Coronet December 1957

Welcome to Christmas 1957, Coronet Magazine-style. Coronet was a smaller in scale magazine, roughly half the size of your typical magazine found in newstands. The paper from this particular issue is brittle, giving the magazine a pulp-like feel. Very cheap. Hence, its ephemeral importance to me.

They weren't kidding with the bangs back then, were they? I've seen photos of my aunts with bangs as short as this -- that way, my Oma wouldn't have to cut them for long time. Didn't want to deal with all that.

There's some interesting illustrations going on in this issue, most of which I'll post at a later date; but the ads are what I thoroughly enjoyed the most. A few worth noting:


I wonder if giving teens a typewriter for Christmas held the same significance as handing out toothbrushes for Halloween. Oh, they'll never forget this one, Santa. Thanks. Thanks a lot.


Click on image to view larger. This was the first page of a multiple-page advertising spread for Ideal Toys. Funny. She'll be singing a different tune when "wetsy" becomes actual urine.


Click to view larger. Love that Mighty Mouse doll! Is it me, or does the name "Robert" not sound very "robot-y" to you? I know that "Robbie the Robot" is a popular one, but that's okay. "Robert" sounds so....formal.


Ooooo....the coolest two pages in this magazine. Love that see-through "Fix-it Starflite"! The fact that this has working head and taillights would've had me drooling all over this mag if I was a kid. I'm also eyeing that Satellite Launcher Truck. Very cool! Who wouldn't want a truck with a satellite launcher in the back?

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Mmm'kay...after that garish presentation, something completely different. The wifey and I are mixing it up this year for Christmas. We've promised to give each other gifts found in thrift stores or flea markets. Uh, no....we're not cheap. (Well, maybe.) Actually, we got to thinking. Last year we got so carried away, it left us feeling...oh, I dunno, sort of empty: all that spending and consuming. It was crazy. Didn't sit well with us.

So, we've decided to find things that would require more thought and feeling, while at the same time offer a bit of a surprise. No lists, no "I've been eyeing this...", "I gotta have that...." Just to mix it up. Who knows, it'll probably blow up in our faces come Christmas Day, but at least we tried to stray away from the almighty, all-consuming Christmas-spending juggernaut. Admit it -- it's so easy to get carried away, isn't it?

Anyway, didn't mean to go off on a tangent there. Just thought I'd share some of my thoughts. We just want to try something different this year. And try to have fun.

Okay, enough of all that. More vintage Christmas-y stuff coming up!