These Retro Toys Are the Perfect Unique Gifts for All Ages

  • Boy with Lincoln Logs
Boy with Lincoln Logs
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Ready to take a trip down memory lane? Before tablets, touchscreens, and Wi-Fi, toys were all about tactile fun, imagination, and the joy of hands-on play. Today, retro toys carry a special charm, reminding us of simpler times when even a bouncy spring or simple building blocks could offer hours of entertainment. In a world where tech toys are constantly evolving, these classics have stayed true to their roots — some have barely changed from their original designs, while others have adapted for new audiences in surprising ways.

Whether you’re looking to reconnect with your childhood favorites or introduce a new generation to the magic of these timeless playthings, these retro toys will bring a touch of nostalgia.

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Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots (1965)

With the tagline “Knock his block off!” and a comic book-worthy illustration on the box, Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots quickly captivated audiences when they were introduced in 1965 by toy designer Marvin Glass. This two-person game featuring boxing robots Red Rocker and Blue Bomber inspired many a playful boxing match in the decades that followed, and is still capturing imaginations today. A live-action movie starring Vin Diesel is rumored to be in the works, but until these toy robots hit the big screen, you can find them at Walmart for $21.92.

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7 Common Items That Used To Be Extremely Valuable

  • Pineapples awaiting shipment
Pineapples awaiting shipment
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When we take a look back through history, we find that many items we now consider commonplace were once rare, exotic, and incredibly valuable. These precious commodities were often out of reach for the majority of people, reserved for royalty and wealthy citizens.

The journey of these items from scarcity to ubiquity tells a fascinating story of human progress, a tale of technological advancements and shifting global economics. Centuries of exploration, agricultural developments, industrial innovations, and the opening of new trade routes transformed our material world. What was once worth its weight in gold may now be found in every household, often used — or even discarded — without a second thought.

Here are some now-common items that have undergone this remarkable transition, from spices that once financed entire cities to beverages that sparked riots and wars. 

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Salt and Pepper

Salt and pepper were often known as “white gold” and “black gold,” respectively, by merchants of the ancient world. Salt was once essential not just for flavoring food but also for preserving it, making it crucial for survival and expansion. It was transported along the ancient salt routes to markets across Europe, making some citizens, cities, and regions extremely wealthy. The city of Salzburg in Austria, for example, whose name literally means “Salt Castle,” amassed great wealth by trading salt. Pepper, meanwhile, was once so rare and desirable that it was literally worth its weight in gold and was sometimes used as currency. The desire for salt and pepper, along with other spices, was so high that it helped drive European global exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries. 

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What Your Last Name Says About Your History

  • Magnifying glass on ancient map
Magnifying glass on ancient map
Credit: Andrey Burmakin/ Shutterstock

Last names, also known as surnames, can be more than just family identifiers — they can be gateways to understanding more about our ancestral history, cultural heritage, and even ancient migration patterns. The practice of using last names began as populations expanded and it became necessary to distinguish individuals with the same first names. The origins of these surnames are often tied to geographical regions, occupations, or even personal traits — think “Hill,” “Baker,” or “Armstrong.” In the United States, where the population is a diverse mix of cultures, surnames also carry with them the marks of migration, colonization, and assimilation.

Whether a last name suggests our ethnic heritage, an occupational trade, a geographical region, or the influences of colonization and religion, the identifiers we carry with us can reveal intriguing stories about our past and connect us to a broader story of human movement and settlement. With around 31 million surnames in the world, here are just a few ways that our last names tell us who we are.

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Viking Migration Affected Naming Traditions

The Viking Age marks the period of time when seafaring Norse people raided and colonized their way through Northern Europe, from the end of the eighth century CE until the Norman Conquest in 1066. The influence of the Vikings can still be seen in the surnames of people with Scandinavian, English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Names ending in “-son” or “-sen,” such as Davidson or Andersen, are likely to have Viking roots in Scandinavian or Norse heritage, derived from the practice of using “son of” to identify a man’s father. For example, Andersen means “son of Anders,” a popular Scandinavian first name. Other surnames of Old Norse descent include Carlson, Ericsson, Rogerson, Gundersen, Olsen, and Iverson.

Viking migrations, raids, and settlements spread Viking naming conventions as well as the Old Norse language across regions that are now part of modern-day England, Ireland, and Scotland. Regions such as Yorkshire in northern England and parts of Ireland were significantly influenced by Viking settlers, a fact still visible in the surnames common in these areas, such as Holmes, a Viking word meaning “a small island”; McAuliff, meaning “son of Olaf”; and Higgins, which comes from an Irish word that means “Viking.” 

Similarly, Doyle, from the Irish Ó Dubhghaill, means a “descendant of Dubhghaill,” coming from the Old Gaelic dubh, meaning “dark” or “black” and ghaill, meaning “foreigner” or “stranger,” which was how the first Vikings in Ireland were described. Other Viking names with the same meaning include the Irish surname Mcdowell and the Scottish surname Mcdougall, both of which are anglicized forms of Mac Dubhghaill, meaning “son of Dubhghaill.”

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Why Is 13 Considered an Unlucky Number?

  • Unlucky number 13
Unlucky number 13
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The number 13 has long been considered unlucky in many Western cultures. Even today — in a world far less superstitious than it was in the past — a surprising amount of people have a genuine, deep-rooted fear of the number 13, known as triskaidekaphobia. For this reason, many hotels don’t list the presence of a 13th floor (Otis Elevators reports 85% of its elevator panels omit the number), and many airlines skip row 13. And the more specific yet directly connected fear of Friday the 13th, known as paraskevidekatriaphobia, results in financial losses in excess of $800 million annually in the United States as significant numbers of people avoid traveling, getting married, or even working on the unlucky day.  

But why is 13 considered such a harbinger of misfortune? What has led to this particular number being associated with bad luck? While historians and academics aren’t entirely sure of the exact origins of the superstition, there are a handful of historical, religious, and mythological matters that may have combined to create the very real fear surrounding the number 13. 

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The Code of Hammurabi

The Code of Hammurabi was one of the earliest and most comprehensive legal codes to be proclaimed and written down. It dates back to the Babylonian King Hammurabi, who reigned from 1792 to 1750 BCE. Carved onto a massive stone pillar, the code set out some 282 rules, including fines and punishments for various misdeeds, but the 13th rule was notably missing. The artifact is often cited as one of the earliest recorded instances of 13 being perceived as unlucky and therefore omitted. Some scholars argue, however, that it was simply a clerical error. Either way, it may well have contributed to the long-standing negative associations surrounding the number 13. 

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6 Famous Members of the Skull and Bones Secret Society

  • Skull and Crossbones stone
Skull and Crossbones stone
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In 1832, Yale University students William Huntington Russell and Alphonso Taft co-founded “The Order of the Skull and Bones,” a secret society that has gone on to become one of the most elite organizations of its kind in the United States. For almost two centuries, Skull and Bones has been a subject of much fascination, speculation, and suspicion. Its members have included some of the most influential and powerful figures in American history — including three U.S. presidents — and its secrecy has fueled numerous conspiracy theories and rumors about the society’s true nature and purpose.

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Over the years, several strange secrets about Skull and Bones have been revealed. According to some accounts, new members are — or once were — made to lie naked in a stone coffin while describing their most intimate secrets and experiences. And the society’s headquarters — a stark, windowless brownstone building in New Haven, Connecticut, called “The Tomb” — is rumored to house a number of macabre artifacts, including the skulls of the Apache warrior Geronimo and the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. Perhaps of greater import to the Bonesmen and Boneswomen, as initiates are known (women were granted membership in 1992), is the promise that all members are guaranteed lifelong financial stability — in exchange, of course, for their absolute loyalty and secrecy. 

Despite this secretive nature, many prominent individuals have been identified as members of Skull and Bones. (Up until 1971, the society published an annual membership register.) Here are six of the most influential known members of the secret society. 

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Why Were Old Bridges Covered?

  • Covered bridge in Vermont
Covered bridge in Vermont
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Covered bridges are an idyllic symbol of rural America. These charming, often hand-built structures have been romanticized in popular culture for years, from Thomas Kinkade’s painting “The Old Covered Bridge” to the novel (and film adaptation) The Bridges of Madison County. Despite their dispensability in the age of concrete and steel, these old wooden bridges continue to be beloved landmarks, their distinct roofs making them easily recognizable even today. But what exactly led to their proliferation in decades past?

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A covered bridge is exactly what its name suggests: a bridge with a roof and enclosed sides, typically constructed from wood. The reason for the covering is quite simple. While there are some theories — most likely with some truth to them — that the roofs were added to keep animals calm above rushing water, or to provide shelter for travelers, the real purpose was much more practical. Wooden bridges, which were common in the U.S. and Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries due to the abundance of timber, deteriorated quickly when exposed to the elements. Rain, snow, and sunlight caused the wood to rot or warp, compromising the materials’ integrity and reducing the lifespan of the bridge. Covering the structure protected the wooden framework and deck. By keeping the timber dry, the bridge’s life could be extended by decades. Uncovered wooden bridges might last just 10 to 20 years, whereas some of America’s original covered bridges, such as the Hyde Hall Bridge in New York’s Glimmerglass State Park, remain intact almost 200 years after being built. 

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When Did We Start Giving Each Other Wedding Rings?

  • Wedding bands
Wedding bands
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In weddings around the world, exchanging rings is a crucial part of the ceremony, a moment in which a couple’s promises are sealed with a tangible token. This simple piece of jewelry does a lot of heavy lifting: It acts as a symbol of love, unity, and eternity, while also making our relationship status clear to the world. Various cultures have contributed to the history of the wedding ring, from its ancient beginnings to the relatively recent advent of the double-ring exchanges popular today. But when and how exactly did this time-honored tradition begin? 

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It’s believed the ancient Romans were the first people to use wedding rings in a way resembling the modern custom, although exchanging rings as symbols of eternity or affection dates back even earlier to ancient Egypt and Greece. Roman weddings were not like the elaborate, picturesque affairs of today, however; marriages were often less about romance and more about family alliances and property. After a marriage contract was signed and a feast was had, there was a procession to the couple’s new home, where the bride was carried over the threshold. It was then that the groom presented the bride with a ring — not just as a gesture of affection, but as a public acknowledgment of their bond and a sign that she was now a part of his household. Romans first used copper and iron for the bands, but they began to favor gold after around the third century CE. In wealthier households, brides often had both: one ring, usually made of iron, to wear at home, and another fancier gold ring to present to the public. 

The wedding ring was worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, a custom based on the belief that a vein — known as the vena amoris, or “vein of love” — connected this finger directly to the heart. This tradition may have originated in ancient Egypt, where rings were seen as symbols of eternity; the ring’s circular shape, with no beginning and no end, made it a powerful representation of infinity. While the vena amoris has since been proved anatomically incorrect, the symbolic ring placement on the left hand’s fourth finger remains customary. Though the Romans were the first to formalize the use of rings in a wedding ceremony, it’s believed they took a cue from the ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures. After Alexander the Great of Macedonia conquered Egypt in 332 BCE, the Greeks adopted the custom of giving rings as a sign of love — these tokens often featured motifs of Eros, the Greek god of love, known as Cupid in the Roman pantheon. 

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The Most Popular Baby Name Every Year of the Last Century

  • Nurse with newborn babies
Nurse with newborn babies
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Over the past hundred years, baby-naming trends have largely been shaped by family traditions and popular culture. Classic names such as Mary, John, Betty, and James often appear repeatedly in family trees, passed down out of respect for previous generations and a desire to keep family legacies alive. By the latter half of the 20th century, parents found baby name inspiration in popular culture, including films, theater, and music. The name Jennifer, for instance, began its climb in the U.S. thanks to the George Bernard Shaw play The Doctor’s Dilemma, which debuted on Broadway in 1927. Today, Olivia and Liam are the reigning favorites, and it’s likely only a matter of time before names that are already in the top 10 — such as Mia, Mateo, Evelyn, and Elijah — claim the No. 1 spots.Here is a fascinating look at the most popular girls’ and boys’ names of the last century, based on data collected by the U.S. Social Security Administration from Social Security card applications.

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1924 to 1929

1924: Mary, Robert
1925: Mary, Robert
1926: Mary, Robert
1927: Mary, Robert
1928: Mary, Robert
1929: Mary, Robert

The “Roaring ’20s” brought new cultural, economic, and sexual freedoms for women, but the most popular female names of the Greatest Generation — those born between 1901 and 1927 — didn’t reflect this newfound sense of liberation. Mary remained the most popular girls’ name from 1924 to 1929, just as it had since 1900. A biblical name that appears in both the Old and New Testaments, Mary is the anglicized form of Maria and originated from the Hebrew Miryam. In 1924, the name Robert, favored by European royalty and nobility in the Middle Ages,” replaced John, another common biblical name, as the most popular boys’ name, ending John’s decades-long place at the top of the list.

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Iconic Photos From Each Decade of the 20th Century

  • “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper,” 1932
“Lunch Atop a Skyscraper,” 1932
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In the mid-1820s, French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce stood at an upstairs window of his estate in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes in Burgundy, France. In his hand he held a primitive camera. After at least eight hours of exposure, Niépce created the world’s first — or at least oldest surviving — photograph, known as “View From the Window at Le Gras.” In that moment, an entirely new medium was born. 

Photography rapidly went from one first to another. In 1838, Louis Daguerre, inventor of the daguerreotype, shot the first photo to include people.  In 1840, English scientist John W. Draper took the first photo of the moon. And in 1861, Scottish mathematical physicist James Clerk Maxwell produced the earliest color photograph. Advances continued apace, until another landmark — the first cellphone photo, in 1997 — launched an era in which cameras became ubiquitous, and the age of the selfie was born. 

Throughout the 20th century, photographers captured images that ran the gamut of human experience. Here are some of the most iconic photos from each decade of the last century, from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to the far-flung reaches of the universe. 

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“First Flight,” 1903

On the morning of December 17, 1903, on the sand dunes 4 miles south of the fishing village of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, one of the most pivotal moments in human history was captured on camera. Once developed, the photo showed the moment that aviation pioneer Orville Wright took to the air in the world’s first successful airplane. 

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What Was America’s Population Through History?

  • Historic people on map of U.S.
Historic people on map of U.S.
Credit: Illustration courtesy of Madison Hunt

The first inhabitants of what is now the United States appeared around 15,000 to 20,000 years ago — a blip in time compared to the annals of some of the earliest places humans lived. Initially, population growth was slow due to the continent’s geographic isolation; significant increases began only after Europeans made their way to the Americas throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. By the 20th century, the U.S. population was experiencing rapid expansion — a trend that has slowed in recent years. Here’s a look at America’s changing population through history, from early prehistoric arrivals to the decline we’re seeing today.

Credit: Illustration courtesy of Madison Hunt

Prehistory 

The North American continent was inhabited by prehistoric humans, although they arrived much later than humans in other parts of the world. While early human species have been around for millions of years, the first people didn’t make their way to North America until sometime between 20,000 BCE and 13,000 BCE. It’s believed they traveled via the Bering Land Bridge from modern-day Siberia to Alaska, although exactly when and how they first arrived is still a matter of debate. The number of people who were around in this era is debated as well, and while estimates vary, it’s believed some 230,000 people were living in America by 10,000 BCE.

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