Favorite Childhood balloon memories?

[Blueballoondude89]

I Was a little kid in the early 90s, and this was when malls were a big thing and we would often see balloons in our mall, and I love having that memory of balloons associated with going to the mall. They had a school bus safety fair in the parking lot of the mall near our house, when I was about to enter Kindergarten, and I was going to be riding the school bus for the first time. And this was in the early 90s and they went all out for these kind of things, compared to today. My favorite part were the free balloons, naturally 🤣 The news even showed up and my mom taped it that night because they got us on camera for a good chunk of it. Transferred the tape to digital. I am SO lucky my mom taped it. But those balloons though! Camera even showed my grandma standing there with our balloons tied to her purse. Since it was a sunny hot day, they were on the floor by dinner time.

There was also this toy Store right near my house when I was a little kid and while I absolutely loved the toys, they also sold … Balloons lol, and I’d always beg my mom to take me there so she would buy me a balloon, and I always have dreams about that store. I miss it so much! They sold the good balloons too. I remember when I got my tonsils out in October 1993 when I was 4, my grandma bought me one from that store and it was a 16 inch Qualatex with dinosaurs printed on it lol.

[7balloon]

Re: Favorite Childhood balloon memories?

My favorite memory is also my clearest earliest memory and also the first time I ever recognized a painful boner, my first masturbation and my first orgasm. It's a significant reason I'm a looner.

The story is around on a few of these posts and I don't want to take the time to rewrite it again. But Yeah, good times!

[LoonerPlanet]

Re: Favorite Childhood balloon memories?

I used to go by myself to the orthodontist, whose office was located downtown. Afterwards, I headed over to Woolworth's (no longer in business) and check out their toy section. They always had inflated balloons on display that, to my eyes, were huge. Probably, 16" to 18". It was there that I first worked up the courage to buy balloons.

[hudi03xo]

Re: Favorite Childhood balloon memories?

Mine were standing in front of the mirror blowing 12" printed birthday balloons until they popped. I would always run crying like I knew what to expect (I think the pops scared me into a being a non-popper)

Parties aswell, I remember once going to a classmates party and we'd run around blowing balloons up... good times

[Chip67]

Re: Favorite Childhood balloon memories?

At the young age of 8 yrs., one Saturday, my mother took me to see my now favorite film, “The Red Balloon”. From that moment forward, I was captivated by the sight of Balloons!!!! It was instant attraction.
Every day after school, my mother would pick me and we would go shopping in my hometown. It was 1964, simpler times, usually instead of dragging me along to the various shops, my mother would leave at the Woolworth’s toy department and girls in the department would keep an eye on me, I didn’t get in the way. Now that, I had a interest in balloons, the toy department was the perfect place to be. They had lots of balloons throughout the toy dept., I immediately found my favorite; a Blue Bird 2-foot pear shaped Smile balloon along with Qualatex Variety Packs of various balloon sizes and shapes. The variety packs included 1 or 2 Qualatex 40P’s - 40” Paddle Balloons and so began my balloon collection, which has turned over dozens of times. One day, on the daily trip to Woolworth’s to visit my toy department babysitters, they thought I was cute, especially with my new found interest in balloons. On that day, girls in department were so excited, something new had been added to the department; a Helium/Air Balloon inflation machine. Basically, a helium tank and air blower were combined into a shelf mounted box where the employees could dial in what amount of helium vs air would fill the balloon. I was in balloon heaven; l could stay there for hours watching the girl fill dozens of 2-foot Balloons for sale. The balloons were attached to all of the cash registers and were going like hot cakes. So, the young ladies were continuously blowing up more balloons, much to my pleasure. Needless to say, upon my daily departure from Woolworth’s my mother would buy 1 or 2 Helium Balloons for me and any uninflated balloons to add to my collection. My obsession was building!!!! As time went on, I got smarter and asked my balloon inflators to only blow up my balloons with pure helium and no air mixed, please! I told the girls how much I enjoyed the upward lift/pull. Again, they thought how cute. Because of how I asking, they said anything for me!!!! My mother was so pleased that I was being well taken care of. So, Mom would buy me my wonderful helium balloons as a thank you plus a little tip to my balloon sitters.
One day, after my mother dropped me off with my balloon babysitters, she happens to take an extended shopping expedition. While waiting in the toy department to be picked, I ask my favorite balloon babysitter, if she wouldn’t mind blowing up my usual all helium balloons. Well as time passed, I asked one more and two more, please, etc. My balloon inflator said are you sure your mother will be okay with this and I said oh sure! We were having so much fun inflating these beautiful balloons really huge. She even let me inflate some with her help. Well, by the time Mom showed up, I was standing there by the helium tank holding two dozen 2-foot huge helium balloons!!!! There was so much lift, I was standing on my tip toes. I had a huge smile on my face from ear to ear, Mom was not so happy. We had to make four round trips home to get all wonderful balloons home!!!! Mom’s Balloon Taxi was not to be repeated. The girls in the toy department apologized to my mother for all those balloons, but they said I was so excited and so happy, how could they not. Mom said it was great to see so happy.
My parents, talked about my overt interest in all these balloons, and frankly didn’t really know what to do about. Dad was a little upset about it, but Mom was fine with it. They both agreed they are just balloons and I was so very happy. Well, as I said Mom’s Balloon Taxi would not be repeated, so my dad and mom decided to rent me my very own tank of helium!!!! I was so, so happy with their solution. From that point forward I would always have one or two tanks of that glorious helium and that has continued happily for the past 59 year. It’s all true and very happy it has continued. Thank you for reading my story.