Author Topic: Memories of Christmas Past...  (Read 3327 times)

Offline Brian

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Memories of Christmas Past...
« on: December 5, 2008, 01:24 PM »
I was listening to an older SModcast (Kevin Smith podcast) and they happened to be discussing Christmas presents as they grew up.  This, in combination with talking about various Christmas gifts as we've been shopping for our daughter, nephews/nieces, etc. just got me to thinking about Christmas when I was a kid.  I was wondering if anyone had any memorable Christmas gift stories to share.  Was there a year when you got something like the Falcon, or the U.S.S. Flagg, or something else that was a "large present" or just a memorable present.

Another side of this topic is how Christmas has changed, at least to me, for kids these days.  I never felt like I got the shaft at Christmas by any means, but I never got near the presents (amount or dollar wise) that kids these days get.  It seems like my brother and I (and my friends as a kid) usually got one "big gift", and some other little stuff.  The "big items" I can remember getting as a kid was something like Castle Grayskull, the GI Joe Killer WHALE, or the Jabba w/dais playset.  I also remember getting what I believe were my first Star Wars figures, Obi-Wan and Chewbacca.  Also, after asking for a couple years, I finally got a Nintendo - which was a huge gift at that point (and what a lot of my friends got around that time as well).  These days, it seems like kids are getting something like a new gaming system ($250-$400), in addition to all the other presents.  Its kind of sad to me too, we were shopping for our nephews (6 and 8 years old), and all they want this year is video games.  In the past three years they've gotten Gameboys, a PS2, and this year a Wii.  Maybe I was just a weird kid, but my friends and I were still asking for/playing with action figures at that age - but that's just a sign of the times I guess.  Anyways, just wondering if anyone had any Christmas memories they might want to share.  Its always interesting hearing when people got their AT-AT, or Falcon, or whatever else it might have been at the time.
« Last Edit: December 5, 2008, 01:29 PM by Brian »

Offline iFett

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #1 on: December 5, 2008, 01:31 PM »
NES and Scorponok were my gems from under the tree.
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Offline jedi_master_sal

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #2 on: December 5, 2008, 03:34 PM »
1977-I got a whole mess of toys.

But the one that took the cake was this robot that I could shoot his hand out of it's socket. It now kind of reminds me of the lion Voltron, but had a pointed head, IIRC. It was similar in color scheme too, again, IIRC.

That thing was awesome. I managed to piss off my grandfather because he wanted to set up the racing track "Santa" brought for me. But I just wasn't interested.
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Offline I Am Sith

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #3 on: December 5, 2008, 04:29 PM »
But the one that took the cake was this robot that I could shoot his hand out of it's socket. It now kind of reminds me of the lion Voltron, but had a pointed head, IIRC. It was similar in color scheme too, again, IIRC.

I think I got that one for Christmas one year too.  I used to love that thing.  I think it used to have things that shot out of the middle of its chest or the arm as I recall too.  Boy it's been a long time since I've seen that toy...

Anyway, the best Christmas gift I recall getting as a kid was my BB gun.  'Santa' hid it under the chair in our Living Room so that only a very small bit of the box was showing.  My dad actually had to tell me that there was another present in the room so that I would find it because all of the other presents were under the tree.

It was kind of like 'A Christmas Story', except without shooting my eye out, the Bumpus hounds or the pink bunny pj's...
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Offline darth punkinhed

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #4 on: December 5, 2008, 05:01 PM »
Wow, I can think of a lot. I remember getting a stretch monster that I thought was pretty cool at the time until it tore and I got red corn syrup everywhere. The remote controlled R2 was a favorite too but paled in comparison to the death star playset. I think I played with that the entire day. Of course I can't forget the Atari 2600. Man, I can remember a lot of good toys I wish I still had. Buck Rogers, micronauts, zeroids, Battlestar Galactica, G1 transformers, He-man... For those of you who were there here's some funny 70's flashback stuff.

plaid stallions

and who can forget

Mego Museum

Sorry if the links are bad.
« Last Edit: December 8, 2008, 09:40 AM by darth punkinhed »
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Offline Ben

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #5 on: December 5, 2008, 09:52 PM »
My fondest memories of Christmas are the years 1984-88. In '84, I started getting MOTU toys, and I finally got Battle Armor He-Man and Battle Cat that Christmas, along with a Tonka dump truck that had the back end full of Star Wars and MOTU toys.

In 1985, the only thing I remember is getting Soundwave and Smokescreen and a red plastic toboggan.
In 1986, I remember getting Serpentor, Beach Head, and Wet Suit, which are my favorite Joes to this day.
1987 was a huge year for me. I finally got my hands on some real vehicles for the GI Joe line- the Night Raven, Cobra Wolf, Triple T with Sgt. Slaughter (which was awesome in 1987), and some more figures I'm forgetting.
1988 was the last year of really great hauls. I got Snake Mountain and an NES that year, and from that year on, I seemed to get more video games than anything. I guess my folks thought I was getting too old for GI Joe toys or my interests were changing, because in 1989 when I was 8 years old, I got video games (SMB2 and Tetris), Micro Machines, and socks.
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Offline Mikey D

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #6 on: December 6, 2008, 09:21 AM »
The year I got this bad boy...

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Offline Sugart

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #7 on: December 6, 2008, 11:09 AM »
The year I got this bad boy...



Twas awesome. Mom and Dad had to hide in it the bath tub. Even though it was Mikes I got to play with it too.

I think one of my fondest x-mas memories was when I got my trampoline.

Offline jadesfire

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #8 on: December 6, 2008, 01:29 PM »
The best Christmas was when my Dad hid my Fisher Price castle and then surprised me with it later on after Christmas breakfast.

I also loved my Timey Tell doll (and most of you weren't even born yet when I got her  ;)).
Beth

Offline Matt_Fury

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #9 on: December 6, 2008, 06:24 PM »
When I was a kid, the one that stands out was the year I got my Death Star playset.  One of the other figures I got that Christmas was Hammerhead and I remember having him swing on the rope across the bridge.

Christmas 1998 stands out because a few days after Christmas my niece/Goddaughter was born.

Christmas 2001 stands out because that was the Christmas I got to hold my Nephew Tommy for the first time (he was born that September).

This year will also be special because it will be the first time I get to hold my new niece (my sister's first child...born this past September).   :D

« Last Edit: December 6, 2008, 06:25 PM by Matt_Fury »
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Offline Darth Kenobi

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #10 on: December 7, 2008, 11:04 PM »
While it wasn't when I was a kid one of the more memorable Christmas gift I got was one of my late grandmothers collectors plate named, Tommy the Clown, in 2002.  My parents decided to pass on her plates to her grandkids.  The only thing that made it less memorable was the fact that I had help them warp them.

Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #11 on: December 8, 2008, 09:11 AM »
I got the Death Star and the Falcon the same Christmas. I'll never forget that.
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Offline Brian

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #12 on: December 8, 2008, 10:26 AM »
1977-I got a whole mess of toys.

But the one that took the cake was this robot that I could shoot his hand out of it's socket. It now kind of reminds me of the lion Voltron, but had a pointed head, IIRC. It was similar in color scheme too, again, IIRC.

That thing was awesome. I managed to piss off my grandfather because he wanted to set up the racing track "Santa" brought for me. But I just wasn't interested.

That sort of reminds me of a robot I got as a kid once, sort of a rip off of Voltron from what I remember.  I don't know if it was a "name" toy by any means, but it was made up of motorcycles for the arms and legs, and I think a 3 or 4 wheeler for the chest/head.  It shot fists and things like that too, but I don't remember what it was called.  I remember playing with that robot quite a bit as a kid though.

Offline ruiner

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #13 on: December 8, 2008, 02:03 PM »
I'll never forget the year I got a carton of smokes.

Offline Mikey D

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Re: Memories of Christmas Past...
« Reply #14 on: December 8, 2008, 02:54 PM »
I'll never forget the year I got a carton of smokes.

Smoke up, Johnny!
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