and Adam Rich. I loved the warm and welcoming crew and yeah, I had a small crush on Gopher. I thought Vicki Stubing was the luckiest girl. The Love Boat made cruising on the Pacific Princess look heavenly, and to this day if all of my vacations were cruises, I'd be fine with that.

This classic Aaron Spelling show ran from 1977-1986, however I'm quite sure that by the mid 1980s I was no longer tuning in. I had other shows to watch with cute boys like Jason Bateman or Kirk Cameron, but I will forever remember loving The Love Boat and wishing I could be a special guest. How about you?

Remember this theme song?

Combos Really Cheeses Your Hunger Away

Combos, cheesing your hunger
 away since the 1970s.

Throughout the 1980s I was all about Combos. Yes, I realize these cheese-filled pretzel snacks are still popular today, but it was the 1980s when I had my very first taste of Combos. I remember I was about ten and my family was on some sort of endless road trip. Maybe we went upstate, I don't recall exactly.

What I do remember was walking into a gas station rest stop with two dollars. I was ready to try something new and there they were in all their glory, Combos. I remember I wanted to make that taste last a very long time so I sucked on each Combo until it literally disintegrated in my mouth. I washed down each soggy cheesy pretzel with a mouthful of Diet Coke. It was heaven. To this day I still find Combos irresistible. 

Check out this vintage Combos commercial. 

Acid Washed Jeans from the '80s

Acid wash was a fashion
staple in the 1980s.

When it comes to 1980s styles, I'm embarrassed to admit that I actually liked parachute pants. A few years later, acid washed jeans became super popular. Acid wash was an effect created by washing denim jeans with pumice stones and bleach. 

Usually a fan of whatever was in style at the time, I honestly don't think I owned one pair of acid washed jeans. I just wasn't a big fan. Acid wash was one style I was happy to say goodbye to. 

The Original 1984 Release of Footloose With Kevin Bacon

I loved the original Footloose. Why remake it?

I am so very sad this weekend with the remake of Footloose. You know how upset I was about my other childhood favorite remake, Karate Kid. I loved everything about the original Footloose, but of course Kevin Bacon had a lot to do with my Footloose obsession. 

At age 12, I loved the music. I knew the words to every single song on the soundtrack. I loved the style of the clothing everyone wore -- I wasn't even into cowboy boots, but it worked in Footloose. As a preteen, I wanted to someday attend a prom. I wanted to drive an old VW Bug. I wanted to live in the country and hang out at a cool burger joint.

I wanted a boyfriend with messy, spiked hair. In fact, Footloose pretty much started the spiked hair trend for the average kid. I remember wanting my hair to stick up like Ren's. I read in Seventeen that I needed something called mousse to do it. Back in 1984 mousse was almost impossible to find.

Why remake one of my childhood favorites? Why mess with a good thing? Why not just touch it up and re-release the originals? 

1980s Barbie Star Traveler Motor Home

The 1980s Barbie Star Traveler motor home was so cool

In addition to the Barbie Dream House, the Barbie Star Traveler Motor Home was yet another awesome toy I never owned. I believe my friend Robin may have had one in grammar school. I know someone had it and I loved it. 

Click below to watch the annoying happy-as-hell girls playing with their Barbie Star Traveler Motor Home.

I think the worst part of those 1980s Barbie commercials were those damn little girls. They were always perfect-looking and adorable. It's as if they were rubbing it in and having the time of their damn lives playing with a toy you'd never own.

I would loved to have played with a Barbie Motor Home in our yard. My Smurfs would have really enjoyed dining in that kitchen on wheels. I could take the Barbie Motor Home to the beach in the summer or maybe even be daring and bring it into my snow forts. But no, no Barbie Star Traveler Motor Home for me.  My parents made it up to me by purchasing cars for me in college, so I can't even try to make them feel guilty.

Thirtysomething '80s TV Show

I never thought I'd ever be thirtysomething.

I have a confession to make. In the late 1980s, I loved the TV show thirtysomething. I remember thinking Ken Olin was hot, but other than that, I'm not sure why the 60-minute ABC drama appealed to me. I think maybe I hoped that by the time I myself was thirty-something, I too would be smart and savvy.

You know you're old when you remember watching thirtysomething and thinking the couples were so old. You never thought you'd ever be that old. Did you? Seriously, when you were fifteen, did you see yourself with a career? Did you see yourself driving your kids to soccer practice? I never envisioned myself as a grownup. It's sad to admit, but for some reason, I honestly thought I'd never grow old. 

Watch the opening credits for thirtysomething.

L.A. Looks Hair Gel 1980s Hair Products

L.A. Looks was the styling product
of choice in the late 1980s.

L.A. Looks debuted in the hair product aisle of America's favorite drug stores back in 1987. Almost every girl in school used L.A. Looks hair products. I know I invested in several L.A. Looks products. They were super popular. 

What was it about L.A.and California in the 1980s? Everyone wore L.A. Gear and Camp Beverly Hills and spoke like Valley Girls. 

Milton Bradley's Perfection Game

The game of Perfection was rather
stressful to me in the late '70s.

In the late 1970s, Perfection by Lakeside Toys (and then acquired by Milton Bradley) was the game I loved to hate. I've always been sensitive to sound and surprises, so games like Perfection and Operation always freaked me out, yet I of course played them.

To start a game of Perfection, you would press the inner plastic orange-colored tray in and hit the timer. The object of Perfection was to fit 25 different plastic shapes into their matching spots within 60 seconds. Once the timer hit 60 seconds, the tray would pop out tossing the small plastic pieces. I found the game of Perfection super stressful. 

Check out this commercial for the 1970's Perfection game.

Did you own Perfection?

Kozy Shack Bread Pudding - Like Grandma Used to Make

Kozy Shack's Bread Pudding is just like
grandma and mom used to make.

How do you feel about bread pudding? Growing up, grandma often made different types of puddings from scratch. It was comforting and yummy, especially in the fall and winter months. Bread pudding is unique in that it's served warm.

So thinking about how delicious bread pudding is, I was excited to hear that Kozy Shack added three varieties of bread pudding to their extensive dessert options. It's probably the closest-to-homemade packaged bread pudding product you'll find in the supermarket. 

In typical Kozy Shack fashion, the new Kozy Shack Bread Pudding is:

• All natural with no preservatives and no artificial flavors.
• Not too high in calorie - under 160 calories per portion.
• Available in Apple Cinnamon, Cinnamon Raisin and Peach.
• Priced under $4 for a four-pack.

Check out the Kozy Shack website for a coupon and chance to win a trip to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Win a free package of Kozy Shack Bread Pudding!
To enter, just leave a comment below and include your email address. One comment will be picked at random. The only rule is you must be following my blog. Good luck!

Retro Candy Buttons Colored Dots

Candy buttons were my favorite
back in the days.

Today I had a random thought on my ride home from my freelancing gig, candy buttons. You know candy buttons -- the hard little disks made of sugar in pink, yellow, orange and sometimes blue. They were sold on strips of white paper that resembled a cash register receipt. 

Candy buttons were colorful dots kids had to eat directly off the paper. It was inevitable you would get tiny wads of paper stuck in your mouth. You didn't care, you were young and the button candy was so appealing to the eye. There was something so pretty about it.

Weekly Reader & Troll Book Clubs

Troll and Scholastic student
book clubs ruled in school!

I don't know about you, but I loved placing my book orders through Troll, Weekly Reader and Scholastic book clubs at school. Mom and Dad were teachers and never skimped when it came to books. I knew however many books I wanted, they wouldn't refuse me literature. I would order terrific books about Gremlins, Garfield, Heathcliff, Michael Jackson, Dynamite magazines and more. 

I remember the excitement when the books were doled out in class. The smell, the feel, the excitement of a brand new book!