Guess what everybody? Christmas is over. But we have one more Christmas adjacent episode

for you, a re-release from a few years ago that was absolutely one of my favorites to

make. If you're old enough, you might remember a time when moms were fist fighting in parking

lots and toys are us ills over toys ranging from tickle me Elmo to beanie babies to

Pokemon cards to cabbage patch kids. Yes, the American children of these brawling caregivers

were dying to get their sticky little hands all over the hottest toys of the season, but

at the same time some violently entrepreneurial parents were desperate to keep those same

sticky hands off the products at all costs. Because these toys eventually promised something

far beyond the boundaries of their plush, an ever increasing value based on scarcity

that they believed could end up paying for their kids college education and much more beyond

that. Because when millions of children are crying for the same popular present, it

means that there are simply not enough to go around. It meant that you could make yourself

a little suburban black market. In this episode, you're in for a very special treat as well,

a short little interview with Mike Granny about her toy store standoff during the tickle

me Elmo craze in 1996 when she sought one with true vigor for my little brother, American

hysteria team member Riley. If you do enjoy this episode, I also wanted to recommend the

recent episode of You're Wrong About in which the brilliant and hilarious Jamie Loftus

tells the equally brilliant and hilarious ceremonial, the whole ridiculous story of

beanie babies that we touch on in this re-release. So whether you celebrate Christmas or not,

we all likely have some kind of holly jolly hangover. So our shows here to provide you with

some metaphorical, greasy food so you can be born anew in this post Christmas world. So

hug your now worthless toys close because you never know when they might come back in

...