Yes it’s extremely obscure, but this commercial is one I remember better than most “holiday” commercials from my childhood. In the Winter of 1985, I was 6 (about to turn 7), and compiling a proper Christmas wish list was of the utmost importance.

At the time, Saturday morning cartoons were an institution in my life. There was nothing quite as magical as sleeping in, eventually crawling downstairs, pouring myself a massive bowl of Honeycombs, planting myself on the couch, and channel surfing (as far as the remote cord would reach).

Before the days of Tivo, commercials were just as important as the show you were watching. The sounds of children screaming “I want that!” was as much a part of Saturday mornings as pancakes and orange juice.

M.A.S.K. was just one of the many cartoons at the time, which of course had its own line of toys. It certainly wasn’t the most original or memorable show, but I vividly remember this commercial. Even more so, I remember opening up my Boulder Hill Playset on Christmas morning.