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Believe it or not, the McDonalds Happy Meal was not the first instance of providing small toys to children with meals. In Canada, there was something called “Treat of the Week”, where a different toy was available free on request each week, and continued after the Happy Meal was introduced in 1979. Happy Meal toys have become increasingly elaborate in recent years. Here are a few of the coolest from the 1980s. Continue reading to see them all.

While initially they were little more than a cheap plastic trinket such as a Frisbee or ball, they have gradually been replaced with increasingly sophisticated toys, many of which are a tie-in to an existing TV show, film, or toy line – as you can see from some of the examples above. However, from the time period of 1988-2007, this was usually a Disney movie. Unfortunately, Disney didn’t renew the contract, wishing to use their characters to promote healthier foods, which explains why you don’t see any Disney-themed toys in many parts of the world, except for Japan.

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