Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head "Mashly in Love" - One of My Favorites from Toy Fair 2012

Over the next couple of months I will do a series of posts about the International Toy Fair in New York held in February. Thousands – literally – of toy companies present toys that will be coming out during 2012 and the rest of their product line too. It can be overwhelming and so I carefully limit my interests and plan which companies I will visit. Hasbro generously sponsors a spectacular event at their showroom  and LitzkyPublic Relations is kind enough to invite me. Hasbro has many product lines and this is a BIG event where we get to network with other bloggers, party AND have presentations about all the new toys. And we get to see and touch the toys. You really get to be a kid in a candy shop. 

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head Mashly in Love

My highlights represent what I think my grandparent readers may be interested in.  I stay away from the electronics, toys that involve anything that looks like violence to me, and frankly, toys that I just don’t understand.  Some of the mommy and dad bloggers on tour with me were going crazy over this stuff but I will leave it to them to write it all.  Today's highlight is Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.

Hasbro is celebrating the 60^th anniversary of Mr. Potato Head and the event started off with a party complete with party games, mimosas (hmmm – what a treat), cupcakes and a visit with Mr. and Mrs. Potato head themselves.  Here I am having my picture taken with them. 

Hasbro has many different varieties of Mr. Potato Head these days and for the 60^th anniversary there is the limited edition MASHLY IN LOVE MR. AND MRS. 60TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION.     The happy couple can hold hands and show off their rings as they celebrate the big day. The 22 piece set includes Mr. and Mrs. and lots of accessories: Holding hands, Top hat and tux, veil, wedding head band and more. 

This is the picture I took of the display

Here is a better close-up of the packaged set

This set can be enjoyed by grandparents playing with grandchildren.  It will bring back memories of a toy you played with yourself - albeit updated.  And....still no batteries - that's a big plus. It can be the backdrop for sharing family history and stories.  I can remember when we used a real potato and put the Mr. Potato Head pieces into the potato. And in fact I learned that the plastic Potato Head body was first introduced in 1964.

Here’s another historical fun fact: In 1987 MR. POTATO HEAD surrendered his signature pipe to U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop and became the official “spokespud” for the American Cancer Society's annual Great American Smokeout campaign – a role he carried for several years.

Do you remember playing with Mr. Potato Head?  Do you remember some special sets – I wrote about the Toy Story one a couple of years ago and that post still gets visited frequently.  Please leave your comments and share with us.

The new Mashly in Love set is on store shelves now and you can order it at Amazon – click below.

I’ll be writing soon about Hasbro’s Sesame Street, Chuch trucks, new play doh sets, My Little Pony and more.  Be sure to check back soon – or better yet subscribe to the blog.