The Toy You Enjoy to Destroy
Popular party favors in the 1950’s, ’surprise balls’ are created from hundreds of feet of crepe paper wrapped around a series of toys and trinkets which are revealed as each layer is peeled away. They’re credited to inventor Charles Gregor of New Orleans who named his invention ‘The Toy You Destroy to Enjoy.’ They’re great for kids’ parties and can keep the young’uns busy for a surprisingly long time. Difficult to find for many years, surprise balls have begun to reappear in a handful of retail venues.
Tops Malibu creates a version they’ve dubbed ‘Bami Balls” which comes in a variety of shapes from Easter eggs to square gift packages. They also offer sets of plain suprise balls which give you the opportunity to decorate your own.
Plum Party is a good on-line resource to know about for all manner of unusual party supplies. They offer surprise balls decorated as a cast of generic cartoon characters.
If you’re feeling up to the challenge you certainly could make your own, coordinating colors and prizes to your specific event. You can find a tutorial over at Not Martha. And for inspiration I want to introduce to the work of the Bay Area artist Anandamayi Arnold whose hand crafted surprise balls are nothing short of breath-taking.
Yes, those gorgeous bulbs, the little round cacti, even the bird are all surprise balls. It’s no wonder people fortunate enough to get their hands on Anandamayi’s work are faced with the dilemma of whether or not to tear into them for the treats or exhibit enormous restraint and set them out for display.
Photos of Anandamayi’s were taken from articles appearing in the San Francisco Chronicle and Mary Engelbreit Home Companion magazine.
April 6th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
I have seen Judy’s stuff for the last 20 years, and it just keeps getting cooler and cooler. It is always well made and not only do the items make lovely conversation pieces for the home, but they are perfect make-shift gifts for anyone who might unexpectedly drop in and need a treat.
April 8th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
I LOVE surprise balls! I grew up on these things. My mom would sometimes suprise my sister and I with one after school…there was a fun little store near my school that sold them. Such a fun treat! I want to make some these too.
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Bami Balls are from Germany– not made in CA.
That said, GO SURPRISE BALLS!
I always wanted these for my party but they were *too* expensive at Woolworth’s. Now I make them. I snarf up the thin crepe paper at the 99c stores as the more normal decorating kind is too thick. I never stop collecting tiny toys and Chinatown (I live in NYC) is my best source.
Making one’s own Christmas (or birthday or graduation) crackers is fun, too. You just have to buy the snapper to put in them.