DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Your favorite Christmas gift/memory.

I was in 3rd grade during the '86-'87 school year. On our old bus route to school, my buddy Rocky used to sit next to me and all he would talk about was his electric football game. - He made it seem as if the guys had moving legs, arms, etc. To me, it sounded like the most amazing contraption in the world. As Rocky talked about it, I grew more and more curious. I asked him question after question about electric football. - This is also happening in 1986 - when the Browns popularity peaked. I was obsessed with football and I figured that owning an electric football game was critical. - I had to have it. There was nothing in the world that I had ever wanted as much.

Around November, my mom and I were at Children's Palace and although she tried to keep me out of the game aisle (she knew) I went anyway. - When I saw what it really looked like, - the big, long, square cardboard box that displayed the field - complete with mini-goal posts and all, man, I wanted it more than before. I begged my mom to buy it then for me. - She didn't.

So Christmas came, and when I opened it up, mayhem ensued. I ran around the house screaming. I couldn't wait to play with it. While it wasn't as dynamic as expected, my family and I still had a great time with it. - It was fun coming up with different formations, and pretending the players were the Browns. Lotsa fun.

Nintendo 64.

It was THE toy to have in 1996. I had read the magazines and the guides. I was in awe of the 3D environments of Super Mario 64. I thought for sure 64-bits were better than the crap known as the PlayStation and Saturn.

I had known I was getting it for a month (cuz I called everywhere and I told my mom where she could get it and I put two and two together when my mom was gone the morning after Thanksgiving) and I was starting to crack. It was potentially the longest month of my life.

I got it. I loved it. I still play it to this day.

My mom bought on for my little brother for Christmas '96. - That Mario game was crazy. - We couldn't believe the graphix.

My Red Rider BB Gun.

Wow,...we just uncovered my old electric football game in Mom's attic,...gonna try to "restore" it as best as possible and put it up somewhere in the basement trophy room. Priceless.

When you get up in the years to my age,...there are just too many to remember. My Aunt "Steeler Fan" is crafty, and she handmakes us Browns nephews something every year,...tree ornament, wooden Marine color guard figure holding the flag, etc,...but one of my all time favorites is the Kennedy brand tool box Mom and Dad got me the year I came home from overseas. Had a send-in cert for a nameplate that I had inscribed "Corps and Country." A major staple in my workshop still to this day.

More recently, the wife and son got me two 8" splash cymbals for my set because they think I'm Neil Peart. Don't I wish.

But the biggest gift is when you give something to someone and they start crying--that is the best. I used to have 3 brothers and 2 are gone. So every year I try to get something for my other brother.

Got a sled for my 7th b-day. Instead of getting my gear on and running outside to try it out.....I went to the top of the stairs and took it for a spin. My family was eating breakfast and saw me fly by as I hit the foyer walkway. I'll never live that down.

Oh Wow.. This goes way way back to when we still lived in PA..

I was about 12 years old, my sis was 4 or 5.. Anyway, For Christmas, my parents bought her a Playhouse kitchen set.. Stove, Fridge, Sink etc.. in came in 4 or 5 big boxes..

Sis was asleep and Dad and I stayed up to put it together for her... Maybe the best time I ever had with Dad....

Early 80s. TRAMPOLINE!!! My sister and I ran out to jump on it the second we saw it. Still in our PJs and bare feet. My Mom flipped. We jumped on that sucker for years until it finally ripped.

Two words: Millennium Falcon

j/c

Wolfenstein 3D on my computer.
6 MB...it would run on a 286 maybe...386 DX recommended. We had a 486 SX (not as good as a 486 DX) but almost as fast. 25 MHz processor.

Doom 2, sometime back in '94. 20 MB game...big and beautiful.

but the most important christmas memory is just the past few with a non-dysfunctional family.

My favorite Christmas gift memory is a gift we bought for our youngest son Chris.

He wanted this car racing set called "Sky Fighters"...some convoluted, loop the loop electric car set...banked turns, 3ft high loop, the whole deal.

I guess he might have been about 6...it was his last "Santa" Christmas.

I was up until 2am setting the thing up as the last damn part wouldn't fit. I really was getting pissed and surprised I didn't break the thing...I am good at doing that...I set it up in the den, away from the normal package unwrapping area.


With video camera in hand, it was priceless to hear him scream "SKYFIGHTERRRRRRS" as he entered the room.





I thank God to this day for that moment. It way more than paid back the 3 hours to set up the thing.

If you think Ralphie's dad got satisfaction out of the moment his kid got his Red Rider BB Gun, you should have seen me that morning.

I am smiling and tearing as I type this.

That was my Christmas moment.

'Peen I knew you would deliver here. Thanks

j/c

#1 for me has to be the Christmas of '07. I wanted a Playstation 3 and a Joe Thomas jersey, as well as a few other odds and ends. Those were the main two though. I knew the PS3 was coming, as I had seen the confirmation email, and it was just obvious.

I thought I was going to get the JT jersey, but I was far from certain. Then, come Christmas morning, probably about the 3rd present I opened, came the jersey. I opened the box to seeing a brown jersey with white numbers. Then with shock, I noticed the number 73 was sown on. With shock in my eyes, and my mouth wide open, I uttered the word, "Authentic". The next year I got a white JT jersey, but the first one is much more memorable, and the story is often told.

#2 is seeing my mom cry after reading the poem I wrote her. It's a close second.

Christmas when I was 10, it was 1969.

My Aunt Teena and Uncle Sherman (God rest his soul) gave me a present that was a tad bit odd shaped, enlongated box, about a foot but thin. I tore off the wrapping to discover a box with a picture of a large wooden salt/pepper shaker on it. The look of confusion on my face had to be priceless. I just said, "wow, thank you" and proceeded to remove my salt shaker from it's box.

Upon opening the box it revealed four "D" size batteries. Okay this was weird. First a salt shaker for a 10 year old was really odd but to find batteries instead, what the heck was I going to do with those batteries?

I hadn't noticed that my Uncle Sherman had slipped outside of the room while I was opening the batteries. I noticed him coming back in however, carrying a new Hot Wheels set! Best Christmas ever!

A little bit older than Ammo...

I got THE gift. An ATARI video game system. I used to beg to go to Sears or Hills Department store and stand and wait for other kids to get off the game so I could play. When I got that game, man was I happy.

Now every Christmas morning that I wake up is the best gift.

Best gifts in order:
1. ATARI (age 10 I think)
2. (plastic) Dinosaurs (age 7)
3. TCR (Total Control Racing) - slotless "slotcar" racing set where the car ca change lanes and pass.
4. 5-speed bike (age 9)
5. Matel Electronic Football hand held game.

One of those table-top hockey games where you use rods to push the players. Very cool game, better than any video hockey game. I was probably about eight or nine, and I wanted one badly.
Mom hid it so after I opened all my presents, I was one unhappy kid until she told me to look behind the couch, where it was standing on its side. I got a lot of use from that game.

Five years ago, the first Christmas of me and my now-wife living together. Months and months prior, she told me no guy had ever bought her diamonds, ever... not as a hint (so I think haha) but just with a bit of sadness, of maybe no one ever seeing her as important enough to buy 'em for her.
I got her a nice diamond necklace, more than I could realistically afford to be honest. She started crying when she unwrapped it and it was probably the smartest gift I ever bought.

Christmas is great, magical even... especially when your wants become less important than someone else's.
I truly enjoy the music and the lighted trees, and the company of those I care most about.

when i have my own house, i am totally getting one of those hockey games

Favourite present I received was my first ever ZX Spectrum + 48k .... It must have been around the mid 80s and I remember opening the present and playing Frank Bruno's Boxing. At the time it was the most advanced game on the Spectrum. A few years ago I downloaded a Spectrum Emulator on my pc and played Frank Brunos Boxing .... I was genuinely shocked at how bad the game was (nothing like how I remembered!)

Favourite present I gave was a letter to my Mum saying everything I always wanted to say but hadn't actually said to her. My Mum was, is and always will be the most important person in my life. It's weird knowing the next time I see that letter will be after her passing ....

Christmas 1988, my father got us tickets to the Browns and Oilers playoff game on Christmas Eve at Muni. It was the first game I ever went to. I was only 10 and very much a die hard. We had great seats on the 45 just under the overhang behind the Oilers bench.

I remember the smell of beer and cigs filling the stadium. I remember the chanting of "Houston Sucks" and just sitting in my seat in awe, as I was actually watching the likes of Langhorne, Slaughter, Dixon and Mini in person. It felt like a dream.

Walking into the bathroom there was an inch or so of what i thought was water on the ground. I told my dad, hey they have a sink or toilet leaking...he looked at me and said "Son, that's not water".

We lost that one, but i remember the fights, so many fights and penalties in that game. I was so hooked and I still am to this day.

As my Dad and I walked out of the stadium heading to the truck i looked back at Muni and saw the lights glowing overhead and I said to myself this was the best Christmas ever. My dad then put his arm around me and said, "Son this was the best Christmas ever".

i remember being young asking my dad if he would get seats for us to the dawg pound

his answer "uh, no."

j/c....

The Brown's had just beat the Oiler's on The Mack attack!
Mom came out with a gift...A Clock with Byner, Mack ,Kosar,Dixon & Minifield on it along with the 6foot dogbone I used to take to game's.....Before that, I was 10 years old and realy wanted a compound bow, we were all done opening gift's and dad said to me to go to the closet and get him some batteries...There was a brand new Bear bow! ...Great memories.

My current favorite christmas memory has to do with my youngest daughter and son. My daughter was 2 and my son wasn't quite 1. We had just driven to my parent's house in VA from northern MD through one of the worse ice and snow storms on record. My route took me around the DC beltway, down 95, and east on 64. DOT actually closed part of 64 after I got through that area. All in all, it was a harrowing 8 hour trip with ice, snow, accidents, lunatics, and a terrified wife next to me. This drive usually took me 4 hours in good weather.

I had gotten my son one of those driving toys that squeeks, beeps, ratchetsn etc, and like a true baby, he decided to play with the box. My daughter excitedly sits down with the driving toy and proceeds to see what all the noisemakers are. My parents, wife, sister, her husband, my other kids, niece, and the camcorder are all in the room, cleaning up after my son was finished opening his swag.

Suddenly, my daughter beeps the horn on the car toy, and just like daddy's little girl, she yells out, "STUPID B1TCH!!" in front of every one. Eveything stopped. Without missing a beat, I turned to my wife and said, "I told you to watch your mouth on the drive down", and she responded by smacking me on the shoulder. The laughter continued for abou 5 minutes, and I actually saw tears from mom and dad they were laughing so hard. I explained away my daughter's new found language skills as something she would need in 14 years anyway, especially around DC.

It was a good christmas.

1) Giving my Mom a picture of our first ultrasound when she had no clue we were pregnant.

2) Wasn't the funnest at the time, but in 2004, I believe, there was a huge ice storm. I was still living with my parents at the time and they lost all power. My mom went over to my sister's house and my Dad and I just hung out in the dark and cold house.

We figured the power would be off for a few hours then would kick back on. Nope. I think it was off for 3 days And, the outside temperature was extremely low, perhaps even negative. So, the temp in the house dropped quickly.

We put the 2 dogs in the basement since it wouldn't get below about 50 or so there and my Dad and I put on a battery powered radio and did a puzzle by flashlight. I ended up sleeping with 3 layers of clothes on and big boots. And I was still cold.

We ended up sleeping at my sister's house the next night and my aunt's house the following night.

Add in that my sister had the flu, which I got the last day, and it was certainly memorable. We can look back and laugh at it now.