The year was 1929. A young Walt Disney is sitting in the bustling lobby of a New York City hotel when a man approached with an intriguing offer. Soon after, the very first licensed Mickey Mouse merchandise item was born: a children’s writing tablet featuring the world-famous mouse. In the years that followed, Christmas would never be the same…
Disney toys have helped Santa Claus bring holiday joy to children around the world for decades. With guidance from our friends at the Walt Disney Archives, we thought the time was right to rediscover some of the most popular toys (and other unique items) of Disney’s past. These images come from catalogues produced by Kay Kamen, Incorporated—a company started by Kansas City ad man Herman “Kay” Kamen, after a fortuitous meeting in 1932 with Walt and Roy Disney, to help provide high-quality Disney merchandise to retail stores around the world. See what kids of yesteryear were putting on their Christmas wish lists!
