The 90’s, the good old days when we had all the yummy sugar treats and videogames that looked like they were made on Microsoft Paint.
Let’s go back in time and revisit some of our fond memories from the decade of multicolour socks.
What was every kid’s favorite game in the mid 90’s? Pogs, also known as “milk caps”. Each member would stack the same amount of pogs facedown as other players. Grab one hard pog, known as the “slammer” and smack it on top of the pogs, causing them to spring up and scatter. The ones that turned over would end up in the slammer’s possession. When no pogs remained in the stack, the player with the most pogs would be declared a winner and would get to keep the “milk caps” he or she just won.
Stamp markers – the simplest way to add cute faces to any paper note to your friends (Yes we used to send notes handwritten on paper to eachother). Smiley faces, lips, hearts, flowers, music notes and stars.
Mash game – the easy way to tell one’s future as a 90’s kid. Participants would write out the title MASH (which stood for Mansion, Apartment, Shack, and House) at the top of a piece of paper. They would then write a list of categories which could include, but were not limited to: where they would like to live, how many kids they would like to have, who they wanted to marry and what their dream job would be. Each player would then think of three answers for each category and write them in a column under the category title.
Player 2 would then begin to draw lines on a separate piece of paper until player 1 said to stop. They would then count how many lines they had. Player 1 or 2 would then count each item down the page (starting with each letter in the title: MASH), and cross off the answer corresponding to the number of lines. For instance, if four lines were counted, every fourth answer would be eliminated. This continued until there was only one item in each category. Each letter in the title would be considered an answer to where the player was to live and would be crossed off accordingly. The remaining items would define Player 1’s future.
1 big multicolour pen – Allowed 90’s kids to change the colour of their writing (when writing a paper note to their friend) at any time.
Lip smackers – every 90’s girl’s must have! The lip moisturizer that came in multitude of flavours and colors. Cotton Candy, root beer, berry pie, birthday cake, blueberry pancake, bubble gum, caramel apple, cherry and tons more.
Stick on earrings – a jewel sticker for those 90’s girls who couldn’t get their ears pierced. The sticker was the next idea to add some dazzle.
3D View Master – Originally introduced in the 1930’s, 90’s kids kept them alive in-between Super Mario Brothers and the next episode of Saved By The Bell. – Users would insert a rounded disk cartridge and press down on a handle while looking through the viewfinders, to reveal a new 3D photo.
Disposable camera – still around but forgotten. The easiest way to take photos before camera phones if you forgot your camera at home! The user could pop into any convenience store in the 90’s to pick one of these up when needed. The camera would usually allow you to take 24 shots and had no preview. You did not know how good your pictures turned out, until you brought them in to be developed at one of many 1-hour photo places.
ICQ – before Facebook and MSN, late 90’s kids had ICQ. The idea of communicating with someone instantaneously from the other side of the world for free was still far fetched in the late 90’s. Making a long distance phone call to Europe could still cost you $2 per minute. Internet changed all that with Chatrooms and ICQ. All of the sudden you could talk to Backstreet Boys fans in Australia for FREE! A/S/L?
Troll dolls – mini dolls with multicolor hair and a jewel as a belly button.
Velcro catcher – still able to be found at dollerama and walmart! Catch the ball with this velcro disc.
Mood rings. Originally created in 1975, 90’s kids were convinced that these rings changed colours according to their mood!
All-time favorite Saved By the Bell. Kids would rush home from wherever they were to watch this high school friends drama, Best friends! Lovers!
Necklace chocker’s – came in a variety of tattoo stretch, thin or thick chain, silky cord, cloth and were super HOT!
Pant legs with zippers – 90’s kids could change these pants into shorts and vice-versa at any time. Stay cool during the day, stay warm when the sun sets. Wore them at every family picnics! Win-win.
Dream Phone – Every 90’s teenage girl’s dream. Get an automated call from your celebrity crush! I’m still waiting JTT!
Mini butterfly clips. – When 90’s girls wanted to secure pieces of hair away from the face, they found a cute way with butterfly hair clips.
Slap on bracelets. 90’s kids were able to put on decorative bracelets on their wrists by simply slapping them on. I kid you not!
Nestle Quick strawberry powder in a tin! Enough said.
Iceberg lola – shaped as a pyramid, full of juice goodness and ice. Came in grape, cherry, orange and lime.
Creamy, chewy, chocolaty tootsie rolls
Tootsie pops – Lick until you get to the center and experience the chocolate chewy flavor.
Everyone once said “don’t smoke young!” We didn’t have to, we had cigarette candy sticks, gum and chocolate cigars.
Twizzlers peel and pull licorice candy. In cherry, watermelon, and fruit punch flavors.
Jawbreakers, the candy where 90’s kids had to suck on a big ball of multilayer, hard candy, which could have been up to 8cm across, in order to get it soft and small. There aren’t many places where you can find them anymore. Ever since a 90’s movie “Jawbreaker” where a girl choked on one, the candy has largely disappeared. Maybe it’s for the better, it might be too dangerous for today’s Pokemon playing kids. The smaller versions of jawbreakers are still sold at movie theatres.
Liquid and spray candy – 90’s kids would squeeze a tube or push a button and the Sour and sweet contents would come out right into theri mouth. No wonder we always loved sugar as kids, it was handed to us in creative ways.
French Burnt Peanuts Candy – peanuts, covered in a crunchy candy shell. Want to make your own?
Ready:1 c. sugar
½ c. water
½ tsp. liquid red food coloring
2 c. raw peanuts (shelled)
Set Heavy saucepan
Jellyroll pan, grease
Heat-proof spatula
Glass container for storage
Preheat oven to 300°F
Place all ingredients in a large saucepan
Bring to a boil and boil, while stirring, until all liquid is gone
Remove from heat. Spread nuts over greased jellyroll pan.
Put pan in preheated oven for 15 minutes
Stir peanuts and bake another 15 minutes
Let cool and store in glass container.
Petite Cosmic Rocks Candy Balls sweet tarts feature a colorful bumpy surface
PEZ Candy Packs- Flip the cap, pop in a candy! The top heads were different characters, dog, bunny and so on.
Children’s cereal – Fruity Pebbles were my fave, along with Pop Tarts Crunch, Dino pebbles, Cinnamon Mini Buns, Berry Berry Kix, French Toast Crunch, Apple Jacks, Golden Crisp – just to name a few! The best part about cereal? The free toys (or later on movies) that were inside. Whatever happened to them? Please bring them back!
