Archive for the 'Christmas Morning' Category



Christmas Morning, 1977: Magnavox Odyssey 2000

Christmas Odyssey In Ink 1-3-78

The Odyssey 2000 (1977) was the 7th iteration of the original Odyssey, the very first home video game console, designed by Ralph H. Baer. As many of you have heard, Baer passed away on December 5th. Pong, though much more popular, was essentially a knock-off of the Odyssey’s Tennis game, and so the history of home consoles begins with Baer, not Bushnell.

The owl calculator is The Little Professor, a “learning aid” that presents mathematical problems for the user to solve. There’s an emulator, if you want to give it a go.

 

Christmas Morning, 1975 and 1976: Pong

Christmas 1975 Pong

Christmas Pong 1976

The first photo comes from DudesLife and shows the brothers playing the first commercial home version of Pong, the Sears-exclusive “Tele-Games” Pong.

In the second photo, via Michael Schroeder, dad and son play what looks like Atari’s C-100 Pong, released in 1976. (Pat Schroeder, seen in the poster on the wall, was the first woman from Colorado to be elected to Congress.)

The shot below (source unknown) shows the Super Pong (C-140) box on a Christmas morning in ’76 or ’77. Super Pong featured four games, while the other versions played only one. Compare all the versions at Pong Story.

Christmas 1970s Pong

Christmas Morning, 1982: AT-AT and Big Trak

Christmas 1982-2

Christmas 1982-1

Christmas 1982-3

Christmas 1982-4

Christmas 1982-5

Daniel Baker, you are one lucky kid. I arranged the shots in what I think is consecutive order. First, we see the massive AT-AT box unwrapped. Second, dad works diligently to assemble AT-AT while kids opens the Big Trak. Third, kid puts finishing touches on the Walker as assorted Star Wars figures look on. Fourth, the Big Trak (the separately sold Transporter is in the foreground) goes for a pre-programmed spin. Fifth, kid sits on mom’s lap, admiring his toy domain, exhausted by happiness.

More Christmas morning AT-ATs here.

Christmas Morning, 1983: Castle Grayskull

Christmas 1983 Grayskull

The photo is via Corimarti, who nails down the scene: “A sailor suit AND Castle Grayskull? Not fair!”

It’s also not fair that that gloriously raunchy carpet is not in my house. (MOTU goes best with rust-colored rugs, apparently.)

Christmas Morning, 1984: G.I. Joe

Christmas 1984

Here you see the Cobra Stinger, the Cobra Rattler, the Wolverine, and the Dragonfly—some of the most beautiful toys ever produced in arguably the most distinctive toy packaging ever designed. I still get butterflies in my stomach when I see the boxes and cards.

(Photo via Eric Anderson/Flickr)

Christmas Morning, 1982: Texas Instruments TI-99/4A

Christmas 1982

Rob Flickenger, outfitted in pale blue Batman pajamas, is pretty stoked about getting his first computer. I also see a Stomper, a paintable Ewok figurine (similar to the Yoda seen here), and a Garfield plush under the tree.

Well done, sir.

Christmas Morning, 1983: Dark Tower and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Toys

Christmas 1983 Dark Tower

Ho ho ho. The first shot of the Christmas season comes from Brett Hudoba via Board Game Geek. The big, beautiful Dark Tower box is unforgettable, thanks to artist Bob Pepper. The game—I probably got it in 1983 as well—anchored a corner of my closet for many years.

The AD&D Sword & Dagger Set! In the wild! There were a few other sets, and you can see them all in the 1984 Placo Toys Catalog.

There are two AD&D LJN action figures in the shot: Northlord is guarding the plant, and Strongheart (above the Garfield plush) awaits release from his packaging.

The shirt appears to be homemade, the illustration taken from the Blue Dragon card in TSR’s Dungeon! board game. Ladies and gentlemen, you have entered the presence of the nerd elite.

Oh, and I had a version of that scratchy old chair.

Christmas Morning, 1985: The U.S.S. Flagg

chrsitmas morning u.s.s. flagg

That’s right, suckers. There it is. Definitely the biggest playset ever made, and one of the baddest. Reader Don Allen sent this in just after Christmas last year. I’ve been waiting a long time to show it off. Don says:

Yeah, I was THAT kid. As you can see I also got the G.I. Joe Rattler and looks like some other small vehicle… My dad spent the night putting this thing together and putting the decals on, and I was pretty damn surprised in the morning. Wish I still had it!

When this photo was taken we lived in Bristol, Tennessee, so not sure where my parents picked it up from. Possibly Sears. I remember my dad saying they had a hard time finding one. As far as I remember, I don’t recall actually asking for the Flagg. I know they knew I wanted it as I loved G.I. Joe and real life aircraft carriers, so I’m sure when my dad saw it he knew I’d love it. So yeah, it was a complete surprise to get it! Sadly, I ended up selling this at a garage sale around 1994 or so. Wish I still had it. It was still 100% complete and in good condition, as this was always the centerpiece of my toy collection!

To get a better idea of just how big it is, here’s the Flagg in a brilliant Joe display in the 1985 Montgomery Ward Catalog.

MW Catalog Flagg 1985

Thanks for the awesome pic, Don.

Happy Holidays to All!

Christmas Morning, 1978: Battlestar Galactica and the Old Chair

Christmas 1978 2W2N

Yours truly, aged six, holding the triple-missile-firing Colonial Scarab. I had the original Viper and Cylon Raider too, before they were reissued with non-firing missiles.

The weird thing about the BSG line is that the vehicles came with 2-inch figures that fit into the cockpits, so you couldn’t actually use—not without awkwardness, anyway—the official 3¾” figures with the vehicles.

BSG Scarab 1978

BSG Scarab 1978-2

There’s a race track on my left, possibly the Hot Wheels Double Scare Speedway. Wish I knew what was in those other presents. I’m assuming Star Wars. The green one right in front of me looks tasty, right? Is that a Micronaut next to my right knee? A jigsaw puzzle next to my left knee?

Let me tell you about that chair. It rocked and swiveled, and when my parents weren’t around I beat the everliving crap out of it. I flung myself into it at full speed, rode it like a bucking bronco, rolled off the top when it bent all the way back and slammed against the ground. I put one knee on it and spun myself around like it was a cheap playground merry-go-round. I hid unwanted food items in its crevices.

It was Tatooine, G.I. Joe Headquarters, an obstacle in the Danger Room, a rock that hid me from the Ringwraiths, a starfighter.

I curled up on it every morning and watched cartoons on the only TV in the house.

That damn chair was hideous-looking, dirtier than a dump, and dangerous as a box of rattlers.

How I miss it.

* * *

One more post on Monday, and that’s it for me until 2014. I’ve got a nasty cold, and my plan this weekend is to stay in bed and watch Christmas movies. It’s time for the kid to meet Santa and the Three Bears

Christmas Morning, 1978: Everything! (Part Two)

Regular readers will know by now the legend of Mikey Walters. D&D module designer, video game programmer, filmmaker, and compelling interview subject, Mikey has recently unearthed some jaw-dropping home video of several Christmas mornings in the 1970s.

See Mikey caress the Death Star! See Mikey fire the Laser Rifle! See Mikey apply decals to the Tie Fighter, play Electroman with his awesome Dad (“Hi, Mom!”), test the crank of the Star Bird Command Base, from which he launches his Star Bird Avenger into the stars! It’s a video prelude to the photo I posted of Mikey last year.

Here’s another one. Christmas, 1976. Look at him go!

Toys seen here include the incredible Star Trek Mission to Gamma VI playset and a Star Trek Tricorder; The Six Million Dollar Man Mission Control Center and Bionic Transport and Repair Station; the Earthquake Tower (“World’s tallest playset!”); and—wait for it—the Space: 1999 Eagle 1.

See all the videos on Mikey’s YouTube channel, and read about Mikey’s memories of those mornings on his blog.

There was a time when our biggest worry was which amazing present to open first. Here it is, in living color.


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