Growing up, half the fun of Christmas was the month of anticipation leading up to it. Sure, you had your advent calendars and your special holiday cookies, but things really kicked into gear with special Christmas-themed sugary cereal to jumpstart every morning. From simply changing the colors with a little red and green dye, to swapping in holiday-themed marshmallow bits — your favorite cereals were ready to GO every holiday season in the ’90s.
So let’s take a look back at a handful of these holiday delights in all of their glory, with some special Christmas-themed commercials to boot.
Honestly, we always thought Cap’N Crunch was actually Captain Crunch, but here we are, learning something new every day. The Cap’N still does a Christmas version each year, but lest you think the taste is anything specially holiday-related, no, they just add some special shapes that are dyed red and green. But lo! What do you spy on the box and in the commercial? Some serious ’90s commercialism mojo – you could get a free Koosh toy… with two proofs of purchase, of course.Â
Oh Cookie-Crisp, you daredevil, you. Why is there a dash in your name? What is the purpose? Apparently General Mills wondered as well, because today’s Cookie Crisp does not have that dash, and also still exists, which we did not realize either. ANYway — Cookie Crisp also got in on the holiday spirit with some special Christmas cereal. Because everyone wants to eat some bright green and red cookie-shaped cereal that looks nothing like any actual holiday cookies you traditionally have each year.
Unlike the modern, healthy cereals of today (seriously, though, eating whatever you want is truly wasted on the young), the cereals geared toward kids always had to have a cool mascot. Lucky Charms is no exception, with its leprechaun (named, very creatively, Lucky) always going on about his charms. But over the years Lucky Charms has joined the holiday bandwagon with some holiday-shaped marshmallows, from a simple (lazy) snowman packet included inside the box, to a full-on winter edition with all varieties of holiday shapes.
Do the kids of today even know that the Fruity Pebbles spokestoons are The Flintstones, which were around way before the cereal itself? Or do they just associate them with the cereal and the vitamins? Regardless, Fruity Pebbles also got into the holiday mix with some holiday-colored versions in the ’90s, with Fred and Barney all dressed up on the box as well.Â
Let’s be honest and call a spade a spade here — no one likes to eat Rice Krispies cereal for the taste. It’s fairly taste-less, really, and super quick to turn to mush. But if you wanted to hear that snap, crackle, and pop, then maybe that’s why you’d put it into some milk. But otherwise, Rice Krispies were (and are) all about those treats! And what better way to celebrate the holidays Rice Krispies-style than with some specially colored cereal to make those treats? Kellogg’s still produces these today, so you can get in on that action every year.
What were your favorite holiday-themed cereals? Do you still pick up a box to this day? Let us know in the comments!
- Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles were introduced in October 1971, and are the oldest surviving cereal brands based on characters from a TV series or movie.
- Rice Krispies have been around since 1928, if you can believe it, with the cartoon mascots Snap, Crackle, and Pop, created not long after in the ’30s. Now that’s some lasting power.
- Lucky Charms have been around since 1964, and was the first cereal to use marshmallows in the recipe — they are called marshmallow bits or “marbits,” as they’re so small.
- Cookie Crisp was originally created by Ralston Purina in 1977, but eventually sold to General Mills in 1997, at which time GM changed the recipe… and Cookie Crisp has never been the same since.
- Cap’N Crunch was created in 1963, and was the first cereal to use an oil coating to deliver its flavoring, which required an innovative baking process.Â
- Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles were introduced in October 1971, and are the oldest surviving cereal brands based on characters from a TV series or movie.
- Rice Krispies have been around since 1928, if you can believe it, with the cartoon mascots Snap, Crackle, and Pop, created not long after in the ’30s. Now that’s some lasting power.
- Lucky Charms have been around since 1964, and was the first cereal to use marshmallows in the recipe — they are called marshmallow bits or “marbits,” as they’re so small.
- Cookie Crisp was originally created by Ralston Purina in 1977, but eventually sold to General Mills in 1997, at which time GM changed the recipe… and Cookie Crisp has never been the same since.
- Cap’N Crunch was created in 1963, and was the first cereal to use an oil coating to deliver its flavoring, which required an innovative baking process.Â
