Ah, yes. Toys. Back in the day, we didn’t have iPhones and Playstation’s and Hover Boards to play around with. We used to get our hands dirty with fun. From baking, building, and sculpting, the Baby Boomer Toy Revolution displayed a creative breakthrough from the stagnant traditional “play pretend” and “dress-up” games. That’s why we took the time to write down our most memorable toys from yesteryear. Here are the top 8 toys Baby Boomers will never forget.

Mattel

Magic 8-Ball - While we’re all capable of making our own decisions in life, it’s always good to consult an outside party to weigh in on certain matters. The Magic 8-Ball, product of 1950, certainly helped with that. Inspired by occult tools and practices, this Brilliant Billiard Ball provided 20 answers when shock ranging from “Outlook Good”, “Ask Again Later”, and “Don’t Count On It”.

The Lego Group

LEGO – The oldest and more socially relevant brand on this list, the first 1949 LEGO bricks were first manufactured in Denmark. Through the following years, the brand has managed to become on of the most recognizable, more purchased, and according to Brand Finance in 2015, have become the world’s most powerful brand. Since it’s initial creation, LEGO has went on develop playsets, introduce young engineers to the world of robotics, opened destination theme parks internationally, partnered with major corporations like DC Comics to extend their creative reach (BTW: Don’t forget to head to your local FREE LEGO Batman Movie building event), and even managed to create amazing recurring series through video games and movies. It’s no wonder why they’re one of the biggest and baddest brands in the world.

Hasbro

Play-Doh – Composed of flour, water, salt, and a few other ingredients, the world was introduced to the at home crafting, faux-clay phenomenon Play-Doh in 1955. This simple modeling concoction swept the living rooms and toy stores everywhere with it’s almost seemingly endless possibility of creations. If you could imagine it, you could make it. Play-Doh sparked a revolution in childhood crafting, provided a new wave of creativity within the Baby Boomer generation that lasts well into the new age. Since it’s initial debut, present owner Hasbro has continued to provide it’s users with an array of different sculpting tools, stencils, and guidebooks for everyone to enjoy.

Mattel

Barbie - Standing at a proud 11.5 inches, Barbie entered the hearts of little girls everywhere back in 1959. Inspired by paper dolls of the past, creator Ruth Handler took the youth-like essence of the paper models and began production on a new-aged women with an adult lifestyle. Ever since, the Barbie empire that reigns the toy chest of adolescent girls can also be found in the display cases of vintage collectors. Barbie is a woman who has seen and done it all; from Aerobics Teacher, Firefighter, Game Developer, Horse Jockey, Art History Professor, and even holding the highest position in the world as United States President. There is nothing Barbie can’t do.

Spin Master

Etch A Sketch – The Etch A Sketch by Ohio Art Company is an award winning National icon. This artistic tool consisted of two knobs on the front of a red plastic frame that was capable of making minimalistic or extravagant lineograph portraits. It’s renowned as part of the top 100 most memorable and creative toys of the 20th Century. During its first year on the market, the toy made it’s way into 600,000 households going on to sell hundreds of millions of units world-wide.

Hasbro

Easy-Bake Oven – The Easy-Bake Oven combines two of the most innocent pastimes and blends them together for an unforgettable childhood: Enjoying a meal and playing pretend. The Easy-Bake Oven had it’s way into the American home by Kenner in 1963. This working toy oven used light bulbs for heating, cake mixes, and small pans for cooking. Over 16 million Easy-Bake Ovens have been purchased internationally since then. The overwhelming buzz for the Easy-Bake Oven might have passed now, however that doesn’t cool down the nostalgia for many chefs who remember getting their culinary start with their miniaturized kitchen appliance.

Hasbro

Lite-Brite – 1967 then gave us the Lite-Brite illumination panel. Little Red, Blue, Orange, White, Green, Yellow, Pink, and Purple pegs were designed to be inserted into a brightly lit grid, giving the toy a type of freeform artistic creation. There wasn’t much to this toy, however like the Easy-Bake Oven, provided another imaginative outlet for children. Blacked-out templates were later paired with the Lite-Brite to help guide children in making beautiful works of art. The Lite-Brite is long in age but not forgotten; you can download a digital version of the old school toy in the Apple App Store.

Rubik’s Brand Ltd.

Rubik’s Cube – One of the more frustrating puzzles on Earth, next to fully understanding the US Housing Bubble of 2008, is Rubik’s Cube. This 3×3 puzzle was created by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik in 1974. What makes this puzzle frustrating is it’s simple objective; each side of the cube must be grouped by color (White, Red, Blue, Orange, Green, and Yellow). One who hasn’t played with a Rubik’s Cube before might find this puzzle to be easy- allow them the opportunity to prove themselves wrong. As complicated as it may seem, the Rubik’s Cube has gone on to sell 350 million blocks over it’s 40 years. The game met its peak popularity in 1980 after it’s acquisition by Ideal Toy Corp; then the Rubik’s Craze sparked speed-solving competitions, the production of different size variations, and it even won itself a slew of Game of the Year awards globally. There has yet to be another puzzle like it.

It’s always so incredibly interesting to see how many of these toys have stood the test of time and are still reliant today. Do you remember owning any of these toys? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest

The post Boomin’ Toys: Our Top 8 Unforgettable Toys Baby Boomers Will Never Forget appeared first on CatchyFreebies.

Coffee drinkers are an interesting bunch. The culture surrounding the beverage has grown into more of a lifestyle than a preference of drink. It has almost gotten to the point in which the way you take your coffee can describe your personality. Bold and Strong, Light and Sweet- it’s almost a reflection of your own self. Whether you crave your jolt first thing in the morning or you prefer to enjoy a cup of decaffeinated joe before bed, we all know one fact; we would almost be lost without of caffeinated fix. For those who haven’t been introduced to liquid lighting, here are 6 reasons why Coffee is the premiere beverage of the elite.

Taste: There is nothing better than the first sip of a steamed latte at the break of dawn. Java Beans have been grind down and brewed since the 15th Century. Yet, the brewing process has remained the same; boiling and brewing roasted beans. The bold taste of a dark roast may draw in the pallet of the bitter, while adding sugar, milk, and even sometimes cocoa may attract those who enjoy sweet, swirling drinks. No matter how you take it, the unique base flavor of Coffee is one that has always stood the test of time.

History: All throughout World History, it’s hard to page through the past without seeing coffee being an influence in culture in one way or another. From the French Cafes that populated classic literature, Beatniks of the 1960’s incorporating the Coffee culture into their performance spaces, even South American coffee being a well sought out luxury in modern society, it’s universally and historically one of the best drinks to enjoy.

Availability: Due to the popular demand of coffee, it’s hard to travel anywhere and not be able to have Coffee available to you at all times. Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, WaWa, 7-11, all of these locations have made aa lucrative enterprise around Coffee. In urban areas like New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Cafes can typically be found in spitting distance from wherever you’re standing. In more suburban and rural locations, coffee grounds are always in stock at your local supermarket. Brands like Folgers even have exclusive clubs for their members to sometimes sample their coffee! At this time in our earthly existence, it has become unimaginable to be in an area without a decent cup of coffee. If such places exist, most individuals would probably pass on visiting.

Calm Before The Storm: Coffee has almost become a choice drink of the morning. Due to it’s caffeinated properties, many drinkers elect to start off their day with a cup of coffee. Picture this: You wake up to a beautiful dawn portrait outside your window. Pacing along your back porch, spring morning air cycles through your lungs like water through a mill. From the rear you hear the final peaking of your Signature Italian Dark Roast, indicating your brew has been prepared. With a tender gust of air cooling your java, you take your rest upon the singing birds and dewy flowers, absorbing this peaceful paradise before your children attempt to suck every bit of patience you’ll muster throughout the day. But as you take your first sip of coffee, in this moment, you have found nirvana within your mug. Now doesn’t that sound nice?

Social: From Hollywood to your hometown, coffee has been a staple in the lives of our community whether we’ve noticed it or not. Social interactions involving coffee have stuck with us without any reasoning. “We should get coffee and catch up!” “Let’s discuss this over coffee tomorrow” “You want to grab a coffee?” at one point in our lives, we’ve heard one of those phrases. Coffee has transcended from an enjoyable beverage to a solidified social movement. When was the last time you heard somebody ask “You want to head over to the Soda Fountain for some Pop”? You haven’t. You haven’t heard that since 1948. It’s perfectly ok; we can discuss the fond memories you have of your early days at the Soda Fountain over coffee sometime.

Ease Of Preparation: Throughout the years, the evolution of coffee preparation has become simpler and simpler. When at one time you had to buy whole coffee beans, grind them down, and then brew your drink, you can now brew close to hundreds of cups within the same time with tools like the Keurig. There are even gadgets that allow you to brew espresso, a practice that was close to a craft, within a travel container granting you the ability to brew on-the-go! Simple mixtures like cream and sugar can take the bold taste of a robust and have it transform to something completely different, completely delicious too.

Coffee is as old as time. Chances are that if you haven’t made the decision to drink coffee before, you’re probably not going to now. But if this article persuaded you to pour yourself a cup of joe, let us know on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest!

The post Tall, Dark, and Piping Hot: 6 Reasons To Try Coffee If You Haven’t Already. appeared first on CatchyFreebies.

The 22-year-old e-commerce company Amazon.com is not your average digital store. While it houses any item you can think of, from a box of basic toothpicks to a Multi-Functional Outdoor Portable Camping Folding Shovel and Pickaxe, there are far more layers of benefits extended only to Amazon Prime members outside of convenience and variety. Students, rejoice! For you are able to explore the kingdom of Prime for six months for free! Those who are not enrolled in school, it’s never too late to learn about Amazon Prime. Our class is in session, here are 6 FREE services from Amazon Prime.

• Free Shipping
  One of the key features that really allowed Amazon Prime to take off was their free Two-Day Shipping. For the casual online shopper, the $99 price tag seemed to be excessive. However to the power Amazon user, the Two-Day Shipping was able to save them a substantial amount of money per year. The company even offers free SAME day delivery in certain locations for certain items. That reason alone was able to persuade many Amazon consumers.  
• Amazon Music Unlimited and Prime Video
  Streaming services like Netflix and Spotify might be convenient and low cost. However you’re able to cut down on those two particular services when you sign up for Amazon Prime. Amazon’s stream answer to the two competitors included critically acclaimed TV Original series like Transparent and The Man In The High Castle. If you’re a Garth Brooks fan, you’re able to exclusively stream his Modern Folk Country Rock tunes too!
• Restaurant Delivery
  The same concept applies to Restaurant Delivery. If you use companies GrubHub or UberEats, then you’ll also want to use this Prime Exclusive too. Amazon is very straight forward with it’s approach to the service, to quote the website “Get one-one delivery from popular restaurants.” The only drawback is that Metropolitan areas seem to offer the service but expect location expansions throughout the years to come.  
• Dash Buttons
  The Dash Button is probably one of the most genius “Vision Of The Future” gadget available for larger Urban/Suburban families. Let’s say your household goes through cases of Gatorade like The New England Patriots. As a Prime Member you would be able to purchase  this clearly marked, one button item. It is about the size of key fob, about as thick as a pack of Post-It notes, ad sticks to whatever flat surface you place it on. When pressed, the Dash Button will automatically send an order of your last known Gatorade purchase. It get’s delivered to your door using the two day free shipping OR you can place an automatic subscription to that item to be delivered 1 to 6 month period. It’s a game-changer for larger families.
• Amazon Elements
  The most trusted mega-ecommerce corporation has a long history of developing and retaining customer trust and satisfaction. Amazon Elements is a genuine reflection of their pride, bringing a whole new level of transparency and loyalty to their customer care promise. This branch within the Amazon Prime exclusives umbrella caters solely on infant care (as of right now) and places heavy emphasis on customer feedback so as to better their products. That’s real love Amazon.
• Member Sharing
  Many households who mutually share digital accounts HATE that fact they have to see recommendations that aren’t theirs. You love your husbands nicely trimmed beard, but you don’t care that there’s a Lightning Deal on Gillette Razor cartridges. Amazon Prime allows for mates to share their benefits with the same household, their Audible Channels, and much more. (Sorry Amazon Prime Students, can’t share with your roommate. We’ve tried.)

The post Chicken Soup For The Prime Soul – 6 FREE Services From Amazon Prime appeared first on CatchyFreebies.

Get this deal

Help the environment and score a free MAC lipstick when you participate in the Back to MAC Program! Because MAC is committed to the environment, you will get a free lipstick of your choice when you return six primary packaging containers to a MAC counter or MAC Cosmetics online.

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Get this deal

“Just Do It.” Become a product tester for Nike and not only will you get free Nike products, you’ll also be part of the creation of innovative footwear and apparel!

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Get this deal

Join Club Cinnabon and you’ll get a free Minibon cinnamon roll, access to special offers, and a birthday gift! Yummmmm!

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