People would say when we were very little; "by by, buy bonds". And my Duncan yoyo was pink and had a jewel in it. Never could get the danged thing to "walk the dog".

Also Jacks? and marbles? I had a collection of beautiful marbles and trading cards.(playing cards with beautiful pictures on them saved for the pictures)

Later trading stamp books bought us some nice stuff for our honeymoon home.

...........

Sure do. There were brides and babies and boy paper dolls too.

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/73...8328cc6432.jpg

Post WWII in UK
 

You betchya we do. Our Christmas stocking, held an orange, some nuts in shell, a box of dates, and a tiny bag of gold foil covered chocolate coins - luxury!! My brother and I received one toy each from relatives. Our first bicycle was a "refurbished" two wheeler, skates were tied onto shoes, and had metal wheels. The Christmas tree (in our case, a branch, disguised as a tree) miraculously appeared decorated and all, on Christmas morning. (poor parents were up half the night decorating it.
All food still rationed until we were school age, we played all day, outside, safely. Had a Victory Garden, and my inventive grandfather raised Giant Flemming rabbits as the other meat :shocked: and also for barter. We played Cowboys and Indians (my brother got into big trouble when he scalped one of my doll babies which had a glued on wig) The extended family got together weekly for a shared meal, sing alongs (dad played the harmonica, aunt played an ancient upright piano). We listened to radio dramas, and "two way family favorites" a radio program where enlisted men sent requests to the station, with wishes to their family back home. While raised with no luxuries, I have good memories.

Gracie, oh, I LOVED those paper dolls and played with them until the little paper tabs fell off, despite mom's attempts to make repairs. Did you have those invisible ink painting books? Ours were a drawing imbended with paint cells. The action of the brush dipped in water, dissolved the paint and color "magically" appeared.

My grandmother gave me a note and money. I then walked to the German butcher shop, gave the note to the butcher, he filled my order and put the change in the bag with the items. I then walked home to my grandmother. I was 7!!! Can you imagine doing this today? I was allowed to keep a nickel for a candy bar.
Did this same routine with the druggist too. I was never afraid...
When I tell this story to my kids now (ages 40 and 36) they can't believe it.
Different times back then.

My memories are wonderful from that era! I remember my mom walking w/me so I'd know the way to and from school on my own---this was kindergarten. We lived in the country with my school in town. I think it was at least a couple of miles to walk. I remember my parents "letting" me ride my bike from the country to town to go to the library on a Saturday afternoon. Children played outside all day w/o supervision and worries of "something" happening to them. It seems that that era was so care-free! I also remember our country and the pride folks had in it! The songs in school (I went to public schools) were about patriotism and faith which I'm sure aren't done today.

I remember my childhood during World War II. I was born a year before Pearl Harbor. I remember I had my own ration card. For a while I was afraid to play outdoors because I thought every plane flying over was a German bomber.

I still have my ration card from 1952, from the UK. Rationing finally ended in the UK in 1954 when sugar, sweets (candies) and meat were then freely available.

We also used to imagine planes flying over were German bombers, even though it was 10-15 years after the war had ended. Near our home was a large Roccoco style former residence of the Duke of Fife. It had been bombed during the war when a German plane had flown over and saw a large number of men standing around waving at the plane.

What they did not realize was that the people waving were German POW's and they bombed their own people.
When I got my first job, one of the people I worked with was a German gentleman who had been a POW in that building. He had lots of stories to tell about wartime and how he had been glad to be caught and sent to Scotland. He met a Scottish girl and married her and managed to save enough to buy a small farm. And of course, I learned German from him.

Ah memories!

I remember everything except item 3 (candy apples etc.)

I remember Halloween. It was fun going door-to-door with neighborhood friends, but eating too much candy made me feel sick.

I remember when listening to the radio was a family event. My mother was in charge of it. She would tell us all to gather together in front of the radio at a certain time in the evening. Then we would listen to the Jack Benny show and others.

That is how I remember it too.

And sometimes that same feeling of peace and safety and niceness steals over me here...In fact it frequently does.

Why are you sure songs about patriotism are not sung in schools today?

Anyone collect a few empty soda bottles and return them to the corner store so you could collect 3 cents per bottle and buy a handful of candy ?
Sometimes we would have enough empty bottles to be able to use the proceeds to purchase a 16 once bottle of Coke which we shared with our friends . Each kid would " wipe of the germs " with his unwashed palm before taking his " swig " !

Jim,
The 16 ounce bottle of Coke was introduced in 1962. I would venture to guess most of us were at least in high school in 1962 and would not be collecting soda bottles to buy a handful of candy or to share a bottle of soda.

http://www.colacorner.com/did-you-know.html

My God, I was married in 1962!