In grade 7 or so, a friend’s dad built a really nice street skateboard. You would think it would have been so easy to ride it and ollie off it. We spent days wiping out, skidding across the street, and laying there bleeding it. Some of my friends could finally jump off it but I never could.

Later, someone else’s dad built a full sized half-pipe. I never even ever thought of going on it, I knew right away that this was a death machine.

It did increase my admiration for Tony Hawk though.

I’m a faithful reader of your blog but don’t bother to comment. Just a quick note, I totally support your Christmas lists and your view of giving at Christmas…I think the pharisees that read your blog should cill out a little.

In regards to your retro list….I was lucky enough to own one of those Tony Hawk skateboards. But it wasn’t a gift, it was paid for with my hard earned childhood income. I believe I was doing the juggling for money thing back then as well as collecting about $5 a week allowance. I saved up and finally was able to purchase a lime green deck with hot pink wheels. That was ok back then. I loved skateboarding but I wasn’t very good. My fear of the physical pain potential held me back. Some would say I was a poser but I was just a fat kid who loved to skate.

I had a train set when I was a kid, I think I got it in 1982 and my parents bought a 4×8 board for it where I also had some green “grass” covering. It was pretty basic but I loved it.

In Calgary’s South Centre Mall, there was the most incredible train display I ever saw. It was huge and massive attraction at Christmas. I remember just walking around and watching it forever with not only my mom but hundreds of other people who were just mesmerized by how big it was.

Hammacher Schlemmer made a gas powered pogo stick. One cylinder. You came down and compressed the fuel-air mixture and a spark set it (and you) off. They only made a thousand, or so, and reportedly all but a few buyers injured themselves before they stopped selling them.

I don’t know how much trains were a factor for you, but both Lionel and American Flyer had some great (and greatly priced) train sets. Nobody in my town ever had much more than the basic sets, with a little more track and switches.

Growing up near Boston meant an occasional trip to New York with Polk’s Hobbies, FAO Schwartz and the Gilbert Hall of Science. It had six floors – Erector Sets, trains, chemistry sets, magic sets (AC Gilbert worked his way through Yale doing magic shows), and a collection of scientific toys and small home appliances.