Mike Armes' '70s Christmas Spectacular!

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Tonight, I posted a new Blog, chock full o' Mego memories:

Read the Blog.



Benjamin

[Meule]

I love reading about people's Christmas memories, especially if they're accompanied by such great pics. Really looking forward to the second (and third, and forth, ...) entry of this new Christmas special.
While I never saw Megos in any catalogues, my brother and I did always get lots of toy catalogues around Christmas and we had to mark the toys we wanted Santa to bring us. I'd have to check with my parents if they ever took pics of us opening our presents.
Anyway, this is a great start to this photo blog, Benjamin Simpson

[The Toyroom]

Awesome entry! Besides the RC Batman, I love seeing the Fisher-Price Little People Merry-Go-Round (had it!), the Fisher Price Record Player (had it!...it's by the corner of the table Mike's sitting on), and the original Pringles can! Vintage goodness!

Mike’s father told him the toy was likely purchased at either “Weston’s” or “Jamesway” in upstate New York. I have no memories of either retailer, so I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I'm not familiar with Weston's but there was a Jamesway in Central NY (Oneida) back in the 70s. At some point in the early 90s I believe they were bought out by Ames (which has since gone under as well).

[toys2cool]

that's cool man,hey i love that Simpsons pic

[marmes]

Hey everyone,Mike Armes here...

Hope you enjoy this series of photos from my family's xmas albums.

The pics in today's blog demonstrate PRECISELY when and how my Mego obsession began...and what could be a better introduction to the world of Mego than RC Batman (in the 1st issue window box,too...jeez!!)

Hang on to your hats guys,this is only the beginning of the xmas pics and Mego goodness.

I will try to chime in wherever possible to add extra,supplemental info on
new pics as they come up.

I also encourage all of you guys and gals to try and spot some of the other
awesome forgotten 70's toys in the background on some of these pics and maybe share some of your xmas toy memories with us as well.

Thanx again to Benjamin for making this blog happen and for his unflinching friendship and inspiration.

There is MUCH more to come!! STAY TUNED!!!!

Mike

[jwyblejr]

Awesome entry! Besides the RC Batman, I love seeing the Fisher-Price Little People Merry-Go-Round (had it!), the Fisher Price Record Player (had it!...it's by the corner of the table Mike's sitting on), and the original Pringles can! Vintage goodness!



I'm not familiar with Weston's but there was a Jamesway in Central NY (Oneida) back in the 70s. At some point in the early 90s I believe they were bought out by Ames (which has since gone under as well).

I remember the one in Oneonta. It was attached to Price Chopper. There was a small hallway between the two and they had like three or four video games in the hallway. They moved the Price Chopper to where the drive-in use to be and tore down Jamesway for a school.

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Part 2 Now Available!

I just posted Part 2 of the Mike Armes '70s Christmas Spectacular!

Read the Blog.

Benjamin

[The Toyroom]

Loved Part 2....Keep 'em comin'!

[luey]

Those are great, my Mom has some old photos somewhere too, funny enough her name is Jerrilyn all one word unlike Mike's Mom Jerri Lyn... Very cool indeed! I still have my McDonalds and Holiday Inn playsets... Great stuff!

[starsky]

man, you guys were spoiled!!

[jayihdz]

Mego-goodness......

[HardyGirl]

Awesome photos! You were such a cutie! Thanks for sharing!

[highquality]

I would have FLIPPED for a toy like RC Batman as a kid. I considered Batman a career choice. I constructed my first Batbelt at age 5. I was deadly accurate with the Batarang/Climbing Rope combo.

[marmes]

Hi,

Thanx for the kind words.

These pics mean alot to me as they are direct lines to the origins of my toy obsession.
I can remember alot of details about those particular Xmas's.
Mostly blasts of color from bright bold 70's packaging,sensory smells(the smell of those electric train tracks when activated,the smell of the fresh vinyl on the Batcave and also the way the plastic smells on the bat signal when the light is turned on and it warms the plastic...mmm...I'm a freak,I know.)
not to mention the exuberant highs I felt as I opened one killer piece after another...not just Mego but all the good 70's stuff!!(wait till the 3rd and 4th installments of this blog)

And yes folks,I picked this stuff out for myself !
Eventhough I was only 3 or 4 ,I had VERY CLEAR ideas about toys I wanted.MEGO Heroes and Universal Monsters.
I blame it on WPIX (independent tv station outside of N.Y.C)and their afterschool advertising.
There was the Magic Garden,then cartoons started w all the Mego and other various 70's cool toy commercials and then Chiller Theatre or some weird horror or sci fi at night(and another WPIX fave,
THE YULE LOG on holidays).
AHHH!...Now,that was a MAGIC time!!!

Some other Northern NY Mego childhood haunts that I remember for any of you current or past residents of upstate New York:
Grants
Fay's Drugs
Kinney Drugs
J'J. Newberry's
Woolworths

Yes,I'll admit I was a tad spoiled and if you think that's bad,wait till you see some
upcoming installments of my Xmas albums from the next few years.
The interesting thing is that's a trailer we were living in at that time and Mom and Dad were just getting by w 2 young kids.They didn't have alot of $ but
Mom and Dad just loved to see us happy.
That's really what's most touching and what moves me about looking at these pics now,personally and why I love sharing that with you all.
They are like a magic window back to that time for me.I look at these pics and am instanly transpoprted to 74 again.
As you can clearly see how content I am in these pics,maybe these will inspire or rekindle some similar memories of Xmas's past contentments and toy glories

Thanx again to Benjamin for making a special home for these precious memories in his WGT forums for all to enjoy,and biggest thanx of all goes to Mom and Dad for da' toys,takin these pics of me with them and for being the best parents a boy could have.

More MEGO awesomeness to come!!

STAY TUNED....

Mike

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Part 3 Now Available!

OK guys. This one is a doozy.

For many of us, 1975 meant getting something from Mego's WGSH, Star Trek, Planet of the Apes or Mad Monsters lines.

For Mike Armes, 1975 meant getting a little bit of everything above.

1975 was a good year for Mego and Mike Armes.

Mike Armes’ ’70s Christmas Spectacular! (Part 3: 1975)

Benjamin