Everyone is getting all excited about the 40th anniversary of the moon landing.

How about the 30th birthday of the Happy Meal?

The kids’ meal was first introduced nationally in 1979 with a Circus Wagon Train theme and tried to attract younger customers with a McDoodler stencil, puzzle lock, McWrist wallet, ID bracelet, spinning tops and McDonaldland character erasers as the featured toys.

The meal’s toy became the key to its big business and success by changing the way children ordered food.

The plaything lured children — and sometimes adults — to collect all the items in a series.

To date, billions of meals and toys have been sold, proving just how serious the Happy Meal business is.

Toys. It’s all about the toys. Always was. Always will be. Isn’t that the great lesson of life?