CHRISTMAS GIFTS 40 Years Ago | Toys & Action Figures from 1983: What We Got Under the Tree in 1983

[@mikerohlfs2836]

Brother, I still have areas in my house where you will find a Gi Joe figure, in the junk cabinet under the couch lol, I'm 48 and I never grew up lol.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

That truly makes me happy. Don't! Sadly I had too many nieces and nephews come behind me, and although I'm glad they played with most if my toys from childhood...they did not treat them as I did. I do have about 7 naked SW figures now from those good ol days

[@poolkennedy7611]

You are very cool 😎

[@baxtronx5972]

Still trying to find my Garbage Pail Kids series 1 cards.

[@acts2.387]

I finally have the strawberry shortcake house in my bedroom,also the minis,thanks to my 26 year old son that gave it to me for Christmas! 🍰I’ll be 50 this year

[@christopherbaker9676]

I was lucky enough to have been a kid in the 80s. Happiest times of my life. I would give anything just to go back. Better days

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I straddle kid of 70s and 80s, so best of both worlds for me. But I too believe they were just better days.

[@JackSullivanVideos]

I just wanted to thank you for posting this video. It brought me to tears. I lost my father this year in April and your work recalled so many beautiful memories for me, I can't thank you enough for creating this piece of content. I expect it to be a very lonely Christmas season without him around this year. Thank you again!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I am so glad it brought you some joy. I imagine it will be different and difficult. But it sounds like you are fortunate to have so many wonderful memories to recall and hopefully bring you a smile. It makes me smile that you enjoyed this as I do it simply to reminisce, myself and with the hopes it brings some wonder and happiness to others. Take Care.

[@scrappy00001]

Our neighbor had a big wheel and we had a steep driveway. It was the perfect combination for 80’s fun.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

That is 1980s FUN. I can imagine me doing that right now, and hoping I don't go into the street while a car comes and runs me over, lol. That steep drive way makes it all the better.

[@baxtronx5972]

I lived at the end of a court with 15 neighbors with big wheels. It was a NASCAR event.

[@heidipye3488]

When you cracked the tire and still rode it!😂 Thump thump thump thump. Took alot of effort, yet was still fun.❤

[@samanthab1923]

I knew how fun those things were. Had three younger brothers & we lived on a hill. Had my son in 1996, would pick them up at rummage or garage sales. He’d wear out the wheels 😂

[@jpthompson]

Soooooooo many memories from this one! I had everything Smurfy that I could find.. sheets, stuffed Smurfs and TONS of the pvc friends. I wish I still had all of them!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I put in smurfs first BECAUSE IF YOU. Of course, I could do a full show, but I'm glad you liked it.

[@francoisregis2155]

Still got the small figures maybe I should take them out and let them breathe on a shelf

[@justmejenny7986]

I still have my Smurfs sheet set.

[@krisrhood2127]

I have 4 Cabbage Patch Kids. I never wanted anything so much. I still love them

[@GENXPERIENCE]

It makes me thrilled you still have them...and take care of them.

[@lisae7976]

I was 11, I think, when I got a Smurf sleeping bag for a gift. I loved that thing! We never went camping. I did get to use it for sleep overs at our house at least. Fun times! So many amazing toys back then.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Absolutely, and it is nice to hear someone else who had those sleeping bags. I had the Crayola one, lol. But wanted others. Still love it, though. Thank you

[@lisae7976]

​@@GENXPERIENCE I wanted more too. I loved the one I had. You're welcome. Thank you so much for responding. I appreciate it.😊

[@BLACKPOLO14]

I burst out laughing at that photo of the burning house with the Fire Department responding and that little girl with the smug look on her face, hilarious!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Just had to. It worked perfectly, lol. Thanks

[@lailiakadaisy]

I TOTALLY forgot about Glamour Gals!! I had some and now I miss them!!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

A viewer reminded me, SO I ADDED them to this show. I think they were pretty fancy...for their short 2 years. Thanks for commenting and the view.

[@retrogamingrocks]

Love your channel, so many memories. I had all the star wars stuff, many Gi joe action figures, Masters of the universe. The 80s was the best era, so many happy memories, so many fun times, a care free life, so many friends. I hate this era, i would give up everything to return to the 80s

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Thank you by the way. I totally agree about such an amazing and imaginative era we were all inspired by. As much as I would like to go back....it would be just for a visit...but maybe still whenever I wanted to (just don't want to live it all again, lol). Thanks for the view and the comment.

[@francoisregis2155]

Id do the same to go back in the 80’s boy we had cool toys and we had lots of fun

[@emilyminchew6131]

I love this video! I was in upper elementary school in 1983. We had the best toys! Long live Strawberry Shortcake and friends! I still have my large collection of SS dolls.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Great time, great era of toys. the OG Strawberry Shortcake collection was incredible. Those smells, and the creative pets. Keep those things safe, and thanks for watching.

[@Starrgroove]

For Christmas 1983, I received the AD&D Fortress of Fangs and our family gift was an Atari 5200. Needless to say, it was quite a memorable Christmas.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I believe it. The fortress of fangs is pretty legendary.

[@troyc4250]

Ahhh the Wishbooks!!! And you’re right about the transition from kid to teen meant phone time and a still playing with toys until the toys were completely left behind. Children now leave the toy playing and imagination time too early.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

way too early. We enjoyed them for longer back then...but at least we had that time, experience, memories.

[@EdsterIII]

I was born in 1967, so the 70's were my childhood and I loved it! From the Mego Superheroes action figures, to the Planet of the Apes, to Evel Knievel Stunt Cycles, to SSP's racers, to TYCO/AFX, to Star Wars. Throw in the Electronic Football game, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, etc and you had toy heaven for kids. And one place every kid loved, Toys R Us! But also there were 2 books/magazines that came out a few months before Christmas🎄. The JC Penny's Christmas Catalog and the Sears Wish Book! Those two publications were absolutely the most iconic pre-Christmas items you could get. I'd spend HOURS & HOURS & HOURS paging through those books. From 1972 to 1984 I'd try and make sure to get one or both. Those were the most amazing times. Christmas back then seems so different now compared to then. Obviously my age has changed and has something to do with it, but Christmas back then was special! The anticipation was incredible! After 🎃👻Halloween👻🎃 it began! After Thanksgiving it got REAL....LOL. The Shopping Malls were lit up, decorated, and music was everywhere! It was special everywhere you went. Going to Church with Grandma and Grandpa was special. And when you'd hear the CBS spinning Special Presentation on 📺🖥TV🖥📺 you knew you were in for an hour or so of great Television! Such a wonderful experience to be a kid! It was truly amazing! Really enjoyed this video, and I definitely subscribed! Thank you for sharing this with us. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and God Bless you all!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Thank you so much for sharing such incredible memories. Although I was born in the middle of Gen X, and did have some of these memories first hand, it was because I was the youngest of a VERY LARGE family that all of things were very normal to me...and I loved them. They made our time so beautiful. We had it good and this stuff helped. Thank you for watching, thank you for commenting, and have a great year.

[@EdsterIII]

​@@GENXPERIENCEThank you for answering so quickly. Wow, I'm not used to content creator's being so fast with answering comments. Having a big family had to be a really great time for Christmas 🎄. My Mom was married once before my Dad and she had four kids with him. However my Dad wasn't ever really accepted by them. Nor was I. So in a sense I was an only child. My Grandparents moved from Ashland, Wisconsin to Cudahy, Wisconsin and then to Franklin right across the street from us. Now my family was far from perfect. A family member had battles with alcoholism as well as other issues. However we always made Christmas as perfect as possible. My Grandparents helped raise me, and they were incredibly generous, warm, and loving people. On Christmas Eve we'd get together at my Grandparents house. I would get a gift to play with while we had a huge variety of snacks from the Relish tray! Celery sticks, 🥕carrot🥕sticks🥕, sweet pickles, kosher dill pickles, 🥒cucumbers🥒my Dad soaked in a vinegar bowl 🥣, black olives, Ritz Crackers, and the cheese in the can that you "squeezed" out through a plastic nozzle. And my Parents and Grandparents loved Herring.....ugh! 🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮 Sorry my point was after the snacking and I got to give my Grandpa and Grandma their 🎁presents🎁, we'd head back home. However during the excitement my Dad and Grandpa would sneak out to our house across the street. So once I arrived I got to see, if there was snow that is, but they'd make Reindeer 👣👣tracks👣👣 and Sleigh tracks in the yard. Plus my Dad would use that "canned" spray snow and he'd write, "🎅Santa🎅Claus🎅 was here!" Inside the house the milk and cookies were "eaten" and presents were everywhere. On this specific night it happened a little earlier than morning because one of my presents was a puppy! We celebrated a bit early but it was still one of the most incredible days of my young life. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share these memories. My health has deteriorated quite a bit over the last few years. These memories keep me smiling when I'm not always in the best of moods. I was diagnosed with the same illness that took my Mom's life, emphysema, and also heart disease. Back in those days as kids our imaginations would run wild! We had Atari but we loved building forts, playing football, baseball, basketball, whatever, as long as we were outside! It was as I said a truly different time back then. Nobody had their lives dominated by smartphones. Take care and enjoy life. Family is the most important and precious gift we have.

[@mikerohlfs2836]

When I think about it, I can't say that I didn't have all the Jedi toys,I even had the Rankor keeper. We were very poor, but Christmas was huge, I'm pretty sure my Grandparents paid for our Christmas, man we had a great childhood.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

We really did. Just something we can wax poetic about. We were not well off, either. Figures were all we could get, no vehicles or beasts, but I didn't mind, my parents did a great job of providing. Loved what they could do. Thanks for sharing.

[@francoisregis2155]

I made a Star Wars death star with the box of my dad work boots and damn it was cool we weren’t rich but with some figs and a lot of imagination I had fun for hours

[@samanthab1923]

Circus Pants? I love the Racor ❤

[@mikerohlfs2836]

Is it Rankor or Racor? I honestly don't know, I always thought it was Rankor but that is based on absolutely nothing.

[@samanthab1923]

@@mikerohlfs2836 Rancor 👌🏻

[@mczilla8628]

Wow nostalgia rush what an awesome year great video!!!!!!!!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Thanks! And you got that right. 83 was epic!

[@botboy6977]

Got my first “real” boom box Christmas’83 and I still have it somewhere! My sis who’s almost 5 years younger got her Cabbage Patch Doll. Mom waited in a long line outside the store to get it for her.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Okay, you did 83 right. What a great time...and great mom.

[@theunspoke815]

I was 8!! Thank you!! I got almost everything you listed & my cuz got the boy stuff!! Altho I never got into Barbie or Cabbage Patch. ❤❤The Good Ole Days❤❤

[@GENXPERIENCE]

You got that right. GOOD OL' DAYS. SOunds like a blast with you and your cuz. Thanks for sharing.

[@Frizzlefrail]

52 y/o that was a good xmas👍👍

[@GENXPERIENCE]

So much WONDER

[@shaolin1derpalm]

1983bwas such a big era of change in my life that Christmas 83 seems 3 years removed from spring 83. In my brain, MOTU, Gi Joe cartoon and ROTJ were years apart.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

That is very interesting. Like you 83 was HUGE...but funny about how things seem so separate. Thanks for the comment.

[@shaolin1derpalm]

@@GENXPERIENCE Basically, September 1983 was 1984 to me. I moved to a small town, Tv shows changes so fast. Aesthetics and music changed so fast. I felt like my past up to September 1983 disappeared in the blink of an eye.

[@jasonesler2716]

So true! Toys today are a fraction of the experience they are today.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I know they have them, but they just aren't the same....and they grow out of them too quickly, too. Lol

[@kimbingham6540]

My older siblings were around that time and were lucky to get those presents for Christmas that year. As for me, I was born 3 years later.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

1983 was a good year for those late Gen Xers, but if you were born in 1986....you still had some great years in those early Gen Y days. They had a few years of good stuff, lol. Thanks for the comment and view.

[@francoisregis2155]

Ah the mattel videos games I had the hockey game and the race game from Tommy and after 40 years they still work like back in xmas 82 Thanks for sharing

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Wow. Still work. Those things were magic and what I thought were the highest tech we'd ever get. Thanks for the view.

[@francoisregis2155]

Yes they still work I always took good care of my toys and games Even my Atari 2600 that I got on xmas 83 still works although I had to change some things like the game/tv switch and joysticks but the thing still works I might take it out on xmas eve to play 😃

[@loganxdanstoys5487]

I had like 5 or 6 Smerfs, my favorite was a Smerfs holding a pumpkin, I believe he came with a snail and a wagon i never got the mushroom houses. They were in the middle of my mall in a little glass shop, I would get them every time I went to the mall. I also had transformers, G.I.Joe and He-Man. One Christmas I got Castle grey skull and snake mountain. I also had star wars. One Christmas I got the AT-AT walker. And a Tie fighter and Darth Vendors tie fighter. Now I'm in my late 40s and I collect Marvel Legends, G.I. JOE Classified, and Star Wars black. I still get myself toys for Christmas but this time I buy them for myself, I give my parents wallets a break from all the awesome toys I would get for Christmas. 👋🏼😉 And great video got a sub for me!😁👍🏼

[@GENXPERIENCE]

You certainly made out. Great toy list, to be sure. I collect GI Joe Classified and MOTU Origins, myself. Thank you for sharing this...and the sub.

[@francoisregis2155]

Astro smurf was my favorite

[@ReiverBlue1971]

Only my second Christmas getting video games. The Sinclair ZX Spectrum had been released in '82 and in '83 Manic Miner, Maziacs, Halls of the Things, in fact, most of the games that became my favourites, with '84 being the finest year for classic 80's music. Other than a certain amount of existential crises, threat of nuclear war across the "Iron Curtain", it was a damned interesting year! :D Wonderful vid, thanks very much :)

[@GENXPERIENCE]

1984 is truly an EPIC year. Musically, and for so much more. Yes, sad as it was...I was terrified of the threat of nuclear war, but we made it out alive, and like you have one hell of a collection of memories. Thank you

[@futuristica1710]

My baby sister got My Little Pony that year. I got Star Wars toys the following year. It took some time for it to hit Denmark, it was only after Jedi came out something happened. G.I. Joe, Transformers and MotU also came here later (on demand after we got Sky Channel and Super Channel in Scandinavia). The best years of my life!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

It is interesting to know how something may come or go to that side of the world, or even here. But right there with you...GREATEST years! Thank you

[@ChrisRoth1972]

I remember for some reason that I received a Coleco Tabletop PAC-Man for Christmas 1983! One of my favorite presents I was blessed to get until I was lucky to get the Coleco Adam Computer! Thank You for the video.I don’t remember all these toys. Probably cause I was a Star Wars & He-Man toys. No I didn’t have all the toys to them,just thankful what I got. I hope u have a Merry Christmas 🎄 & Happy New Year 🎊

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Merry Christmas, to you. Thank you for the view and comment. I think that tabletop Pac Man sounds AWESOME. Thanks again.

[@shawnawesome7770]

I still have that black rc truck in the middle. Someday i may bust out 50 aa batteries and take it for a 5 minute spin til they wear out. Loved that thing when i got it for xmas in the early 80s

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Really? It is awesome you spotted it and remember. Yeah, if you got it, PLEASE TRY IT OUT. Good luck and thanks for watching.

[@shawnawesome7770]

@@GENXPERIENCE lol easy to remember i have it, just saw it the other day.

[@aliciahavard3268]

Thank you for the memories

[@GENXPERIENCE]

That is what I hope my channel will do. Thank you

[@rjc7289]

1983 sure was an awesome year for x-mas gifts! I remember getting Michael Jackson's Thriller album on vinyl, 2 Coleco tabletop video games (Frogger and Galaxian), a Colecovision Adam gaming system, a Tyco US-1 slot car set, a set of A-Team action figures, and a Radio Shack RC Porsche race car. Santa Claus was very generous to me that year, and I thank him immensely for all the wonderful memories!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I'm jealous of your line up. It was a good year, a good time. Thank YOU for sharing.

[@avonee1976]

Thank you for walking me through one of the greatest years of my childhood!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I hope I can do more like that! Thank you!

[@msc_2253]

I received an Armatron, a Sky Striker, and a Navarone playset that year. After getting into GI Joe, I had lost interest in Star Wars toys, though I still liked what I had and liked ROTJ. I'm the oldest of 5 kids, so nothing survives, but I had lots of fun with my toys at the time.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Navarone....I had that mountain, and it was just the coolest generic playset for ALL and EVERYTHING. Glad someone remembers that, too. Lots of great times.

[@iamalex8457]

Love this video! I was born in 1998 but I collect vintage toys. My favorite in this video is definitely the ventriloquist dummies. Idk y but I love odd novelty stuff. The nostalgia is great! Great video 👍🧡

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Have to admit that although creepyish, they are down right cool, too. Thank you for the vote of confidence.

[@BlackArroToons]

Great video, thanks! You even covered Manglord and The Otherworld series in the catalog. I remember Verbot, M.A.S.K., Colecovision, NES, Sega Master System, Star Wars Return of the Jedi, etc.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

MASK, truly a favorite of mine, sadly toward the end of my FIRST cycle of toy play (I became a toy collector much later in adult life). Manglor was always very interesting to me, lol. Thanks for commenting.

[@BlackArroToons]

@@GENXPERIENCE Thanks. Same here, M.A.S.K. was the very last (and favorite) toy line I owned as a kid before donating everything back then instead of keeping it in storage as hoped. They were in great condition too. Then just focused on video games instead with the Sega consoles.

[@lane3192]

I still have the Santa head ornament from when I was a kid. That was awesome to see!(@6:00)

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I had to look back myself, but that is cool to surprise see something you remember years later.

[@hauntedbelle]

I got my Barbie house( the Barbie cottage actually), a bike and a Strawberry Shortcake sweet breath baby. That baby doll was my favorite. I had to repurchase her a few years ago.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Thank you for sharing your toy memories...and for the view. I love that you had to repurchase that baby doll, too.

[@FreddyKurganNimmo]

13:20 - 1983 was *the* best Christmas of my life! I was 5 years old. I got about 25 Star Wars action figures. Jabba The Hutt playset. Max Rebo Band set. Ewok Village playset. Speeder Bike. Ewok Hang-glider. Y-Wing Fighter. C-3PO action figure carrying case. 20 issues of Marvel's Star Wars comic books. Return Of The Jedi soundtrack cassette tape.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

YOu were a lucky man.

[@DaddyOfTheSugarVariety]

Lego was always the ideal toy back then & still is to this day!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Some things never go out of style, and we never grow out of.

[@YAMISOOLD2009]

Thank you for that. Fun to revisit that year in toys even though I had mostly graduated to music and clothes by that year.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Thanks for the comment. Totally get it, it would happen to all of us in some way.

[@francoisregis2155]

I remember I wanted Dukes of Hazzard toys especially the general lee and space shuttle related toys. That Christmas I had an Atari 2600 with 4 games

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Lucky duck with Atari and games. Nice. Thanks for sharing.

[@jamespero6803]

I loved the manglores . After getting screwed the 1st time and ripping off his arm( thinking it would reattach). I bought a 2nd one and now knew not to believe the packaging. I used him as a stand in for swamp thing as I had just seen the Wes craven movie...good times.. oh and I had that general lee big wheel!!!! Holy shit that brings me back

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Love your story. Awesome. Thank you for sharing, and I can see him as Swamp Thing, TOTALLY

[@dondecaire6534]

Those Christmas's were probably the last REAL toys that dominated Christmas and I am soooo thankful I was a kid during the 70's and 80's I hit the sweet spot. Those memories will never be surpassed. It was just an amazing time to be a kid, Thank you for the post!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I'm with you. So grateful that was MY time...OUR time. It was incredible. The wonder and excitement hasn't been duplicated since. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@robo5013]

Christmas at twelve, that age where you want to be grown up but still wanted toys. I didn't really know what I wanted that year so I got stuff I didn't ask for. Like an ET doll. Everyone told my great grandmother that's what was all the rage so that's what I got from her for my last christmas with her before she died. I also got a play set of 1/32 scale knights, wizards, demons and a couple of 'giants' (for some reason they were just larger figures that looked like vikings) with a with a cheap plastic castle as that was also the year I got into D&D, it was pretty cool. Got a couple of the new SW figures too but was losing interest in playing with action figures.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

You said a mouth full, my friend. Before I turned 13, my mother said there would be no more toys as gifts. I was upset, but not horribly. However, in an effort to still get something that interested me and show I'd get them myself, I bought a MASK vehicle and figure. Vampire with Floyd Malloy. I was excited, but then found myself just closing that chapter of my life. Thank you for sharing those last ones you got. Sounds like great future show.

[@billyclub9733]

Funny you say that... I just said today that I was still playing with Matchbox Cars and Transformers at 12 & 13 years old. Not these kids today! They're done with toys MUCH younger now

[@RachelTeeKae]

I made those Cabbage Patch dolls before they were actually Cabbage Patch dolls. We had to sew them together and stuff them and paint their eyes and even dimple their butt cheeks, and then a year or two later the cabbage patch dolls came out already made. I don’t know who he copied it from, but I was shocked when people had the same dolls without any work, lol.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I remember a little of the story where Xavier Roberts worked with the original creator. They were called something like Country Kids, or something. Then he took and ran with them to mass produce.

[@daveculp308]

Nice .. I was a pretty lucky kid to grow up back then. The end of the video made me kind of sad thinking how kids today grow up 😞

[@GENXPERIENCE]

It makes sense to get a little sad. Kids today don't know how wonderful it was to be a KID

[@cabbitkisser2620]

i was 11 years old at the time. this was before the transformers came out in 84. i was into he-man big time. i did get castle greyskull for Christmas. my mom & dad did get me the mangalore mountain this was the worst gift i ever got. in 1983 was the year of the crash of the video games until 1985 when nintendo released the nes.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

That darn ET game, lol. You had Manglir Mt? Wow! Thanks for sharing, man.

[@cabbitkisser2620]

my mom & dad got the e.t game for the atari back then.@@GENXPERIENCE

[@foxesofautumn]

This was an awesome year to be a kid. I had 2 Cabbage Patch dolls and I don't even know how my mum managed to get them. Also my brother and I got the AT-AT walker and several Star Wars figures each. You could get Smurfs at the petrol station and we had quite a few of those too. I got a Walkman for my birthday and I felt like the coolest kid on the block. It was also the year my dad got the indestructible thermos of his dreams. So many good memories.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Your comment might just be the best memories I've read; you even included your dad's thermos. It was an incredible time, and I appreciate all your shared moments and memories. Smurfs at Gast Station is an extra awesome one, too. Thanks for the view and comment.

[@QuinnnMallory]

10:17 Ah, the Baby Land Hospital in Cleveland, GA. I visited it once. Good grief that was weird!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I want to do a whole show on that creepy ass place that is still around! LOL. Maybe I will have to get your take on it since you have been there.

[@tobesocourtney]

My brother had one of those Simon Sez ventriloquist dolls. Even he was a little scared of it and kept it in the box in his closet and only took it out when he wanted to play with it lol. I loved the Glamour Gals and I'd forgotten all about Charmkins. And I most definitely got a Cabbage Patch Kid that year. She was a redhead named Gertie Elenore.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Gertie. What a name. It was great, and very realistic. Yeah, lots of people forget Kenner's own answer to their boys line, the girl's GLAMOUR GALS. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@EdsterIII]

Oh when you got to the handheld game section, I was getting flashbacks. I remember the Mattel Handheld Football then later the Football II with passing! They also had Baseball, which I loved, and three very similar games, but all different sports. Basketball, Hockey, and Soccer. Different colored cases, and screen images, but similar play styles. I know I had the Hockey and Basketball one, maybe the soccer too. My parents got me one for our long vacation drives to keep me quiet....lol, and it worked. There were so many other varieties of games too. Coleco if I remember correctly had a Boxing game. It was in a larger white case. Not like a handheld, bigger, but still was able to me taken places. On your lap, or on a table. The Head to Head games were also pretty unique and fun. There was one that a classmate of mine had, 8th grade. It was either called Microvision or Macrovision? It was a flat color scheme like the gameboy. It had cartridges too. I can remember one game being Breakout. The wall or walls of blocks and you had a sliding Pong type paddle on the bottom that slid back and forth, knocking the ball back into the wall "breaking" one the bricks until all were gone. I'm not sure what it was called specifically. I think they also had a racing game. Sliding back-and-forth avoiding oncoming cars. On Friday at school in 7th and 8th grade our two teachers gave us, IF we behaved all weak, didn't mess around or cause any problems, we could bring in some of our own handheld games for either 30 minutes or an hour depending on time and again our behavior. Now if you were the kid who did screw around and you did cause it to be canceled, well you weren't too liked for that week and some kids really showed it. I think that was one of the reasons why they stopped before we "graduated" to High School. Oh I forgot there was also a few thefts of games from people's desks, backpacks, etc. I lost quite a few items. Sad when 7th and 8th grade kids have thievery as a expertise.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Your memories are phenomenal. We had a good handful of those games, but sometimes we'd be searching for batteries, lol. WE couldn't imagine it could be better, am I right? Thank you for sharing, as those were fun "time wasters"...especially for drives. Sorry that you had your stolen...I had a SW figure and muppet lunch box stolen at work, so I guess that was common. Thanks for watching and view.

[@robwyatt8548]

I was 17 in ‘83 and the only thing I remember getting that year, and still have, was football cards and AC/DC’s Flick of the Switch album.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Sounds like you were born at the very top of GEN X. Those were excellent and very appreciated gifts from those slightly older kids going through the GEN Xperience. So glad you still have those cards!

[@baxtronx5972]

We had record snow in 1983, so I had a fort to build. No time for presents.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Oh, I would have done both!

[@Agg1E91]

December 83. I was a Sr. in HS. So, not so much into toys at that point. I probably had my parents get me some stuff for my Commodore 64.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Makes sense. As a little older, those electronic games, stereos, etc...and computers seemed right up your alley at that time.

[@ruthanneluvsvacuuming6653]

I remember having a strawberry shortcake doll that blew strawberry kisses when you pressed the plush stomach I think that was in the 80s

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Yes, the Blowkiss babies were around 1982. They were baby dolls of various characters. It may have been in that catalog, too. Thanks for watching.

[@ruthanneluvsvacuuming6653]

@@GENXPERIENCE Thanks so much for replying 🥰

[@dennisbarlow3256]

Thank you!👊🤘

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@jasonjohnson4028]

We couldn't afford the entire Star Wars sets, but we had friends whose parents did. We just played at their houses.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

So many of my friends were spoiled...I did the same thing.

[@markheadley125]

Awesome toys my little pony ❤😊

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I got a little love for the ponies, myself.

[@carl7382]

The cobra nightraven was badass

[@GENXPERIENCE]

You know it. Villains always have better stuff.

[@Jtr_ceral_killer]

i got the jabba the hutt throne play set with several of the characters, the g i joe mms, falcon glider and he-man w battle cat. may have received a few other joes for christmas that year. now, christmas in 84 and 85 was a banner year for me. got multiple copies of junkyard and mutt and cobra troopers and many small playsets/vehicles. wish i could relive those days

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Me too...and I wish I could have had such a score, lol. Well, I will probably repeat a Christmas 84 this year too. Thanks for sharing, I love the mulitple Cobra Troopers...NICE

[@wht-rabt-obj]

I was 13 in 1983 and I really wanted a telescope. I got one that was pretty good, too. One of my most memorable Christmases.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Sears probably had one too. They had everything. Thanks for sharing.

[@cesarreyes7016]

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@GENXPERIENCE]

MOTU...the stuff dreams are made of.

[@celicalover1]

Yes!!!! Dark Tower!!!❤❤❤

[@OneOfThoseTypes]

I got a lot of gifts that year because I had two separate pairs of grandparents in town, but the only things I can still remember getting were the tabletop Coleco Pac-Man arcade game and a bike.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

That equation does make for an extra helping of gifts, for sure. I can understand why you remember those two gifts...they are AWESOME

[@joshuamountz6891]

That Christmas I got Castle Greyskull

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Good times to be a live...and a great year. I loved my CG. Thanks for the watch and the comment.

[@Bacon7666]

Toys back then were real toys made to last. That was nice to wakeup on a 25th of december at 6 am and start unpacking all these great toys that were made to last until our parents would disappear after a couple of years. Tonkas, gi'joes, Star wars figurines, ships, He'Man etc. Man, tons of great toys were made on the 80's, I would say it was the last era of toys that were made to last and withstand a lot .

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I can't argue with your assessment, AT ALL. Like everything else made back then, too...built to last. Loved every minute of it. Brings me joy thinking of that time. Thanks for watch and the comment.

[@2up3rm4n1]

I've always remembered a radio program about what value was there in making toys, cartoons, clothing and whatever else over smurfs, shirttails, pound puppies, ewoks, ponies, teddy bears and so on, with the woman on the radio being interviewed asking who on Earth thought a good cartoon idea could be achieved when holding up a charmkin? I think Charmkins and Glofriends were the two that always baffled me, but I was older than that generation. A book on Saturday morning cartoons in the '70s said one animator was approached about a cartoon idea, and he just totally tossed at them the lego characters, snapping together like the toy bricks did, little characters doing this, and said the sponsor making the inquiry wanted to hear more and was interested.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Interesting content here. There a probably a lot of people who question the marketing of cartoon characters or cartoons made from toys, but then you would have to question why people like to wear clothing brands or Sports Teams Jersey's with player's name on them. It is all in the worth of the consumers...even if hard to understand for some people. Thanks for sharing these stories.

[@karltongebler4286]

I got Castle Greyskull a year or two later.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

And it was EVERYTHING, right?

[@karltongebler4286]

@@GENXPERIENCE One of the BEST Christmas presents I ever Got. Easily Top 5.

[@RyanConway602]

I had to watch the Care Babies movie twice....yep.

[@danialhowe9814]

God the 80s was amazing though wasnt it?

[@GENXPERIENCE]

There's nothing to compare, and people just don't get it. You can never go back, but how I would love to visit. Oh, wait that is what I am doing here, lol. I hope you enjoy

[@DangerDave-e7u]

I don't think that The Smurfs were tripping.

[@RyanConway602]

" brill " ! as we used to say in the 80's, not the 90's ! Lol ! X

[@jdtractorman7445]

Yes indeed, great times to be a kid. For me personally, I would much rather have what us kids had back then than what is available to them now. I can't imagine, or even think of asking for a new iPad at the age of 5. Give me my Star Wars toys and handheld electronic football/baseball games and we're good. I would just like to add as well, Stomper trucks came out around this time and were a lot of fun. They even had hard rubber tires or soft foam tires for indoor/outdoor use.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I'm with you. Screens have their place, but not for the imagination given to us through plastic playthings.

[@timwhite5562]

In 83 i would have been 7 years old. It would have been GI Joe and Masters of the Universe. Personally i loved the 3¾" figures, they had more articulation than any other action figures.

[@BabbleOn777]

I got a chemistry set and a biology set at 11...I wasn't much of a Barbie girl, but I loved my little lab I built in our basement. It's amazing the chemicals they provided, and the experiments that I guarantee kids nowadays can't even imagine. I also got the wood burning set as well...I was a bit of a tomboy so the girlie toys didn't work with me.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I think that is awesome, and they used to give kids the responsibility, or at least the dangerous type stuff so that we could experiment. T hanks for watching and sharing.

[@bryanmcentush4788]

Yeah, my Woodburner took out the microwave stand that year, that shit still comes up every Thanksgiving and Christmas!!!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Ah, HYSTERICAL. One of those yearly HOLIDAY DRAMA stories, lol.

[@pittypaws6633]

I remember when I went to a therapist who had some toys like Glamor Gals as a kid.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Seems like good therapy to me!

[@staley101]

It's hard to think back but I do remember getting a lot of Lego & Action Man in the early 80's not a lot of Star wars unfortunately. I'm 47.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Still Action Man, NICE. Yes, LEGO was a staple around our house, too.

[@konstantinkoverchenko9587]

I hope Santa brings me a soul this year.

[@dirt_bike7089]

I remember getting the Sgt slaughter with the little vehicle my brother getting the cobra stun with motor viper we both got the Tonka truck with metal face and some more things I can't remember oh yeah last but certainly not least my aunt comes in late and gave us both gijoe storm shadows 😮

[@dirt_bike7089]

Damn this is 83 my bad but Christmas in the 80s were magical

[@GENXPERIENCE]

2 Storm Shadows, huh? I guess he could have a ninja apprentice, lol. Great memories, great toys.

[@dirt_bike7089]

Yeah remember I think he was sold 84 86 I'm not sure but me in my brother sure in joyed having him this Christmas was in 86

[@d1138vader]

It absolutely was the best of times

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Nothing like it because nothing today has staying power. Nothing today lasts longer then 15 minutes and they are on to the next thing. We relished in this incredible stuff. Thanks for watching.

[@michellegray7892]

I had that exact purple my little pony (i was born in 1983, so they stuck around for some time with that same model)

[@GENXPERIENCE]

That is true. YOu had some of those original designs before their many make overs. Love that you saw that one.

[@medicatedmastermind1879]

I got Cornelius Jackie 😂

[@dragondog5503]

We still have our microwave cabinet. My mom got it as an anniversary gift.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

They have a purpose. Love that they are still getting use.

[@Shadowman...]

I remember SST cars. You would pull a rip cord and the center wheel would spin AT MILLION RPMS.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

A MILLION. They don't make em like that anymore, lol.

[@cornflakesbaby]

Wow like a time machine 😲 A shame that using your imagination as a child seems to have vanished in comparison to us.. @5:12

[@GENXPERIENCE]

No kidding, I could rant about it like the old man I am, but I'll just leave it at that, lol.

[@kevinschmith9379]

I was 13 in 1983 and I definitely was squeezing and pulling a lot. I mean by Mangalore.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

HA...so glad you caught my casual humor, by the way!

[@LaDracul]

I miss Glamour Gals and Mattel's Dazzle so much...

[@GENXPERIENCE]

I don't recall Dazzle, I will have to look it up. I love the GG packaging. These dolls juxtaposed in real world settings. Very unique.

[@stiffmiddlefingers]

Lol I just got myself a Skeletor today 😂

[@GENXPERIENCE]

You did? That is incredible. Love that!

[@jenniferkovalick2959]

My uncle won a "lottery" at Sears to be able to buy me a cabbage patch kid doll! My mom said people were furious! Lol

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Oh, I had heard about those. Lucky man, and lucky recipient of a CPK doll. Yes 1983 was a tough one, lol.

[@jenniferkovalick2959]

@@GENXPERIENCE trust me I know how lucky I was to get that doll! I have been listening to that story for 40 years! There's an entire page of pictures of me with that doll in my mom's Christmas album. Funny part is, I was 2 and don't remember it on my own.

[@hollyking2580]

I was 11 in 1983. Reluctantly giving up my Barbie fetish. Although I do remember having the glamorous Dream Date Barbie. Probably the last one I got. I was in 6th grade, and kind of a nerd. When Cabbage Patch dolls came out, I was mind-blown to see the It Girls in my class, who were into makeup and high fashion, bringing these ugly dolls to school. They were like the Must-Have accessory of 1983. My first CPD had light brown hair in ponytails and green eyes. Her name was Fran Elly, which I hated!

[@GENXPERIENCE]

You are right, they were ACCESSORIES...even for girls growing up and out of toys. Even though you thought they were ugly, you got one even...and yes, I wouldn't like that name, either, lol.

[@OraclesandEnchantments]

I had the Dark Tower game. It was fun.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

That is vaguely familiar. I had to look it up, now I remember. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. And for watching.

[@onkelhiphop]

11 More Star Wars figures to go for a complete 78 to 84 collection 😂

[@GENXPERIENCE]

You are a master. Great job! And so close to your goal, too. I love that. I could only dream about having them all, tbh.

[@ColtonFultonUK]

I got that Oliver Hardy dummy that Christmas !

[@GENXPERIENCE]

That is awesome. I had friends who loved their ventriloquist dummies. Still have him, is the question?

[@Renovion]

I had the complete Star Wars collection as well as the Masters of the Universe. Then throw in a healthy supply of Legos for good measure. I still get Legos for gifts lol

[@GENXPERIENCE]

As you should. Everyone should get toys. WOW, entire collections? You were lucky!

[@TameraJacobs]

I was 6. I got a Merlin game that year. I use to turn it off and pertend it was a "magic phone".

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Ah, that is awesome. I might have done the same. Technology of the time, huh? Thanks for sharing.

[@EqualOpportunityDestoroya]

I had an Oliver Hardy ventriloquist dummy.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Nice. At least you picked a classic. Thank you for sharing and watching.

[@RyanConway602]

( caravan of courage...less said than better.. ).

[@JamesPero-u1c]

I was 6 and my sister was 3 , we had atleast 90 percent of everything u showed in this video. We didnt jave rich parents but our great aunts were kinda spinsters and spoiled us like we were theres

[@GENXPERIENCE]

Great to have someone in the family who can splurge, am I right?

[@BDUBZ49]

Transistor radios were out. Boomboxes were in.

[@GENXPERIENCE]

They were. Perhaps that's why those AM/FM Radios featured in the catalog ere all ridiculous shapes. A last ditch effort.