Everyone has that memorable childhood gift that was waiting under the tree on Christmas morning. Or for those of us in the tribe, handed to us after the lighting of the eighth menorah candle. It’s the gift that we made us smile instantly when we opened it. Even if we only played with it for a few minutes and moved on to the next hot toy.
These are the gifts that each Mascola employee remembers most from childhood. You’ll find a nice mix of (what was then) the latest technology, treasured toys, and even sweaters. A certain computer game appears to have been a huge hit. Maybe you’ll find your favorites on the list, too. If not, we’d love to hear about them in the Comments!
MASCOLA’S FAVORITE PRESENTS WITH ACCOMPANYING CHRISTMAS GIFT ADS
Michelle’s Favorite: Sony Walkman
Long before Beats, Spotify, or the iPod came into existence, the pinnacle of music technology was a little cassette player you could take with you anywhere, throw on the headphones, and dance like a maniac. I wanted one with every fiber of my being. My parents gave it to me one Hanukkah in the mid-80s (following 7 nights of socks and underwear). And the smile on my face remained for many years. At least until the bulkier but smoother-sounding Discman came into play. As a music lover, this was the best gift a girl could ask for. Which was why I was so excited when the first iPod commercials (my favorite commercials ever) first ran 20 years later.
Nick D’s Favorite: Nintendo Entertainment System
I don’t remember what year it was when we got it, but I’ll never forget coming downstairs that Christmas morning, unwrapping that NES and my brother and I losing our minds with happiness. We played Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt until our mom had to rip the controllers/light gun from our hands and force us to go to Grandma’s for the family Christmas party. To this day, the mocking sound of that dog laughing when you lose in Duck Hunt haunts me.
Vin’s Favorite: Nintendo Entertainment System
Similar to my colleague Nick D., my favorite all-time Christmas present was the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) – circa 1988. For the better part of the next two years, I committed myself to mastering such 8-bit classics as Super Mario Brothers, Mike Tyson’s Punch Out, and Tecmo Super Bowl. (My undying appreciation for Tecmo Super Bowl is also why I love Kia’s new Tecmo-themed ads featuring Bo Jackson.)
Patti’s Favorite – Mohair Sweater
As a young teenager I desperately wanted a yellow mohair sweater. I was so excited the day I opened it. But as soon as I tried it on, I realized it was not necessarily the best gift. Way too itchy. But it looked great!
Chuck’s Favorite: A Sweet Bike – Schwinn
My first real bike was a very used, nondescript hand-me-down from my neighbor when I was six years old. While I was thrilled to get it, when this beautiful Schwinn showed up under the tree on Christmas morn a few years later, I knew I was destined to be the cool kid in the neighborhood. I didn’t turn out that way, but I adored this Christmas gift — and I still do!
JP’s Favorite: A Sweet Bike – Haro Shredder BMX
In 6th Grade there was a direct correlation between how cool you were and which BMX bike you rode (in 7th Grade that gauge evolved to which Starter jacket you wore). After learning the truth about Santa, I was never one to ask for extravagant gifts from my parents, but my future popularity was in jeopardy if I didn’t land myself a killer bike. Without any real guidance my parents managed to surprise me on Christmas morning with a brand new Haro Shredder. It was all chrome with hot pink lettering down the side, and chrome pegs on the back. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I never learned how to do a single trick, but I loved that bike up until the day it was stolen from a friend’s backyard. Easy come, easy go!
Kelly’s Favorite: Polly Pockets
One of my favorite toys when I was little was Polly Pockets, the teeny, tiny dolls whose houses could fit in your pocket. They’re so cute and compact, with all of the accessories of normal dolls. The added bonus is that I could bring them with me wherever I went. I remember owning the ballerina set shown in this commercial, one of the many Polly Pocket homes I had. So fun to play with, but unfortunately also very easy to lose.
Nick H’s Favorite: G.I. Joe (Snake Eyes)
In a house with three boys, G.I. Joe action figures were always a hit at Christmas. I can’t even remember if one of my brothers or I actually got Snake Eyes from Santa, but he was definitely the coolest of all the G.I. Joe figures – the one we all wanted to play with and argued about incessantly.
Lauren’s Favorite: Creepy Crawlers Super Oven
As a December birthday and an only child, this time of year was a month-long gift fest. For my birthday, I got an Easy Bake Oven. Not only did my favorite cousin Timothy make fun of me for such a girly gift, I also soon learned that I was terrible at baking (a fact that is still true to this day). So for Christmas, I had to have the Creepy Crawlers Super Oven, which is basically an Easy Bake Oven that makes little plastic bugs instead of cupcakes. Turns out I was awful at making those too, but at least I could make my cousin jealous because my version came with a mold to make my own Power Rangers. Suck it, Tim!
Kevin’s Favorite: Nintendo 64
My favorite gift as a child was probably my Nintendo 64, not to be confused with the original, more inferior system noted by Vin and Nick D above. It was “The world’s first 64-bit home video game system.” I couldn’t wait to load up Super Mario 64 and get lost in a new world. Big open world adventures and local multiplayer with up to 4 people was a dream come true! I was the coolest kid on the block for about a month, until everyone else got their own.
Rachael’s Favorite: Electronic Skip It
It may not be the favorite gift I ever received, but it was definitely one of the ones I wanted most. I remember seeing the ads for Skip It for months before I finally got one for the holidays. And like most toys, it lived up to the hype – for the first five minutes.