Sam's Gift Suggestions - Sam's Toybox

Looking for that special gift item for the vintage toy lover in your family?

Here are my suggestions for the best gift ideas this year. Note that I don't own everything I'm recommending on this page but feel they are of sufficient quality, value, and fun potential to warrant their mention. The toys mentioned here are the ones you're not likely to find at your local store. Plenty of great toys will be available locally: Operation, Mouse Trap, Lite Brite, Scrabble, etc. All toys were in stock as of the end of October, 2013.

If you've scoured my site you know that I'm also interested in vintage trailers, rollercoasters, Lost in Space, personal growth/dating/relationships, and fun/wacky things in general. I've also included some suggestions in these areas. Please note that most of these links are Amazon-affiliate links and if you end up buying a product I recommend, I do receive small renumeration from Amazon. Thanks for stopping by, Sam

Vintage toy re-issues and other cool toys similar to those in my collection

Some very cool Armatron-clone Robotic Arms are available.
Barrel of Monkeys is still available including the game itself and some mini keychains.
Booby Trap Game has been re-issued and available in wooden or plastic versions through Amazon.com
Buckaroo Game, similar in concept to my Last Straw, Rattle Me Bones, and Tiltin Milton games
Candy and bubble gum cigarettes and cigars - couldn't find any dispenser toys/banks (times have changed haven't they?)
Cootie, a perenial favorite now made by Hasbro
Creepy Crawlers, now by Jaaks Pacific/Flying Colors, oven sets and spare goop are available at Amazon.com
DetectoLab! is still produced and available through Amazon.com. Similar: CSI Lab Kits
Disc Shooter Guns are the safer, modern day equivalent to the Star Trek Tracer Gun
Easy Bake Oven, still by Hasbro: the oven and quite a few accessories are available at Amazon.com
Electronic Crane Games by various manufacturers are available on Amazon.com
Electronic Project kits, no longer by Radio Shack/Science Fair but still around in 75-in-one to 500-in-one sizes
Erector Sets are still being produced by Gilbert
Evel Knievel's Stunt Cycle has been re-issued, available through Amazon.com
Hands Down Game has been re-issued by various manufacturers through the years
Hot Wheels Makers/Factories - New Hot wheels injector toys from Mattel are available. Lots of accessory packs too.
Some Incredible Edibles are once again available
Jarts have been rereleased in a safer (sigh) version, get them through Amazon.com.
Mini Game Keychains - by Basic Fun. Keychain versions of many classic games: Perfection, Booby Trap, Scrabble...
Model kits, monster, cool vehicles, figures, Batman, Star Wars, cartoons, rockets... available at Amazon.com
Monopoly Game, by Parker Brothers/USAopoly: over 100 versions are in stock at Amazon.com
Plaster Casting Sets, monsters, dinosaurs, your own hand... available at Amazon.com
Play-Doh is always a good choice. More than 500 Play-Doh items are available at Amazon.
Radio Controlled Submarines, while not as cool as my Explorer 7, are available through Amazon.com
Rebound Game has been reproduced in a multiple versions including a cool wooden one: Tabletop Shuffleboard. Buy replacement pucks here.
Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots have been re-issued by Mattel
Rock Tumblers & supplies by various companies and in various price ranges are available at Amazon.com
Shooting Gallery Toys are available in a few varieties including a re-issue of the Electro-Shot Shooting Gallery
Skittles Game - classic wooden top game is still produced by Carrom
Sno-Cone makers are available in both toy versions and professional versions
Spirograph, though not as cool as the 60s version, is still produced by Hasbro. Other spiral drawing toys: Mystery Spin Doodles and The Spiral Draw Book are like SpiroTot, and Doodle Doug is very much like Mr. Rembrandt.
Spy Toys of all kind are available on Amazon.com
Stadium Checkers has been reproduced as a game named Roller Bowl
Stay Alive has also been reproduced in a slightly smaller version by Winning Moves
Stratego is now produced by Hasbro and a dozen or so different versions are available
Tip-It Game has been re-issued by Mattel in a version slightly harder than original
Weather Station Toys are available from various manufacturers and price ranges

Books about toys and toy collecting - from Amazon.com

Toy Bop: Kid Classics of the 50's & 60's - Excellent hardcover book by Tom Frey, great color photos
Toy Time!: From Hula Hoops to He-Man to Hungry Hungry Hippos: A Look Back at the Most- Beloved Toys of Decades Past
The Playmakers: Amazing Origins of Timeless Toys - Stories behind some of your (and my) favorites, by Tim Walsh
The Game Makers: The Story of Parker Brothers, from Tiddledy Winks to Trivial Pursuit - hardcover book by Philip E. Orbanes
Guide to Vintage Trade Stimulators & Counter Games - not toys exactly, just cool stuff!
Collecting Monster Toys - by John Marshall
O'Brien's Collecting Toys: Identification and Value Guide - edited by Karen O'Brien
Toys & Prices Guides - 2013 and previous versions - by Justin Moen
Board Games of the 50s, 60s, & 70s - with prices (older book)
The Big Toy Box at Sears - Copies of all Boys Toys pages from the Sears Wishbook, 1951-1969
Toys of the Sixties: A Pictoral Price Guide - by William R. Bruegman
Boys' Toys of the 50s & 60s - Copies of selected Boys Toys pages from the Sears Wishbook, 1951-1969
More Boys' Toys of the 50s & 60s - Copies of selected Boys Toys pages from the Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalog, 1951-1969
Boys' Toys of the 70s & 80s - Copies of selected Boys Toys pages from the Sears Wishbook, 1970-1989
More Boys' Toys of the 70s & 80s - Copies of selected Boys Toys pages from the Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalog, 1970-1989
Collectors Guide to TV Toys and Memorabilia - Collectibles from over 50 shows from the 1960s & 1970s
Baby Boomer Toys & Collectibles - Over 500 color photos of 50s & 60s toys!

Trailer resources

Vintage trailer items from Amazon.com.

Trailer Trash items: Apparel (t-shirts, hats, belt buckles), Bumper Stickers, Toys (dolls and such), Other (parking signs, mugs, artwork, magnets)
Pink Flamingos - you can never have too many Pink Flamingo items in and around your vintage camper
Motorhome - Magazine subscription.
Trailer Life - Magazine subscription.
Ready to Roll: A Celebration of the Classic American Travel Trailer - hardcover book with 300 color photos.
Trailer Travel: A Visual History of Mobile America - paperback book, ends with a chapter on teardrops
Mobile Mansions: available in either book or DVD format
Silver Palaces - paperback book on Airstreams and other aluminum trailers
RVs & Campers: 1900-2000 (an illustrated history) - paperback
Trailer Trash: The World of Trailers & Mobile Homes in the Southwest - paperback book with photos of derelict and abandoned trailers
Teardrops and Tiny Trailers - Another cool book by Doug Keister
Airstream Party Lights - string of 10 party lights that look like Airstream campers!

Coolest trailer/camping accessories ever:

Telesteps - 12.5 foot ladder that collapses to 30 inches! Perfect for your RV.
Camp Kitchens - Saw one in use here at the 2nd Annual Trailer Trash Bash. Exceptionally useful.
EZ Tables - Full line of folding and roll-up tables for camping.
Portable/Collapsible sinks and buckets - Perfect for your teardrop.
Gold Pans and Metal Detectors - Finance your RV/Camping lifestyle with some luck.
Or you can search Amazon.com for camping gear - 65,000+ products!

Roller coasters/amusement parks

Rollercoaster Toys - Battery operated, marble runs, K'Nex and some others
The American Amusement Park - Hardcover book
The American Roller Coaster - Hardcover book
The Essential Guide: To Six Flags Theme Parks - Paperback book
Hidden Disneyland and Beyond - Paperback book, behind the scenes of most CA parks
Birnbaum's Guides to Disney Parks - great books of tips
Rollercoaster Tycoon and other coaster software - design your own coasters or theme park
Extreme Rollercoasters - DVD
America's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills: The Ultimate Scream Machines - DVD
Thrill Ride - The Science of Fun - DVD
America's Greatest Roller Coaster Thrills in 3-D, Volume 1 - DVD with two pair of 3D glasses

Lost in Space

Lost in Space T-shirts - Classic B9 and Dr. Smith shirts, a few from the '98 movie
Lost in Space DVDs - I own all three seasons and the documentary Lost in Space Forever
Membership in the B9 robot builder's club - the best resource for the robot builder in your life.
Full-size Lost in Space B9 Robot - place your order today for the only licensed full-size replica
Full-size Robby the Robot - no, Robby is NOT the Lost in Space robot though he appeared in two episodes - only $50,000!!!
Irwin Allen items - relating to his other shows (Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)

Personal growth, relationships

Self Matters: Creating Your Life from the Inside Out - great book by Dr. Phil
Men are from Mars, Women from Venus Series - I believe John Gray hits the nail pretty much on the head with these
Real Love: The Truth About Finding Unconditional Love and Fulfilling Relationships - Highly recommended book by Greg Baer.
1000 Places to See Before You Die - extraordinary travel book by Patricia Schultz
Learned Optimism: How to Change your Mind and your Life - older but way important book by Martin Seligman

Miscellaneous Fun Stuff

Travel books about wacky places: Offbeat Museums, Roadside America, American Bizarro and Eccentric America
Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation shows on DVD: Thunderbirds, Stingray, Fireball XL5, Captain Scarlet and Supercar
Universal Monsters Legacy Collection DVDs: Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Invisible Man and The Creature from the Black Lagoon
Monsters: A Celebration of the Classics from Universal Studios - Hardcover book
Ray Harryhausen items - Master of Stop-motion animation, here are books/DVDs honoring his body of work.
Three Stooges items - Apparel, Books, DVDs, Posters, Statues - everything you can imagine.
Monty Python items - DVDs, CDs, Posters, Apparel, Toys (plush Black Knights & Killer Rabbits), wow!
Riverdance items - DVDs/Videos/CDs - Coolest show ever!!! If you can't see it in person, see/hear it at home.
Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story - available in a 20" table top model, 40" floor standing model, string of party lights, night light.
My refrigerator wouldn't be caught dead without its Gearation Refrigerator Magnets and its Frigits Marble Toy
Can Safes - protect your valuables in safes that look like food/drink/cleaner cans. I'm not saying which one I have in case you break into my RV!
Levitating Globes & Sports Balls - Very cool tech toy that looks great on anyone's desk
Wicked Witch Legs & Ruby Slippers door stop - what will they think of next?
Karaoke Machines and Discs - I love singing Karaoke and have two machines, 100+ discs. Fun for everyone.

Still don't know what to get your loved one? How about an Amazon.com Gift Card.

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Contact me: Sam Cancilla, sam@samstoybox.com.

Last Modified: October 14, 2013