This Month in History

“At Christmas, all roads lead home.” – Marjorie Holmes

Gift giving,then and now.

Limitless Magazine seems aimed at those of us who fall into the group “Seasoned Citizens,” as Rush Limbaugh used to call us. Christmas giving is particularly hard for our group if the giftee has aged gracefully and is called Meemaw, Pawpaw, Bombom, Nanna, Poppop, Dandan, Deedee, or the traditional Granddaddy, which is how my grandchildren refer to me.

I will be 75 this Christmas. What the hell can I get that I have not already gotten or rejected?

By the time the December edition of Limitless hits the stands, the question of what-do-you-want-for-Christmas will have been asked numerous times. Still, as I write this in early November, I don’t know what my answer will be this year.

So for December in History, I am focusing on unique Christmas gifts of the last 75 years and some suggestions for the faithful readers of Limitless.

BY » Mickey Dunaway

BEST SELLING KIDS’ TOYS (from Time Magazine)

The 1940s

Bubble Solution

Bubbles are still going strong. Even to being studied in college.

The 1950s

Water Balloon or Water Grenades

Personally, I think PEZ was the winner— who doesn’t love PEZ?

The 1960s

Etch-a-Sketch

An iconic gift for any age.

The 1970s

Nerf Ball

I sure wish I still had my children’s Star Wars Action Figures or those Star Trek Phasers!

The 1980s

Cabbage Patch Kids

Those Cabbage Patch Kids were as adorable as they were impossible to find.

The 1990s

Little Tikes Log Cabin

My young son’s favorite of all time was the Little Tykes Cozy Coupe Car. That was one well-made toy to sustain the number of wrecks it had in our house!

2000-10

Bratz Dolls

Lots of electronics in this decade, but Bratz dolls beat out Barbie.

NOW

Star Wars Baby Yoda

Who does not love Star Wars Baby Yoda?

SUGGESTIONS FOR GIFT GIVING THIS SEASON.

According to Southern Living’s

“The Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Grandparents.”

1.Eufy RobotVac by Anker. 2.A #10 Cast Iron Skillet by Smithey Ironware Co. 3.Tea Drop Sampler from Amazon. Just drop one in your cup. No steeping teabags required. 4.Shutterfly Photo Puzzle of the grandkids. 5.Matching aprons for Grandma and Grandkid. 6.Marble Tic-Tac-Toe Game Set.

Really? After #2, it seems the Southern Living folks got into the Scotch under the desk! Speaking of which, a fine bottle of single malt would come in at least at #2 on my list!

From USA Today’s

“The 40 best gifts everyone is buying in 2020.”

1.Roku Streaming Stick. 2.12-inch Lodge Cast Iron Skillet. 3.Disney + Streaming subscription. 4.Apple AirPods Pro. 5.Barefoot Dreams Throw Blanket. 6.Eufy RoboVac (actually, this was #10, and I moved it as #6-9 were too silly to consider!).

Better, but what is this with the cast iron skillet craze? I can attest to the usefulness of The Eufy RobVac. The AirPods Pro is a stylish gift, especially if the giftee has an iPhone or other Apple device.

From Mickey Dunaway

No paid endorsements here, just suggestions based on experience, Google research on gift-giving, and I hope some commonsense.

1.Year’s (or a month’s) supply of Kona or Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Beans. Great beans make all the difference. No Keurig can compete, nor can Starbucks.

2. OXO Brew Coffee Grinder and a decent drip coffeemaker that heats the water to 190 degrees each time. After great beans, grinding the beans correctly every time is the best insurance of a great cup of coffee, even in an average drip coffeemaker. And don’t spend an outrageous amount on a coffee maker. You can find very good ones for a little more than $100 from Braun or KitchenAid at Amazon.

3.Apple AirPods Pro, especially for people who at least have an iPhone! The new generation of earbuds is remarkably comfortable, great at reproducing sound or blocking out noise wherever you may be—in an airplane or on your pillow.

4.An all-paid (reasonably priced) weeklong getaway. I am not yet comfortable with cruises, but in the future, this would be a great-getawaygift.

5.The Anker Eufy RoboVac or Eufy Vac/ Mop is a remarkable gift. Just make sure the Robo-vac has maximum sucking power. Many other brands are as good as the Eufy but are usually more expensive.

6.Turntable and speakers to play those LPs you still have in the attic. This was my last year’s Christmas “ask for,” and I am still pleased with it and enjoying looking for LPs at yard sales and antique shops.