Asklemmy

It was 1979. The Bakshi Lord of the Rings rotoscope movie had come out, and I was in love with it. I had already read LotR a few times and, as terrible as it might look in hindsight, it was fantastic for very young me. It was part of a small collection of action figures released in support of the movie. I probably should have wanted Gandalf based on the character, but he made for a pretty crappy action figure.

It was literally the only thing I wanted that year. Honestly, I’m not sure I wanted anything quite so badly before or since. Christmas morning came and went and although I got any number of presents I’ve since forgotten, I didn’t get the ringwraith.

My parents pulled a Christmas Story on me more than a decade before that movie came out. I was doing the complete Ralph thing where I was trying not very hard to hide my disappointment. Then they sprang on me, and the day absolutely transformed.

Not only did the Nazgûl wade through Star Wars action figures like a farmer in a field of wheat, but I convinced my friend that it was a limited edition figure of the yet-to-be-seen Emperor from Return of the Jedi, which would not come out for a few more years.

It's one I gave myself: I told my adult and nearly adult sons this year that we aren't doing Xmas anymore because we're atheist and anti-capitalist and as a holiday it is counter to our beliefs. The kids didn't care and I'm off the hook from now on. Best Xmas gift ever!

A fitness watch. Having a more accurate estimate of calories burned makes it easier to maintain a consistent calorie deficit every day. Down 20 pounds since Xmas!

A Wacom Graphire tablet! This was in the early 2000’s, and my friends pooled their money to get it for me because they knew I liked to draw. I made graphics for all of my clubs and orgs and then ended up working as an illustrator through college and beyond. I used the original tablet until it broke and then moved on to the Intuos. I actually don’t draw anymore but that was definitely one of the most thoughtful and well-used gifts I’ve gotten.

Xmas 2006, 2008 and 2011: The years i recieved a PSOne, PS2 and PS3 respectively.

I literally used each one of them until they broke down, but man they gave me memories that will last an entire life :)

A Star Trek Voyager mug. That was the first time that a girl (my first girlfriend) took the time to go to a store and get a present for me. (Star Trek goods weren't easy to find in Germany.)
LLAP 🖖

Not a Xmas gift but a Valentine gift. My girlfriend offered me the Board game remake of Dune 2019 because I would talk a lot about how to mechanics looked wonderful, but never came to buy of the price. I went crazy when I received it and even though it was a complexe game I new all the rules already when I received it. I play it like 3 times max a year but I make it a big thing, there is a small prize for the winner of the first game (Last Time it was a set of Spices from the Groceries) and I still know all the rules and could start a game instantly now

Probably a go-kart with a 5HP Briggs and Stratton motor. No roll bars. I almost killed myself multiple times.

A Nintendo Wii. It was my first game console. Super Mario Galaxy came with it and it remains one of my favorite games of all time. I wish I still had it so I could give SMG2 a shot.

Sega Megadrive, Xmas 1990 (or maybe 91?). Loved it. Still love it.

My sister got me an electric blanket some Christmases ago, one of the thick ones that heats up when you plug it in. I use it all the time - best xmas gift ever!

A fully working GBA SP and Pokémon Red. I ended up not liking Red as much as other entries but I still use the system to this day.

Charizard in a pokeball.

I grew up poor as shit, so that's a minor miracle in my books.

My mom gave me 4 large bags of homemade beef jerky! Each bag contained a batch of beef jerky with her homemade spice blends! It was soooo good!!!!!!

When I was 10, we got the Nintendo 64 for Christmas, it came with Super Mario World and my mom also got Goldeneye 64. Fun times were had for many years on that console. I still miss the single joystick.

As 10yo a huge box of Fischertechnik material. It kept me and my fantasy busy for years.

One of those cheap wire head scratcher things. It’s like a headgasm.

If we're talking straight Christmas gifts, from the ones I remember, my Dreamcast I got a couple Christmases ago.

In general, I'd say my switch has been a really good gift as well since it has allowed me to actually play an official pokemon game (violet) on actual hardware instead of emulator. And I only picked up violet because I didn't have anything else I really wanted all that badly at the game store.

A standout to me is my uncle once got me the ancient Japanese board game "Go". Totally unprompted but right up my ally. I just remember being touched about how thoughtful it was.