GEN Z KID Reacts To CHRISTMAS IN THE 1970S (NO WAY!)

[@ruelethefirst3002]

I was one of these kids being spoken about, DEAMN do i miss those day, no cellphones, no computers, and life was so so so much better.

[@dewflower7298]

Toys were better quality too.

[@jbkibs]

It was man... It just was....

[@eugenialafleur1587]

So much simpler

[@csw3287]

Growing up in the 70's was So Great. I So Wish I had a Time Machine.

[@Inkymits]

Born in 67 :)

[@misslora3896]

I've said the same thing many times, I think most of us wish they were real. IMO the world has changed so drastically in such detrimental ways... There's no longer any sense of community or loyalty... Even the sense of family has greatly diminished. People cutting off family members simply for having a different point of view is rampant. Empathy, compassion, selflessness, willingness to help a stranger etc. (All those things Mr. Rogers taught us), is sadly becoming rare. I try to focus on what is positive, but no matter how hard I try, I can't help but consistently see what's not. People don't understand that without those things a society can't continue to function and exist. Many others have been led to believe that if they burn it all down it'll get rebuilt in the ways they want... Such fools. They're falling for the tried and true tactics that were already used in Eastern Europe and Asia during the 20th century that led to the "deletion" of 10's of millions. Sad to witness it all.

[@moonglow630]

All those pics makes me miss the best gift I got every Christmas…….my family. So many of them have passed now or live far away & I don’t see them. Really appreciate all the amazing Christmases I had with them.

[@sddRd68]

Oh! Those cartoons were exciting because we got to stay up after bedtime to watch them! ❤

[@sharonrinkiewicz3940]

Charlie Brown's Christmas was a tradition.

[@LillianOglethorpe]

@@sharonrinkiewicz3940​​⁠A Charlie Brown Christmas has become my personal Christmas morning/afternoon tradition. I love it the most of all Christmas specials. ❤️

[@stillaboveground2470]

I was a child during the '70s. It was an awesome time to be a kid!

[@sddRd68]

My family was different from the norm. Christmas Eve we had Christmas dinner and then opened our gifts because the 25th is my birthday. The 25th was my birthday meal and I got to open my gifts after dinner. Then the 27th we did it again for Mama’s birthday. Mama made sure each day was its own. After she passed on, my birthday ended up getting smashed in with Christmas because my one brother has his wife’s family to consider and my other brother decided not to celebrate Christmas anymore.

[@moonglow630]

Yes, growing up in the 1970’s was great!

[@remlecat8511]

I still watch the homecoming every year. I loved the Waltons.

[@Inkymits]

The 6 Million Dollar man was an awesome show back then. Astronaut/Test Pilot crashes and gets rebuilt with bionics. The 1st cyborg. He had episodes with The Hulk and Bigfoot lol. Even had a spin off with Lindsey Wagoner as The Bionic Woman.

[@jbkibs]

The Sears catalog was sweet back in the day. LOL and yes... malls hit differently back in the day. It was the place to hang. Christmas time was insane in the malls. So fun.

[@thomasbaron5367]

My grandmother always took home movies of me and my brother opening our gifts Then she would love to just set our presents up and take photos of us with what we got like it a display photo op 😄 She recorded everything The tree, the wrapped presents, me and my brother opening our presents I think if she could have recorded every waking moment of our lives, she would have I miss her so much She went all out for the holidays

[@mildredpierce4506]

I had the Simon game in the 70s when I was in high school. Low and behold this year in August, I went to Washington DC and visited the museum of American history and they had a Simon game at the museum. It made me feel really old. A toy I played with as a teenager is now a museum piece.

[@SweetSunshower59]

This reminds me of Christmas when I was growing up and makes me miss my parents so much 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

[@misslora3896]

I genuinely adore you and your videos Jay. Your willingness and even eagerness to understand us by learning about the VERY different world we grew up and lived much of our adult lives in (pre 2008) is such a joy to see. I wish we had millions more just like you. I know it's impossible to ever fully understand, because it's so foriegn to your own lived experience, but what matters is you try. You're such a genuinely sweet and kind soul (your mama did an outstanding job)... I sincerely wish you the greatest success in all your endeavors, you truly deserve it. ❤ Also: Shopping malls ended local Main Steet (High Steet) businesses in America, and now internet shopping/Amazon have done the same to the majority of malls. A handful around the country still receive a lot of business, such as "Mall of America" in Minnesota, but it's because they have other features that draw people in, such as indoor amusement parks, water parks, etc.

[@j.m.3460]

Always remember the Christmas I got that Atari! 💚

[@richardbast7243]

We had a JC Penny's in our city that had animatronic Christmas displays. Someone burned the store down but these displays were stored elsewhere. They were donated to the county historical society. Now you can travel the each December and see them displayed around the museum most of which still move.

[@Mallaien]

I grew up in the 1970's I remember getting a lot of lego's and star wars toys.

[@sddRd68]

They gave parents a way around kids who wanted a puppy 😂

[@michaelkibble740]

Star Wars , action figures, and games were fun back then

[@janetbaker645]

I had Ker-Plunk, it was a game with marbles..there was a tube with a hole at the top and one one the side near the bottom small holes near the middle of the tube…you put plastic sticks thru the small holes in a criss-cross pattern…put the marbles in the tube…at your turn you would torn the tube so the hole in the side would be in your compartment in the tray that held the tube…you’d pull one stick…keep taking turns til all the marbles fell…the winner was the one with the least marbles.

[@andreamaronn4510]

Yeah, we used to get dressed up for Christmas. Many of us went to church for midnight service on Christmas Eve or got up early and went to church Christmas morning. We would have a rushed Christmas morning and then it was off to see the extended family. I would spend Christmas Eve at my dad's parents with all the aunts and uncles and cousins. Then Christmas Day with my mom's side of the family. Always eating the entire time! 😂💚

[@sharonellis8776]

I grew up during the 70's/80's. Christmas was such a big thing. We would spent it at our Grandma's house. Helped decorate the tree, had lunch, then watched TV shows ! xx

[@AntaresSelket]

No one had to buy me a pet rock in the 70s, I found them in the yard and painted them myself. That's a broke-as-hell Christmas!

[@LillianOglethorpe]

Hey! You were also creative, frugal, industrious, practical… 😁 I realize that, at the time, you might have felt like you got a lesser version, or maybe not as fun, but I love that you were willing to think outside the box and come up with a solution. I don’t know if you pouted, whined, cried, etc, but it’s cool that you didn’t stay there and carry on like some do until they get what they want. And it’s cool that you made that memory. Merry Christmas to you. 🎄

[@johnw8578]

The Pet Rock was a gag.. I still have mine -- I guess cause it hardly got played with, lol.

[@mochimochi82]

The Thing Maker was awesome. You poured different colored plastic goop into a metal mold then put the mold onto a completely open hot plate that was heated to 350 to 400°F. What I mean by open is you could stick your hand on it if you wanted to. I imagine some little kids wanted to. When it was done cooking, you took it out and put all of the individual pieces together to make the final product. My brother had the dragon version, which I loved. I had the flower one, being a girl, which I believed to be grossly unfair. It’s amazing to think that they made those things and our parents gave them to us! 😂

[@suewilliamson5382]

I also had the flower one. My brothers had the one with spiders, worms, and other bugs. They also had a wood burning kit and chemistry set.

[@mochimochi82]

@ I had a chemistry set, but after my parents told me I shouldn’t drink rubbing alcohol because I’d go blind I was afraid to use it. that was multiple decades ago, so don’t remember what the connection was in my mind. 😂

[@continuallycountingchicken7338]

I wish I still had my Speak n Spell!!! We had Speak n Math and another one too. I loved those!!!!

[@s.h.6858]

I had the math one. I remember the name excited male computer voice say, "You're right!" And me wondering *why* I was right (playing with levels beyond my skill set).

[@AnyaMidkiff]

Somehow, with almost no tech, Christmas was a much bigger deal. You saw family from all over the country, Mom baked things she never did any other time, church was beautiful, all the Christmas specials, toys were simpler yet super fun... I feel bad for today's kids not getting that magic feel, the wonder of it all, and the excitement of anticipation. We decorated all weekend at the end of November, still had carolers, and the Macy's morning parade was family friendly.

[@lorinichols9996]

Just the anticipation of the once a year showing of the Christmas specials was so fun, plus the variety show specials each year….

[@slayaw99]

GenX here. My dad worked for Sears. I remember playing an Atari game with my sister, it looked like two rectangles hitting a square back and forth across a line down the center of the screen 📺

[@sddRd68]

We got our first tv when I was 5 and it broke when I was 9(found out later that my brother actually intentionally broke it) but it was the perfect years for a little girl, lol, and I remember loving the commercials for the toys at Christmas time be extra fun. Mama didn’t appreciate them so much 😂

[@continuallycountingchicken7338]

OMG! I remember the Sears catalog! I would go through it and make a Christmas list. 😂

[@Demmie-nl2qh]

My brother and i would pretend we had the toys in the photos and pretend play with them :D We knew we'd never get the real ones.. so...

[@9Tailsfan]

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer is more of a comedic novelty song. And fun fact in the 90's it was adapted into a cartoon Christmas Special. Most of these specials and songs probably got removed from the lineup because they are not "politically correct." They feature a traditional nuclear family and a traditional religious holiday.

[@mildredpierce4506]

If you had gone to a mall in America 20 years ago, it wouldn’t have been empty depending on the day of the week and time of year you went. Online shopping has drastically reduced the number of people who shop in person

[@pistachioqueen2024]

The game you saw it is called Ker Plunk ... my fave game growing up... also i had an atari2600. I had it well into the late 80's..... They have made a remake of atari, with all the games built in ... and they still make the game ker plunk............ In the 70's we lived in Virginia, and would travel every year to be with a very large family with aunts, and uncles and cousins.... and OMG the food........I miss those times................. just not the same as it was...............thanks for sharing this video, brought back so many memories for me.... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from North Carolina, USA

[@ericzar4470]

❄️🎄 ❄️ 🎄 💚 I'm always excited for Christmas, it means one thing to me. Family. So it's always nice to get together with loved ones. All the best to you and your family.

[@SpringScapes]

100 dollars in 1975, is like 600 dollars today.

[@fluttergirl75]

One of my friends was saying that Christmas didn't seem as big as it was for us. I thought it was because we are grown now. I don't think that's it, though. Our Boomer parents were excellent at Christmas.

[@fluttergirl75]

Jay, thank you. You do get it.

[@pudlmaker]

From Canada and yes that video is mostly true, some of those pictures I could say are identical to our family albums. One tradition I loved in our house was going Christmas tree hunting. We would take a trip into the mountains, ride our snowmobile with a long sled attached, stop for a fire, hotdogs and hot coco. Then carry on to find the tree of our dreams, chop it down and haul it home, decorate it and top with an angel. Will never get more real to me than that. Times have changed.

[@kerriniemi9525]

Thanks for the trip💚 I haven't had Christmas or family to do it with in years, time to bust out the ceramic tree, and photo albums of days of yore 💚 Yes, kinda of the same, except way less gifts💚 You calling me out Jay😂😂💚❤ Season's greetings to you and yours 💚 ✌️🌞💕

[@jrafel1707]

Many of the toys back then were simpler and definitely not as pricey as the toys for kids in this time. We were happy with what we got! My favorite memory was of one late Christmas Eve, my Parents (Who were boomers if it matters) telling my older sister and I that they needed help wrapping my little sister's presents. They'd shove boxes at us and we'd wrap away, slide them to the side, then wrap another. To find out the next morning they had us wrapping our own gifts!!

[@DarleneCutts-s6i]

Honey every toy was a big thing they are what made this generation make computers!

[@JenniferVallee-he2ry]

3:45 one of the ads… I remember the Chipmunk Christmas special. I am going to have to find it and show my kids!

[@MySherry10]

I cant tell you how fun it was to be a kid then and the dreams and the innocent times and magic of Christmas and looking at those catalogs and picking out what you wanted for Christmas and looking so forward to the tree up and the Christmas shows Best times ever, we played and used out imagination with all these great toys

[@ryry283]

I got the Atari and coleco game system when the came out. Everything back then was brand new to all of us and we always got excited for simple things. Nowadays kids dont get excited for much cuz its been done multiple times

[@marklar7551]

I got the USS FLAGG....it was a GIJoe toy AIRCRAFT CARRIER, but that was the 80s

[@marklar7551]

Oh, before online shopping, door dash delivery, and electronic payment, shopping malls were busy as hell. We would go to the mall to play video games at the arcade, hang out with friends at the food court, and go to the movies. Now, we go online with our divisive devices and approximate that. 👽🗿👽

[@michellelarsen5399]

I had the Atari 2600 system. The absolute best!!💚💚💚

[@moonglow630]

Yes it was!! Space Invaders! Asteroids! Missile Command, Breakaway, heck even bowling. Hours of fun indeed.

[@LillianOglethorpe]

I knew the Atari 2600 was out there and a thing, but I didn’t know anyone around me who had one or was getting one. Maybe being a girl was part of it, but between all of that and knowing my parents didn’t have a lot of money, it never occurred to me to ask for one. My grandparents lived about 7 hours away, so seeing them once a year was the norm. We went there a bit more often than they came to us, but either way it was great and seeing them was always a big deal. This particular Christmas, they had come to us. I still remember how many more presents were under the tree that morning. 😳 I also remember that there was this unexpected (meaning no clue/couldn’t guess), rather large rectangle box way down at the other end from the tree. (We tended to start near the tree and work our way out.) When we finally got to it, my two younger sisters and I saw from the tag that it was for all of us. When enough paper was pulled away to identify what it was, I was dumbfounded. I couldn’t believe I was seeing something like that, something beyond what I’d even considered asking for. Beyond that, I was astounded that my grandparents BROUGHT it. They knew about this thing? They knew it was popular? They knew we might want it? How-? They had gotten three, one for each family of their grandchildren, and this was ours. Not a soul in the family was especially tech-inclined, but somehow my dad and grandpa eventually got things set up and we were off. I can remember times when I played long enough that my hand actually hurt. I feel bad for the sister just under me-she’s a lefty and those joysticks and paddles were for the masses, poor thing. ✋🏼 She managed of course. I remember playing Frogger, PacMan, Pitfall, Combat, and Kaboom the most. We also had Q-bert now that I think about it. Pitfall kinda annoyed me. My faves were Frogger and Kaboom. I got REALLY high in catching those bombs that little jail-breaker dropped. The sounds I remember best are the ‘plink plink’ of the frog as he hopped, and the SPLAT sound he made when he died and the red X showed up. 😆 Edit: oh yeah, meant to include that I pissed my sister off, because I’d discovered that, when playing Combat, if I bent the joystick after I fired I could make the ‘bullet’ curve and get her when she thought she was safe behind something. 😆 For anyone still reading this-wow sorry about the novella, sheesh! 😆🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

[@moonglow630]

@ that’s amazing!! I can’t remember how ours came into our possession, but my grandparents used to buy us games for Christmas. They had a system of their own, so when we’d go & visit them, we’d get to play their games like bowling & golf. They had Missile Command & Space Invaders too. We have the new system with all the games pre loaded on it, but it’s somehow not the same. Plus, no dial for breakout.

[@Chris-dy9gw]

Late 70s early 80s kid here and I got to concur Christmas is just not the same today.....

[@PleaseStayTuned-v1q]

13:40 you said this was a big family. They may not all live under the same roof. They were probably getting together for Christmas. It looks like they were several adults there. Could’ve been grandma grandpa or uncle cousins. For some people, Christmas and Thanksgiving are family gatherings. Sometimes family travel from out of town or across town. This past Thanksgiving, myself and some other family members traveled over 300 miles to meet at my mother’s house for Thanksgiving. So it was a lot of us in one house. I am assuming that is what happened in that family in the video.

[@ronaldnelson6692]

The Waltons was a popular TV series in the 70s-80s. Back in those days, you didn't see Christmas items in stores until after Thanksgiving. Now days you see them out before Halloween.

[@lorinichols9996]

And The Homecoming movie was basically the pilot for the series.

[@redsonya3088]

Awesome. Merry Christmas 🤶

[@geraldmcmichael9970]

At Christmas time in the 70's the mall were pack with shopers. Some family's would go to church after the toys were open .and the there's the trip to Grandma's and Grand dads house and gifts were exchanged again.

[@nicolahiggins9746]

Music was fab in UK in 70s

[@LaShumbra_Bates_AuDHD]

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is still a popular Christmas song today.

[@jbkibs]

I wish they would play Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer more... They just don't play it. Same with "I'm Gettin' Nothin' for Christmas"...

[@s.h.6858]

Along with I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas.

[@Phx_Phreak]

I vividly remember the 1st time I saw a digital clock. A friend of my parents had passed away and at their house after the funeral I saw my first digital clock. It was amazing.

[@lorinichols9996]

I think my clock radio was a Christmas present, probably when I was in middle school. Eventually, a flip phone and small b and w tv for my room!

[@zyongslife]

Grandma got ran over by a reindeer is so funny. LOL great song.

[@freda9809]

Sears and Speigel Christmas catalogs were the thing!! Circle your wish list.

[@kierstenridgway4634]

I would disagree with your comment about Pet Rocks. It certainly told us that the American dream is alive and well. If you can turn an idea like that into millions of dollars, anything is possible.

[@remlecat8511]

You can still buy pet rocks in a little cardboard pet carrier today. It's amazing how popular they are. My store constantly sells out.

[@kennethjenkins3972]

It’s hard to see in the picture but he game is called “KerPlunk” it was tube with holes in it, you would slide these sticks in the holes creating a blockage in the tube, then you would Drop a ball into the top, each player would take turns removing the sticks one at a time, trying to avoid letting the ball drop, the person that pulled the stick allowing the ball to drop lost, a predecessor to Jenga

[@donglass9072]

Being born in"69" I lived all of this. But my normal birthday or Christmas, sence I was 5 was usually they ment. I was getting a couple boxes of shot gun and 30.06 rounds and a few boxes of .22 shells and was expected to bring home something to eat when I used them!

[@tessasnow]

I was born in 1961 so the 70’s was my time. My favourite toys were my Easy Bake Oven and Spirograph 🖖🏻🇨🇦

[@judiumstead5484]

Home Free's version of Grandma got ran over by a reindeer is a must watch

[@leisure057blank3]

Scrooge was set in London. There are a million versions of that movie.

[@Aussiesuede]

You've definitely gotta give Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, a listen. It's a classic that's now played regularly during the Christmas Season. Great Cheeky Christmas staple. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKqVhJdrfNp9ock

[@nicolahiggins9746]

Christmas is a time to think of christ

[@aliciahernandez-ns9kp]

We were very poor , and during the year clothes and food was hard to get, what toys I had I took very good care of, everyone around me was grumpy , but when Thanksgiving came around everyone turned really nice, I would save bottles and get refunds to buy my family presents, after thanksgiving there was always food , and school always had us doing fun projects, when christmas came I got wonderful toys and clothes and shoes, and if I was lucky boots, (if it snowed mom would put bread bags on our feet kept on by a rubber band, I hated wearing them to school) Christrmas was majic to me, and still is.

[@ArtamStudio]

You're absolutely right, the source video reference to Pet Rocks as a "revolutionary" 1970s "toy" is just one of the egregioius errors that the Recollection Road channel periodically makes in their nostalgia-algorithm videos. All the pics they used (I'm sure with permission, lol) are very middle-class. 💚

[@argonunya8751]

Gen X!! Atari 2600 was the absolute bomb (for its time)! Tonka trucks, toy guns & Star Wars toys too. Silver & gold tinsel on the tree! Snow forts. Ahh...yes, those were the days

[@JohnSmith-zw8vp]

Getting an Atari 2600 would be insane! When it first came out it was around $750-$800 in today's money!

[@christinahilt2978]

Kerplunk was a game. You tried to take the sticks out and not have the marbles fall and go Kerplunk.💚

[@dmarie388]

Whoa! I forgot about the TV Guide.

[@lennyo5165]

These days malls are just about dead. Online shopping has killed them. "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" was a funny and irreverent look at the family get together. There was drinking, arguing and a reckless stoned Santa Clause.

[@briantieken6718]

Pacman was 80's . One of the books at the beginning had Pacman.

[@nicolahiggins9746]

We still had black in white tv

[@nicolahiggins9746]

I can remember getting up to a piece of coal

[@nicolahiggins9746]

media.tenor.com/5oKU3YR42dAAAAAM/green-color.gif

[@sharon8015]

I remember playing Simon says

[@johnw8578]

The late 70s were dominated by Star Wars.

[@jbkibs]

Battlestar Galactica! ;)

[@continuallycountingchicken7338]

11:39 The toy above Barbie and to the right a little is for the PlayDoh. The teeth are PlayDoh. 😊

[@DanielCantu-k3d]

💚

[@suewilliamson5382]

The entire Christmas season from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day are not the same as it used to be. The stores and city streets were decorated and everything seemed festive. People today don’t seem to have any holiday spirit.

[@AnyaMidkiff]

Btw, Jay, you might recognize "Scrooge" by it's more well known title: "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.

[@jbkibs]

GenX was the best man. It was wild.

[@AskJeeves-l1x]

7:36 😂 think about the person who had the confidence to sale “pet” rocks, and the fools who bought them, then think about some world leaders and the people who support them today. 😂

[@Biscuitsslamnation]

Malls fell out of favor in the 2000s but I read not long ago they are starting to make a comeback

[@jbkibs]

Pet rocks is like coal for Christmas... LOL

[@karena5641]

Malls were the place to be until covid. Now malls are dead and stores are closing fast. You have to react to grandma got run over by a reindeer!

[@ambercimburek6872]

I was born on christmas so its a double celebration

[@PleaseStayTuned-v1q]

Steve Austin was the bionic man. He had nothing to do with Star Wars.

[@vincecramer7950]

I think the one thing that my family is always upheld even though they're gone now and I'm the only one left other than my niece and her kids my mother is gone my brother is gone my sister is gone Miller's wife is gone my nephew is gone I remember growing up watching sound of music what's my mother my brother all the time every year and I still watch it and watch it with my wife now that's the one thing I always look forward to Pat and jesus's birthday Harley's the 25th is when we celebrate it no one truly knows when his birthday really is do you know who he is alive that was alive 2000 years ago but just that we celebrate it what day is our just for Jesus well everybody I wish you a very merry Christmas 🎁

[@sharon8015]

I had a bionic woman antibiotic man doll

[@black4pienus]

You don't dress sharp for Xmas? It's like an unwritten rule. You wear your best high class-looking clothes you have on Christmas. Or even buy new clothes.

[@CrassHipster]

You dressed up on Christmas day for church

[@jackiemiles5981]

💚💚

[@JohnAnderson-rl3im]

Amazon and Walmart Killed the mall and small shops

[@agirlhasnoname6637]

💚💚💚💚💚💚

[@realistmabeyea4921]

Bad Santa. Please!!! Watch.

[@mildredpierce4506]

Kodak was founded in 1880 and went bankrupt in 2013

[@CrassHipster]

PONG the best!!!

[@strick405]

Pet Rocks revolutionized nothing! So true. But turn around and look at it from a marketer's POV. Holy Shit!

[@sharon8015]

Well of course the malls are going to be empty now because you can order everything online you have to remember we didn't have cable that back then. We had no internet We didn't have cell phones That's how we shopped and they were always packed so of course it's not going to be the same You're talking about a 40 to 50 year difference

[@briantieken6718]

Speak and spell was 80's.

[@TaraWilson1010]

💚