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

[fruitkakechevy.livejournal.com]

Today's Special. I had the record, and I have the theme music stuck in my head now!

I loved Waterbabies.. I haven't thought about it for years! I dreamed about it too.

Strangely, except for The Peanut Butter Solution, Beautiful Joe and Snugglebums, our lists would be very similar. I'd add Narnia, Farley Mowat, the scary cartoon version of Watership Down, and The Neverending Story, though.

[catmcroy.livejournal.com]

yay! someone else who's read Bunnicula! I loooved those books!
I never watched cartoons much either - my mom hated TV, period.

[cinnamonsqueak.livejournal.com]

Snugglebums were a toy.. I don't think they were a tv show..

I still have a bunch of my kid books. :) Beauty still makes me bawl my eyes out. Bunnicula was great, and charlottes web is still got a special place in my heart.

[tareija.livejournal.com]

Did you ever see the cartoon movie version of "Heidi?" I loved that show when I was small. I used to have nightmares about kobolts, though.