Childhood pop culture

[dreaminghope]

When I was a little kid, I didn't watch Saturday morning cartoons. My mom didn't want us to watch them, so they weren't ever on in the house. When I was really little, I thought cartoons only played in hotels, because we only watched them when we stayed in one.

I don't feel like I missed anything by not watching cartoons, but I know that the lack of cartoons means I don't have them in common with my peers. So it delights me when I find other childhood pop culture pieces in common with people.

Some random bits of my childhood that some people have never heard of, but others remember with great fondness:

Bunnicula: Books, the whole series. I love the mental image I still have of the cat trying to pound the steak through the bunny's heart.

Where the Wild Things Are: I loved that book!

The Peanut Butter Solution: Movie. I love the reactions of people who have never seen this movie when they hear a plot summary. You see, there's this boy who loses his hair. And he gets this formula to help him grow it again, involving putting peanut butter on his head. And his hair won't stop growing, but it is magical hair. People make paintbrushes out of his hair which paint magical paintings with single strokes and you can walk into them. It is a real movie; other people have seen it!

Waterbabies: The original, classic book. One of my favourites; I used to dream that I was a waterbaby.

Snugglebums: Toys. I don't know if there was a TV show or anything about these, I just remember wanting the toys when I was little. For whatever reason, Mom didn't like them (I think she thought they were ugly), so I made myself a Snugglebum out of a washcloth and some emboidery floss. I don't remember if it was any good (I doubt it could've been; I was about 6), but I loved it.

Tonight's Special: TV show. I liked the mouse.

Other favourite books from childhood that I still love: Heidi (Mom read it to me the first time, in installments over a summer; I've read it more time then I can count myself), Wizard of Oz (the whole series), Beautiful Joe (the first and last chapters still make me cry), All Things Great and Small and all the James Herriot books, and so many more, I'm sure.

I know I'm forgetting so many. I love it when someone mentions some fond memory from their childhood and it reminds me how much I also loved that toy/TV show/movie, etc.

Comments

[dreamhope.livejournal.com]

I don't know if I ever read Beauty - I assume you are talking about Black Beauty - because I missed the stage lots of girls around me went through of being really into horses. But I also loved Charlotte's Web.

A lot of the books I loved were from the library, so I don't own most of them. I've been tempted to start collecting them, but the Oz books alone would take a good shelf or two, and the collection would get out of hand pretty quickly.

[cinnamonsqueak.livejournal.com]

nope Beauty is a book by Bill Wallace about a boy who goes to live with his grandpa and learns to ride a horse. I have it still if you want to borrow it.It makes me cry so much.

[dreamhope.livejournal.com]

Sounds good! Please add it to the list of books I'm going to borrow from you. I should wait until after the move though, because otherwise they may end up getting packed in one of my rampages.

[cinnamonsqueak.livejournal.com]

Done. I've actually made a private post to remind me what you want to borrow. :)

[dreamhope.livejournal.com]

Thanks! That's so sweet!