8 vintage toy ads from the '60s that were popular Christmas gifts

Which of these toys did you have as a child?

The holiday season often brings back lots of childhood memories. It takes us back to a much simpler time when we were happy children, eagerly waiting to open gifts on Christmas morning. When you think of these memories, do you remember playing with your favorite toys?

Here are eight vintage ads from the '60s that were popular Christmas gifts. Were any of these your favorite?

1. Mini Cars

(1964) Advertisement

Cars are always an incredible gift, especially for adults. However, children also love them, making sense for companies to create mini cars. Children could sit in their seats in these small vehicles and experience their first drive.

2. See N' Say Clock Toy

(1966) Advertisement

A talking clock sounds like the perfect gift for a child learning to tell time. As you can see, in this advertisement, each hour has a different character that helps the child know what time it is.

3. Lego building blocks

(1967) Advertisement

You never know what can influence a child to build things, so why not buy them lego building blocks? This popular toy is known for its versatility; you can create a house or even a fire truck with its pieces.

4. Board Games

(1967) Advertisement

Bored? Well, Board games can help with that! In the advertisement, these were some of the most popular board games that brought fun for the entire family.

5. Mini Boat

(1967) Advertisement

As you can see, mini items during the '60s were a big deal. You can't purchase a boat for a child's Christmas gift, but you can buy a mini boat they can put in water just like a real one would.

6. Foosball

(1968) Advertisement

When you have pre-teens and teens, buying gifts can be a little challenging. Yet, things like a foosball table were a great idea, not just for them but also for family time.

7. Racetrack Toy

(1969) Advertisement

Children were obsessed with cars a lot during the '60s. This great advertisement shows a racetrack.

8. Mattel Dancing Doll

(1969) Advertisement

Almost every young girl wanted a doll, and with new ideas floating, Mattel decided to make a dancing doll that also became a popular gift.

SEE MORE: Can you guess what decade these vintage Christmas ads are from?

These ads from Christmases past sell everything from soda to cigarettes.

SEE MORE

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63 Comments

Todd 16 months ago
Do any of the boys out there remember the Phillips 66 deluxe Fire chief helmet that came with a flashing and a siren? God that was cool! And if I remember correctly, I had that boat also. Great for the swimming pool.
WilliamJorns 16 months ago
We played Monopoly, Clue, and Sorry! when I was a kid. They still make & sell those games today.
Todd WilliamJorns 16 months ago
I can relate. Family night was ALWAYS Monopoly. Still love the game. It was impowering to push my big sister into bankruptcy! All in fun of course.
JohnGibbons 16 months ago
Those Mustang pedal cars are worth hundreds now.
MichaelVegas 16 months ago
I remember my Dad use to work at a Gas station, (I think it was shell) and one year they gave out a free Hot Wheel car with every fill up, since we did not have much money, for Christmas I got like 20 Hot Wheel cars, I played with them for a long time
FlaFeral 16 months ago
Well, the adds are, 'slightly', before my time. BUT! A few of those toys/games are so perennial that I enjoyed them in the 70's, 80's, & 90's! Legos, Tyco race tracks, and, Oh! So many board games! My spouse & I still play Scrabble for New Year's... while drinking Cognac...watching the Vienna Concert...and trying to cheat each other!
kkvegas 16 months ago
I don't recall that Swingy doll, and I thought I knew every doll on the market in 1969.
RobertK 16 months ago
I loved my slot car track! I never really used it to try to race and keep the car on the track. I usually pulled the controller trigger all the way and the car flew off the track! These "wrecks" were a lot of fun too, especially when you ran into the other guys car! I do also remember some marathon Monopoly games as well, they could last for hours. We usually set a time limit when it got too late and the one with the most money then won. Good times!!
FlaFeral RobertK 16 months ago
Yeah they were! Thee slot car wrecks...especially when skittered across the kitchen floor, and Mom thought it was a mouse! And long Monopoly games too...
JohnGibbons RobertK 16 months ago
The trick was always keeping the cars ON the track!
RobertK FlaFeral 16 months ago
Oh Yeah! I also had an Ideal Motorific Torture Track where the intent was to wreck the battery operated cars by jumping bridges, crashing through brick walls and going off ramps and such. I burned through a lot of AA batteries on those things!
FlaFeral RobertK 16 months ago
didn't have that one.. but my grandpoppy was always buying me Hoywheels contraptions that did similar.. I think he liked watching me play with em more than I liked playing with em...UM...maybe 50/50? :D
FlaFeral JohnGibbons 16 months ago
Hmm..I dunno...well yeah, but playing true..or..timing it just right to see Mom jumping on a chair. And hearing to yet unknown 4 letter creations? Kind of a toss up...
SusanWilkinson 16 months ago
I had Legos and board games-Candyland, Cinderella, Sorry, Clue, Tip-It, Mousetrap. Memories.
KJExpress SusanWilkinson 16 months ago
I played Candyland a lot when I was little. Chutes and ladders was also a favorite of mine.
Moverfan KJExpress 14 months ago
I had Legos, Candy Land, Clue snd Mouse Trap...Chutes & Ladders...Monopoly...Lincoln Logs...used to chew on the Lincoln Logs...no, I don't know why...
KJExpress Moverfan 14 months ago
I had Lincoln logs, too. Don't think I ever tried chewing on them, though. Kids do such funny things. 😄
Moverfan KJExpress 13 months ago
I'd say I was teething...but I eas seven or eight at the time..I built log cabins and things with them, too, of course...
bdettlingmetv 16 months ago
Pretty sure it was 1968 and we went to see my aunt and maternal grandparents for Thanksgiving. Aunt was an art teacher in middle school and we ended up at one of her colleague's place for a visit. Their kids had Legos- first time for any of us to encounter them. I think I dove right in and never came up for air until it was time to leave. Lo and behold I found a couple of "starter kits" under the Christmas tree that year. I enjoyed Legos for many years after that. My kids got some basic sets, too. They were just starting to come out with the specialized kits in the middle 80s, but I balked. Seemed like that was defeating the premise and purpose of the Lego blocks. Nowadays, of course, I think it's a little hard to find basic sets. Sigh.
kkvegas bdettlingmetv 16 months ago
I loved Legos when I was little. I had a 1960's set that came in a big box and had two levels of trays inside with all kinds of bricks and gears. So great!
gwgosu 16 months ago
I had the boat! My Dad worked for Phillips and we had that boat!
Moverfan 16 months ago
I've got Monopoly and Clue (not that cover picture, though) and I had Legos and Lincoln Logs--wanted Tinker Toys and Lite Brite, but never got them (still want Lite Brite, I must admit). My cousins, who are a bit older than I am, had the pictured version of Clue and I think they had Booby-Trap, but I can't swear to it...we're talking forty-five, fifty years ago, after all. (Oh, God, am I old!)
kkvegas Moverfan 16 months ago
I'm old too! I had Monopoly and Clue, but my versions were from the 1970's. I also had Legos and Lite Brite, but no Lincoln Logs.
KJExpress Moverfan 16 months ago
There was always the joke about the Lite Brite pegs getting lost in everyone's shag carpet. I never had Lite Brite, but I still remember the commercial jingle. "Lite Brite, making things with light. What a sight, making things with Lite Brite."
KJExpress Moverfan 16 months ago
There was always the joke about the Lite Brite pegs getting lost in everyone's shag carpet. I never had Lite Brite, but I still remember the commercial jingle. "Lite Brite, making things with light. What a sight, making things with Lite Brite."
Moverfan KJExpress 16 months ago
Do you remember Thom McAnn shoes? I can still sing the jingle from their Jaguar model--"I wanna tell you 'bout the Jaguar shoe, made by Thom McAnn for you-oo-oo-oo"...
KJExpress Moverfan 16 months ago
I do remember Thom McAnn shoes, but I don't remember that particular jingle. It's funny how those stay with us, though. Those jingle writers did their jobs well. 😄
Peter_Falk_Fan 16 months ago
I got an Eldon slot car racing set for Christmas when I was a kid. It was a figure-8 track. We didn't have Legos. We had Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys. The first board game that I can remember playing is Concentration.
FlaFeral Peter_Falk_Fan 16 months ago
No Legos, AUUUGH! Wow! Tinker toys, & erector sets were like totally cool too.
CoreyC 16 months ago
I had the board games and a race track. The down side with the race track it interfered with the TV reception.
FlaFeral CoreyC 16 months ago
Oh yeah! Totally forgot about thst!
Runeshaper 16 months ago
I had Legos, board games, and a racetrack!
Kenner 16 months ago
Tinker toys, GI Joe, erector set, big bruiser tow truck yeah I had those too.
15inchBlackandWhite 16 months ago
I had one of those Midget Mustangs. Took a nasty ride down the steps in it. Beat it up pretty good. A shame because I think if you have one today they're pretty valuable.
My best friend as a child had one, we wrecked it. But we are still friends, at 64 years old. (But we don't wreck cars anymore.)
CaptainDunsel 16 months ago
And to heck with that Mustang. Can you imaging having had THIS pedal car as a kid?
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/more-furniture-collectibles/collectibles-curiosities/models-miniatures/super-rare-batmobile-anti-crime-batman-pedal-car/id-f_5692293/
CaptainDunsel 16 months ago
We had Legos as kids. But even more, I remember Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys.
daDoctah CaptainDunsel 16 months ago
And Erector Sets! Toys you built other toys from. We also had a couple of Girder and Panel sets; one where you could make buildings of various sorts and another with tanks, valves, tubing, and dissolvable color tablets so you could make hydraulic and "chemical" factories.
CaptainDunsel daDoctah 16 months ago
I remember Erector Sets, but not "Girder and Panel". Sounds like they would have been a lot of fun! (Until Mom was confronted with a "toxic leak" to clean up, of course... )
Barry22 CaptainDunsel 16 months ago
I had Tinker Toys and an Erector set. Spent hours playing with it.
CaptainDunsel Barry22 16 months ago
Time was the child brought the fun to the toy...
Michael CaptainDunsel 16 months ago
Good way to bring in Charles Schultz's 100th anniversary.
KJExpress CaptainDunsel 16 months ago
Loved Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys!
FlaFeral daDoctah 16 months ago
I had the girder & panel airport set! That was cool!
MrsPhilHarris 16 months ago
I had none of them but did want Clue and never got it. How sad.
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RobertK MrsPhilHarris 16 months ago
Never too late to get the Clue game you wanted! Still available on Amazon on sale for 6 dollars! The game we had when I was a kid, was an early version "hand me down" and the "lead pipe" weapon was made of real lead! Thank goodness that's gone and I believe Mrs. White is gone and replaced by Dr. Orchid... It was a fun game even though my older sister always won. Good Times!!
MrsPhilHarris RobertK 16 months ago
I wonder if I could get others to play with me? 🤔
Moverfan MrsPhilHarris 16 months ago
I'll play! I love Clue!
MrsPhilHarris Moverfan 16 months ago
Wonderful!
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