Be Kind Rewind - 1982 Montgomery Wards Christmas Catalog
In this installment of Be Kind Rewind we will try to be kind as we look again at another vintage Christmas catalog from the best decade there was. Here we will explore the 1982 Montgomery Ward Holiday Gift Catalog. To give you an idea of what living in 1982 was like, here are some facts from pop culture of the time. In the movie theaters, ET delighted and frightened children. Also on the big screen were movies like The Secret of Nihm, Annie, and Rankin and Bass' The Last Unicorn. On the small screen, broadcast television was in it's heyday with offerings like Cheers, Family Ties, Silver Spoons and of course Knight Rider. Saturday mornings were spent watching cartoons like Pac Man, Smurfs, and Shirt Tales. For the adults and night owls, David Letterman's Late Night with David Letterman would debut. On the radio, you heard dynamic tunes like Micheal Jackson's Thriller from the monumental album of the same title, as well as hits like Rosanna by Toto, Only the Lonely by The Motels, and Don't you want Me? by Human League, just to name a few. Epcot (experimental community of tomorrow) Center opens in Disney. The average new car price was less than $8000.00, average rent was $320.00 and at the pump gas was only 91 cents per gallon.
Smurfs were a hot commodity in 1982. First created as comic book characters in 1958 by Belgian artist Pierre Culliford know commonly as Peyo. Most Americans (especially children) became aware of the Smurfs in 1981 when Hanna Barbara developed the property into a massively successful Saturday Morning cartoon series with an infectiously humm-able theme. It's original run lasted till 1989 and till 1990 on reruns. Here we see an entire page devoted to Smurf licensed products. Most notably to this observer is the Smurf Power Cycle (similar to Big Wheels) which surprisingly only cost $19.99.
Little Orphan Annie was a comic strip that debuted in 1924. Between 1930 and 1942 it was adapted into a popular radio drama,as immortalized in the holiday classic "A Christmas Story" which took place in the 40's. It took a very popular 1982 movie starring Carol Burnett as a villain for Annie to return into the spotlight. On these pages we see everything from dolls to dress up, to records players bearing Annie's licensed likeness usually along with her trusty dog Sandy.
Another massively popular property was the Dukes of Hazard. Running from 1975 to 1985 on CBS, Dukes of Hazzard was a simple, kid friendly, show about two well meaning but brazen good ol' boys who always manage to drive their muscle car right into (or over) entanglements with the comically inept Hazard Police whom operate under the foot of the villainous Hazard County commissioner Boss Hogg. One of several car-centric shows in the early eighties it was the low tech back woods alternative to the futuristic slick city dwelling Knight Rider which would debut in 1982. In 2015 the show was all but erased because of the use of the confederate flag on the hero vehicle. It is now available to stream.
This Dukes of Hazard garage play tent prominently features the General Lee in silhouette, a 1969 Dodge Charger and arguably one of the most beautiful car designs in American automotive history.
Another CBS television show that was featured was MASH. MASH was a dramedy about a military hospital during the Korean war. Hardly what you would expect for kids licensing but here we have MASH sleepwear for kids.
The peppermint people. These red and white striped pajamas are best thing to wear during Christmas morning videos. Just be hyper aware of the camera so you don't pull a Sharon Stone.
Giant puffy coats were mandatory for busy 80's moms. This lady knew how to rock hers, however her pose only seems to exaggerate the sheer mass of the garment.
Garfield, still somewhat popular today, was quite a popular character in 1982. After all, the comic had only begun national syndication in 1976, so still a relatively fresh franchise.
Sears offered a Santa suit in three levels of detail.
Fake trees in a simulated forest embellished with taxidermy animals.
I will check to see if I can find these 12 days of Christmas glasses on ebay. I may need to buy a set.
Bright brass home decor was the height of fashion in the eighties.
These terribly frightening faces would spit water on you(seriously). Talk about nightmare fuel. One of these malevolent looking visages in the kitchen will put an end to midnight snack quests for sure.
I have always wanted this globe with hidden bar inside.
This clock apparently told time with coins. Gives new meaning to the old "Time is Money" adage.
Class exemplified with these toilet seat clocks. I can only assume these were intended exclusively for the bathroom.
Bean bag chairs were very much in favor in the eighties. Here we see extensive color choices in cold as hell vinyl.
Some novelty lighting including a giant light bulb which is actually kinda cool.
Licensed Star Wars and Incredible Hulk (comic book version) watches along with a generic football themed watch.
Here we see several licensed sleeping bags including Garfield, Pepsi, G.I. Joe, and Sesame Street.
Before cell phones and smartwatches we had clock radios at our bedside to wake us in the morning. For a demonstration see 1993's Groundhog Day where a clock radio practically had a starring roll.
The 110 film format was introduced in 1972 by Kodak. These "bone" shaped film cartridges required no rewinding because the film simply moved from one side to the other. The design yielded a different camera shape that was in some respects more compact than traditional 35mm cameras.
One of many Polaroid instant cameras sold during the eighties, this Amigo 600 Land camera is finished in a unique tan color.
A gift for someone who has everything, a pen with a digital clock embedded.
This Pac Man watch actually featured a tiny playable version of the popular video game.
Given the popularity of Pac Man and Mrs. Pac Man, its not surprising that some plush novelties would be sold. Its just too bad they look like Cronenbergian body horror. Sheesh.
First created in 1974 Monchichi dolls were monkey like creatures designed to suck their thumbs. They reached their height of popularity in the US in the early eighties. They are however, still around including new toys and a digitally animated series.
These licensed stuffed characters could speak. They included Yogi Bear, Big Bird, Tweety Bird and Sylvester the cat.
Here we have the Muppets characters along with Curious George dressed for a jog. One things for sure, Miss piggy ain't jogging. Am I right? Which begs the question when and why did we stop using the word jogging in favor or running?
This Gabriel Show n' Tell device was produced by Gabriel a maker of child guidance toys (whatever that means) it showed iluminated still images on a color screen accompanied by audio provided by a phonograph.
Based on the popular television comedy WKRP the toy DJ control panel featured a record player and microphone. Oddly enough, the show, which began in 1978 would be on its last season in 1982, the time of this toys release.
Some kid friendly record offerings.
Here are some license guitars, an acoustic style featuring Willie Nelson and an electric style showcasing John Schneider, whom was best know for acting The Dukes of Hazard but was also a popular country singer. He would achieve a #1 country song in 1984 with a tune called "Ive been around enough to know".
Quite a variety of snow conquering fun conveyances. We have the snow-nut inner tube, an inflatable Crayola crayon box (bent at the front), a Pac Man saucer, a plastic molded steerable "snow machine" and a duck face pull sled for the younger ones.
Here we have some cool ride on toy variety, a Formula style race car, a Volkswagen Cabriolet and a Ford F-150 pickup.
Although not licensed, this Highway Patrol tricycle was probably inspired by the popularity of the C.H.I.P.s television show which aired from 1977 to 1983.
Cliff hangers by Tyco, with a very memorable commercials to promote it, this racing playset added a new dimension as the cars could literally climb the wall.
Here's something you don't see every day, A toy based on a Buick. These Buick Regal stock cars were molded very much like the street going Regals that cruised the streets of suburbia. Although they were sold separately, I presume they were offered in different frequencies so they could race each other.
Some GI Joe vehicles including the jeep-like Vamp. These toys always had a high quality of sculpting combining real life military vehicles with some fantastical designs.
If bigger is better, this cab over semi truck was bound to be a favorite gift at Christmas.
Built by Entex, the Adventure Vision game system was unique in that it was a table top game system that utilized cartridges. Trouble is, there were only four titles available.
Before Sega and Nintendo, Atari was the king of home video game systems with its relatively large game catalog supplied in part by other companies like Coleco and Activision.
Various novelty totes including Garfield, Ziggy and Miss Piggy.
This large scale Camaro model needed to be assembled and painted. It even came with can of carnauba wax. My favorite car at this time, of all the stuff in this catalog, this is the item I wish I could get my hands on.
Also in large 1/6th scale was this big rig. Odd that the two models in this catalog would so closely resemble M.A.S.K vehicles which would debut a few years later.
I'm pretty sure I wanted this blue and yellow BMX bike when I was a kid.
The Brook Shields doll was a thing in 1982. She was very much admired, as evidenced by this doll. Her meteoric ascension in 80's pop culture was explored in the 2023 documentary "Pretty Baby".
Scale issues aside, this "CHiPs" playset includes a two motorcycle figures, Mustang patrol car and helicopter. Its safe to speculate that these were likely repurposed toys with "CHiPs" branding thrown on them in response to the shows success.
ColecoVision played second fiddle to the Atari video game consoles. It offered a portable cart tailor made for the system and game storage.
This woman predicts the flip-phone decades before they are popularized.
Excellent detailing and scaling on this Pontiac Firebird Trans Am ride on.
Just a few board games that were inspired by video games of the day.
Not to echo gender role assumptions, but this Barbie cruise ship must have been for girls what the GI Joe aircraft carrier was to boys.
Another idea that seems to have run its course, these portable home spas worked two ways. One was a foot bath and the other turned ordinary baths into a jetted tub. Some even had submersible mats that allowed you to bathe on a bed of air bubbles.
Like the before mentioned 110 the Kodak disc was another alternative to the 35mm cameras that made for a slimmer more compact camera.The discs shown only yielded 15 exposures.
At the same time that you could get a Le Gag you could also get a Le Car. The Le Car was a micro city car built by Renault and briefly sold in the United States and Canada from 1976 through 1983.
My Pretty Pony was the precursor to My Little Pony. Just one character, the pony was larger and its hair could be brushed. Later, the ponies would be downsized and various designs, colors, and personality badges would be added and a phenomenon would be born.
Nice molded detailing on this scale corvette radio control car. I only wish the wheels were a stock design.
Novelty radios including one for the bathroom, to be used presumably before hands are washed.
More novelty radios in the form of a classic luxury car and a cheeseburger.
This RC Lancia Stratus depicts a mid engine sports car that excelled in rally racing. This car was also the vehicle used as Wheeljack, the first generation Transformer character, in 1984.
Early example of mass marketed rechargeable batteries by General Electric.
Clever to include a ring sizer right on the jewelry page.
This cute Santa Bear plays Christmas songs. My Grandma bought one like this for me and my cousins one year. It was very similar but had an illuminated heat on its chest.
Sauna suits were a visual touchstone for ridicule in the eighties often used to portray someone who was over obsessed with working out. Of course their shiny "baked potato" look didn't help. Intended to increase your body temperature during a workout, and with several promised but unproven benefits use, of these suits can actually cause hypothermia and dehydration.
This magnifying screen was sold in order to increase the size of television screens. I doubt very much that it worked.
Toys inspired by the Smokey and the Bandit movies. The first movie was in 1977 and the second in 1980 but its was still apparently a draw for children's toys. These toys are tied to the second movie in which they transport an elephant. A third movie would come out later in 1983.
The popular Texas Instruments electronic educational toys got a boost in 1982 by its inclusion in the immensely popular E.T, movie.
This plane, made by Tonka was fairly large scale, it could accommodate 3" figures. At the bottom was a pistol grip that controlled the spinning propeller and a slider to operate the retractable landing gear.
Well there you have another vintage Christmas catalog, this time you have been looking at the most interesting things in the 1982 Montgomery Ward catalog. Surprisingly, Wards would end its catalog in 1985, just few years from this one. By 2001 all Montgomery Wards retail stores would be closed.
Well there you have another vintage Christmas catalog, this time you have been looking at the most interesting things in the 1982 Montgomery Ward catalog. Surprisingly, Wards would end its catalog in 1985, just few years from this one. By 2001 all Montgomery Wards retail stores would be closed.