Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Jack's Ghost in a Box

 Hello attic fans!

This week we have a little item that you might have seen on here before...except you really haven't! In October of 2021 I wrote this...

When I was in third grade, I had just moved from Denison, Tx to Garland, Tx. In my new town they had a Jack in the Box fast food place. It was actually in the shape of a big box, and yes, you talked into a clown to order.

It was near Halloween (1971) and they were giving away a picture of a haunted house printed on heavy card stock. It had strips that fed through the sides that would make ghost, ghouls, (and, strangely, fast food). move past the windows. I really wanted one for some reason, and one night when we were going through the drive-thru, by golly I got one! It looks like this:



At this point in that post, I explained that while I had never been able to find a real one, I found one online that I was able to print out on some light cardstock. And for years that has been good enough. However, the picture I just shared isn't the one I printed out. You see, a while back a REAL one showed up on eBay! Apparently it was part of an art director's estate who was working with Jack in the Box restaurants at the time! I bid the minimum (which I thought was pretty cheap) and won! I guess I'm the only one who remembers this little item! Here are some more pictures of the "real deal!"


This is the back of the card, which shows the die cut windows and such... The whole card measures 9.75" x 7.75". 


I'm not sure you want to suggest your food is haunted, but it seems to work for Halloween!



If I ever wanted to put it together, I have the instructions...although I could probably figure it out on my own.



A few common sense suggestions for trick or treating are a good idea.



Here are the strips with the "haunts" on them! Onion rings and fries included!



Finally, we have a closer up view of the house! Spooooooooky!




Anyway, I remember taking my Jack in the Box Haunted House to school and being the coolest kid there! (Or so I thought). I'm sure, being thin cardboard, that it didn't last long. I'm going to take better care of this one, though! I plan on framing it and giving it a nice spot on my office wall! Another childhood trophy won!

So there you have it! Nice memories of Halloweens gone by! Oh, and by the way, that Jack in the Box is still there, 53 years later! It's not box shaped any more, but it's the same basic building and it still serves Jumbo Jacks, fried tacos, and fries! But you won't find this little item! 

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!



4 comments:

  1. This is the sort of thing that would have appealed to me also. I've always liked folding tab 'A' and inserting it into slot 'B', etc. And I like the idea of seeing the 'haunts' (fries and all) through the windows. Later in life I got into origami because... all that folding intrigued me.

    Nice little item, Stu. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never thought about it, but you're probably right about the folding. I have a folding cardboard Christmas fireplace that I think is the coolest thing ever! And I make a mean paper boat (and airplanes!) Not exactly your level of skill, I'm sure, but I enjoy it! There's a little part of me that wants to assemble this, but I keep ignoring it!

      Delete
  2. Stu, I do agree this would be fun to put together and tinker with. Sort of like an early 1970s version of a handheld computer game.

    I went back to your old blog post to see the one you mentioned you copied and put-together. What a creative idea! I now think you need to take that first one you made -- and add more monsters and items to pull past the windows. Am serious. Like maybe add a gorilla, Mickey Mouse, Monstro, Major Pepperidge, Matterhorn....you get the idea. You have a good three weeks' time. I'll be watching for it....

    Thanks for sharing, Stu.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol, well that's certainly a way to go! I'm not sure I can find my scanned one since I packed my office when I retired but I'll see what I can do...

      Delete

Apparently Blogger doesn't like people commenting from anything but a computer. I'm trying to find a solution, but so far no luck. If your comment doesn't go through, please try from a computer. Thanks.