It’s Throwback Thursday, and in my town we have nearly a foot of snow on the ground. After years of getting nothing but a small amount of snow and a significant amount of ice, these past two winters have brought amazing amounts of snow, reminding me of the winters of my childhood. And that brings to mind several other things in my childhood that have either disappeared completely, aren’t as popular as they were, or are making a comeback. Of course, those thoughts inspire me to create a list (I’ve been called the List Queen once or twice.) Here are ten things from my childhood (in no particular order) that have either gone the way of the dodo bird, have slipped from the ranks of popularity, or are attempting to return to popularity:
 | 1. Gummy Bear Oatmeal: The brand name was Undercover Bears. It was instant oatmeal with gummy bears “hidden” in the mix. I could always find the bears because they were larger than the flakes of oatmeal. When I added water, voila! The bears appeared. This is the only oatmeal I would eat. |
I can’t help myself; now, when I go to the store, I search the cereal aisle for this lost favorite food. Alas, my search is in vain. The only product that is remotely similar is the dinosaur egg oatmeal. I’m tempted to try it, but I simply can’t. It’s just not the same.
2. California Raisins: Oh, how I loved those singing, wrinkled, dehydrated grapes! I still have one of the plastic figurines.
2. California Raisins: Oh, how I loved those singing, wrinkled, dehydrated grapes! I still have one of the plastic figurines.
 | 3. The Noid: Dominoes marketing strategy at its best. I owned a plastic Noid figurine as well. |
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4. Flying House and Superbook: These were two of my favorite cartoons, but I preferred Flying House. I loved Bible stories (I still do!), and this was an ingenious way to present them.
| 5. Plastic Charms and Necklaces/Bracelets: These were the “it” jewelry items of my childhood. I longed for a necklace full of charms, but two charms had to suffice. I attached them to yarn and used them as bookmarks. |  |
 | 6. Trapper Keeper: This was the Back-to-School “it” item. Everyone absolutely had to have a Trapper Keeper. And if it was Lisa Frank? Well, that was simply awesome! I finally got one in the fifth grade, and I can’t for the life of me remember what it looked like. I wish I still had it. |
7. Cabbage Patch Kids: Oh, how I dreamed of owning one of those chubby-cheeked stuffed dolls! As an eight-year-old, my dream finally came true when I received one for Christmas. I really wanted a corn silk haired one until I received a Preemie. Then, I wouldn’t trade Neil Elroy (they were pre-named) for the world! The books were also popular. I waited for weeks to check one out from the school library. My favorite was Xavier’s Fantastic Discovery.
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| 8. Garbage Pail Kids: These were the Cabbage Patch Kids of the Stephen King/horror flick world, and they were absolutely hilarious in a disgusting way. I owned a Cabbage Patch Kid and collected Garbage Pail Kid cards. They made talking about boogers fun! |  |
 | 9. My Little Pony: These are making a comeback, but they look a little different way. |
10. "Thriller"/Moonwalking/Michael Jackson (in that order): Michael Jackson (may he rest in peace) is iconic and still popular, but not like he was during my childhood. It was tradition to watch the "Thriller" video at Halloween. We spent hours of recess mastering the moonwalk and practicing the moves to "Thriller." I use Thriller to teach literary mood to my seventh graders, and I am always amazed by how many have never seen the video.
Do you have a nostalgic item, song, or show from your childhood? Please share in the comments!
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