Christmas shopping in the 1960s looked very different from what we know today. Department-store catalogs, neighborhood toy shops, and drugstores were packed with affordable gifts that could make a child’s Christmas feel magical.
Five dollars went much further back then, and many popular toys could be purchased without spending a fortune. From classic dolls and toy cars to board games, these gifts created memories that lasted far longer than their price tags. Dive into 15 Christmas Gifts Under $5 From the 1960s.
1. Matchbox Cars
Toy cars were an easy and affordable Christmas gift for children who loved anything with wheels. Matchbox cars came in dozens of styles, from family sedans and sports cars to trucks.
2. Coloring Books and Crayons
A fresh coloring book paired with a new box of crayons was one of the simplest Christmas gifts of the era. Children could receive books featuring animals, fairy tales, or cowboys. A box of colored crayons made the gift feel even more special. It was cheap and creative.
3. Slinky
The Slinky had already become an American toy classic by the 1960s. Made from a coiled metal spring, the toy could appear to walk down stairs when placed correctly.
4. Cap Guns
Toy cap pistols were extremely popular with children growing up during the era of television Westerns. Many cheap versions could be purchased for just a few dollars. Children often combined them with cowboy hats or homemade costumes.
5. Paper Dolls
Paper dolls remained a popular and inexpensive gift. Sets usually included a printed doll along with paper outfits. Children could spend hours changing outfits, creating stories, and even designing additional clothing themselves with paper and crayons.
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6. View-Master
A View-Master offered children an exciting glimpse into distant places and colorful stories. By inserting a cardboard reel into the viewer and clicking the lever, children could move through a series of stereoscopic images.
7. Jacks
A small rubber ball and metal jacks could provide hours of entertainment. The game required children to bounce the ball, pick up a certain number of jacks, and catch the ball before it bounced again.
8. Marbles
A colorful bag of glass marbles was another classic low-cost gift. Children collected marbles in different colors, patterns, and sizes and traded them with friends.
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9. Yo-Yos
Yo-yos were affordable, portable, and challenging. A basic wooden or plastic yo-yo could be bought for very little money, but children could spend weeks practicing tricks such as “Walk the Dog”.
10. Comic Books
For a child who loved superheroes, adventures, mysteries, or funny characters, comic books could make an exciting Christmas present. Children might spend Christmas afternoon reading stories featuring characters such as Superman, Spider-Man, Archie, or the Fantastic Four.
11. Little Golden Books
Books were another affordable gift that parents and grandparents made. Little Golden Books were popular with younger children because of their colorful illustrations and recognizable gold-colored spines.
12. Play-Doh
Play-Doh became a major children’s toy during the late 1950s and continued growing in popularity throughout the 1960s. Small containers allowed children to shape animals, food, people, buildings, and almost anything else.
13. Jump Ropes
A jump rope might seem like a simple present today, but it could provide countless hours of outdoor play. Children used them alone or with friends, learning songs and rhymes. They were a practical Christmas gift that could continue being used throughout the spring and summer.
14. Small Board and Card Games
Smaller games, travel games, card games, checkers sets, and simple children’s games could be purchased for only a few dollars. They were useful during Christmas gatherings because brothers, sisters, cousins, parents, and grandparents could all play together around the kitchen table.
15. Candy-Filled Stockings
Drugstores and supermarkets sold Christmas candy, including candy canes, chocolates, gum, and other treats. Parents could fill a stocking with several different sweets for less than five dollars.
Interested in more from the Swinging Sixties?
Check out 14 Everyday Inventions We Didn’t Know Came From the 1960s, a look at the gadgets and conveniences quietly dreamed up between the moon landings and the British Invasion. Then step into the living room with 20 Vintage Photos That Capture Christmas in America in the 1960s, full of aluminum trees, bubble lights, and Santa visits at the mall. And for a taste of the era, 12 Famous Meals Found on Every Family Table in the 1960s revisits the TV dinners, Jell-O molds, and Tang that defined groovy home cooking.
