Essay
Having To Go To School on Saturdays in the Winter
I grew up in the Appalachian mountains, so winter never left us wanting for snow. Most days in January and February brought at least a dusting, even if it was …
80s
Essay
In Defense of American Defense Action Figures
Back in the early 1980s, when the world was still lit by the glow of Saturday morning cartoons and the hum of VCRs rewinding, G.I. Joe was king. I was …
Essay
Alf Hand Puppets From Burger King
Back in the late 1980s, when fast food promotions were practically a second currency for kids, Burger King rolled out something that wasn’t technically a kid’s meal toy, but felt …
Essay
Peter Come Home For Christmas
There are certain commercials that stick with you. Not because they’re flashy or clever, but because they tap into something deeper. Something personal. Something that lingers long after the jingle …
Essay
The He-Man and She-Ra Christmas Special
I was seven years old, and nothing in the world mattered more to me than Masters of the Universe. My bedroom floor was a battlefield of plastic heroes and villains. …
Essay
Santa Claus the Movie and McDonald’s Magic
I can still remember the feeling of sitting in that darkened theater, the smell of popcorn in the air, waiting for the lights to dim and the magic to begin. …
Essay
The Little Things About Christmas
Like I’m sure it was for most kids, December 25th has always been one of those benchmark dates on the calendar. Alongside my birthday and the last day of school, …
Essay
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
You always knew when Christmas was really here. Sure, the lights went up on the houses, the church choir started practicing “O Holy Night,” and the department store Santa showed …
Special Feature
Christmas Through the Decades
One of my favorite things to go back and rewatch every Christmas season is the History Channel’s Christmas Through the Decades series. Christmas Through the Decades is a four-part documentary …
Essay
When I Got Prince Adam For Christmas
Christmas morning, 1984. I was six years old, still in footie pajamas, hair sticking up in every direction, eyes wide with the kind of wonder only a kid can muster. …