Just in time for the holidays, here's some toys you may remember that are still around and a few that aren't.

Where have some of the most popular toys of old gone? Well many of them are still around and have been fixed up for the youngsters of today. (With even more lead paint!)

We start our toy trip down memory lane in no special order with one of my favorites...



Speak-n-Spell



Before Leap Frog, Speak-n-Spell was the toy kids used to make computers say and spell shit, fuck and loads of other naughty words Mom would stick soap in your mouth for. Texas Instruments created Speak n Spell but they've moved on to creating security devices and Telcom stuff for adults. Today you can go down memory lane with many Speak-n-Spell emulators like this one.



Weebles



The ads said "They wobble but they don't fall down." And they didn't. Plus they were practically indestructible unless you taped them to an M-80 like I did once. Poor Weeble dog. Weebles are still wobbling today, but were remade to look more like real characters as opposed to being illustrated faces encased in clear plastic like the ones I had.



Teddy Ruxpin



This little bear talked and chatted with you. Think Chucky but dressed as a bear. Teddy's still here. And still convincing children to join his cult.



Cabbage Patch Dolls



You have to give props to a toy that people trampled each other to get. The Cabbage Patch Dolls are still around with the same gimmick. Although they've made the birthplace of the dolls, BabyLand General® Hospital , in Cleveland, GA a tourist destination.

Petster

Before the Robot dog came the robot cat. Or, The Clapper in synthetic fur. These days you can only find them on Ebay or by Googling Petster toy.

Speaking of The Clapper. Before there was Head On, The Clapper had the dumbest commercial ever that sold a boat load of product.

ViewMaster



It never really went away but interestingly enough, this year View Master celebrates 65 years of, um, viewing stuff. To keep up with the times they've made 3D reels and Viewers with sound. Even with computers, video games and such, kids still love them. You can find vintage versions on Ebay too.



Pound Puppies



A stuffed animal wrapped in a gimmick...dogs stuck in the pound. Something to go with your Cabbage Patch kid I guess. My cousin's had a whole kennel of these in their house. Pound Puppies are still being rescued in new colors, styles, looks and the same stupid jingle selling them.



Colecovision



Screw Atari, Colecovision was what the cool kids had. For a millisecond. Looks like the company still makes crude hand-held games and players to sell at Target.



He-Man and the Master's of the Universe



The muscle bound hero and his friends battled the evil Skeletor and his psycho friends for Castle Grayskull in Eternia. He-Man sold boats loads of toys way back when. Hasn't made a comeback of late except on this funny Myspace page.



Glo-Worm



A worm that provides a soothing light to toddlers at bedtime. I think it even got so big there was a Saturday morning cartoon. Ugh. No worries Glo-Worm lovers cause Hasbro has given it a new light.



Easy bake oven



Easy bake never really went away since it's introduction in 1963. Today it's not just about the oven, it's part of the Easy Bake Oven World. Hasbro added oven mitts, aprons and loads more mixes - which is good since you could never find the refills back in the day. Snack-sized yum!



Voltron



A Saturday morning show turned best-selling toy. A precursor to Power Rangers. The afternoon cartoons have been remastered and marketed through a pretty cool site. The toys don't seem to have been redone like Transformers. Yet.



Stompers



Motorized 4X4 trucks that looked tough but had trouble going over things thicker than a pencil. They may have been re-released some time ago but I can't really tell from this Stompers fan site. Sadly, it seems Stompers had their day and have since faded into a landfill somewhere.

That's all for now. If you've got an update on any of these or if I missed you're favorite let me know.