Introduction

Nostalgia is a strange, wondrous thing, a sound or smell somehow transport us back in time. For me growing up in the 1980’s the theme from ‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’ will instantly transport me back to a simpler time and I love it, I am not ashamed to admit this I am a nostalgia junkie! I wasn’t aware of how much so, until I discovered the internet, suddenly an internet search engine would not only provide me with the theme song to my favourite television shows growing up, it could also provide me with lyrics, information on the cast and even the merchandising.

Then ebay came along, providing the means to acquire items that I had either lost or broken, never had or knew existed I found the whole process fascinating. Like many that first sign up with ebay I bought several nick-nacks that I didn’t need until I finally settled on my ‘favourite searches’. As previously mentioned, sounds and smells can transport us in time, If I were to sum up my childhood with a smell it would have to be, beef flavoured Monster Munch. Monster Munch was always my favourite growing up, aside from the taste, the characters on the packets always fascinated me. My earliest memory of the product is reading a fact file on the back of a packet given to me by my mother when she picked me up from school, throughout my childhood the brand had always been there. The moment this memory was typed into the ebay search engine I embarked on a strange ‘hobby'. The first item I bought was a Blue Monster glove puppet, I had no idea it even existed yet there it was a figure from my childhood, a face seen on the packets, and countless adverts between the Children’s ITV programs in glove puppet form. I was both intrigued and frustrated to find that the Internet could help me obtain these items, yet it could not provide me with any information regarding it!

I am the first to admit that this is a strange collection, I have no memory of knowingly embarking on a mission to acquire all things Monster Munch related. I can only explain it by my interest in design and promotional material combined with 1980’s – 1990’s nostalgia... Clever designs and promotional gimmicks designed to make us part with our money long since curbed by regulations and lazy packaging design… Who knows? Perhaps if that puppet hadn't been listed that particular week I would instead be writing about my Honey Monster collection*? As I catalogue these items, All I can do is welcome you to my world its quite harmless in fact it may even stir up some nostalgia for you!
Enjoy

*Yes, I collect his merchandise as well!

© Arfon Jones 2010. All images are copyrighted throughout the world.