Thursday, December 18, 2008

Top 5 Christmas Gifts as a kid

With two boys, ages 12 & 9, shopping this year has been quite fun...and challenging! For example, I asked them to list 5 things they wanted for Christmas. My 12 year old lists as #1 - Visa gift card, and #2 - Cash!!!! I just smile at him. He doesn't trust his parents to get him what he 'likes'.

Over dinner a couple nights ago, we were discussing our favorite gifts as kids. I'll show my age, but my Top 5 went like this:


1) Mr. Quarterback - I remember when I got this game and absolutely wore out every 9-volt battery we had!! I simply loved this gift. In fact, I just put a bid on one on Ebay!! (You can find just about anything on ebay, you know...)
2) 10-speed bike - Got that when I was 10 and remember riding it in the snow on the street Christmas morning. Rode the wheels off that thing for 8 years!!
3) Atari - Wow did Santa do a nice job of hiding this one. Came downstairs and looked under the tree and nothing. I thought for sure Santa would have set it up and had it ready to go. I was crushed. Then, WAY UNDER the tree I found the box. Had to be like Ralphie getting his Red Rider b-b gun!! (Remember when you used to have to reach behind the TV and move the selector from Game to TV? The little 2-prong adapter was a pain in the neck! Back then, the Atari game new, I remember, was $189.00 with no games. Now, go to a big-box retailer and get the thing loaded with like 20 games for $19.95 and plug it right in the front of your TV!)
4) Evil Knievel motorcycle - Come on, you remember the one...you had to put it in this stand, wind the stand, and let 'er go. The walls were never the same!!
5) Mom will swear that the Big Wheel was a favorite of mine, although I don't really remember 'getting it'. I just have an old photo (withheld for pride reasons since I had my Ninja pajamas on! - We also always got a new pair of pajamas every Christmas Eve! - A tradition we have continued in our house today). The story we love to tell about the Big Wheel was when I left it on the old floor register and melted the front tire flat. Made for some tough riding and funny 'thump' noises after that!!
All kinds of memories about toys - What were your favorite gifts you got as a kid for Christmas?
Stay on the lookout for some more 'Top 5' lists as I wind down 2008 and prepare for 2009. It is going to be a great year.

1 comment:

  1. Boy bringing back memories can be fun. I can remember Christmas as a kid.
    Before I get to my top 5, I have to tell probably my most memorable Christmas morning story. My brother and I always loved to get up as early, just to sneak downstairs to see what Santa brought. Well, one Christmas we made our way downstairs around about 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning and wouldn't you believe Santa was already at the house. It felt like the Christmas Story. Going through the presents saying "WOW that’s mine, that’s mine, oh that’s yours!!.." anyway there was a bunch of toy trucks and cars. I picked the firetruck with the ladder. We started playing around with them, when I knocked my older sisters stocking off the mantle. Stuff went everywhere!
    The funny thing was my Dad yelled downstairs "WHAT’S GOING ON DOWN THERE!" We simply replied "Nothing Dad Just playing" and to our surprise he says "OK" and went back to bed. Now that I think is the most memorable Christmas morning for me. Okay enough memories"
    My top 5 gifts
    #1 would have to be the Sidewinder! Just like the big wheel but it had a break on the side so when you’re going really fast you hit that break and do an instant 180! It was so great my friend down the street had his mom go out and buy him one a week later!
    #2 had to be the big train and tracks set that we could sit on and ride. We have home video of my dad’s dad on it and when it went around a bend he fell off.
    #3 the Nintendo was very exciting. We had a TV setup in a different room and were told after all the gifts were opened to go see if Santa left anything in the other room. Boy we was on that thing like 24x7 for two weeks. And who couldn't help laughing when your sisters playing Mario and her hands jump up and down when Mario is suppose to jump! FUNNY STUFF!
    #4 had to be the hot wheels and track. I loved that thing.
    #5 had to be spuds the talking phone dog. My dad still has this at the house and brings it out when we bring the kids over. He calls the time or a relative so the kids can see the mouth move when people talk. Nothing like seeing the dog bark to the sound of an aunt or uncle!!
    Well, this year my son will be 18 months and I think will be the beginning of a new era of getting up early and even though It isn't me doing it, I am sure it will make me feel like a kid again. Boy I cannot wait.
    Well everyone have a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Can't wait to hear the stories of post Christmas reactions to gifts.

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