These things are still being churned out today. But the mystery and interesting thing to me is where and when did they first originate and were they ever really sold at retail and if so when and where. Did some 3d party at some time get a consignment of returned or store room cards from Topps that they packed in Christmas stockings and sold at some retail store(s), and if so in what year(s) and what stores ?
The fact Murphy and Mathews who seemed to be the first to surface them could not or would not provide specific info about from whom and how they were obtained makes the whole retail story suspect. But there have been people in some threads over time who claim to remember buying them in some retail store many years ago. However nothing concrete has surfaced that I have seen
I especially like the online tutorials that offer advice on how to know if you have an "original" Christmas pack or a latter production piece by analyzing the staples and placement of the candy canes
