8-Bit Christmas

I watched the HBO Max flick 8-Bit Christmas this past weekend.  Based on the trailer it looked like an updated version of A Christmas Story and after watched that I do get the inspirational vibes that it got from the timeless classic.

In A Christmas Story Ralphie pines for a Red Ryder 200 shot range model air field with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells times.  In 8-Bit Christmas Jake pines for a Nintendo.

Overall I really enjoyed the movie and I could, at times, relate to how desperately Jake wanted a Nintendo.  I would give this recommend and say it's worth your time for a watch, but I'm not ready to say it's a new timeless classic like A Christmas Story became.  I could see myself buying it when it comes out on home video because it has just the right amount of nostalgia for me to want to look back at it. 

In Christmas 1988, when this movie takes place, I was 9 1/2 years old and my brother and desperately wanted this home entertainment system.  Our parents agreed to pay half, but we had to work and earn the money for it.  So we worked under the table for a farmer at his enormous chicken barn picking eggs. 

This barn has rows and rows of chickens in cages, stacked on top of each other, looking back it's not that sanitary.  I would push my cart down the row and collect the eggs in flats of 36, I believe we got 18 cents a flat.  The downside was that some chickens would peck your hands as your took the eggs, and that hurt like crazy. 

When we would get paid our mother made us put have of it in the back, then half of what was left, a quarter, we go towards the Nintendo and the remainder we got as spending money.  It felt like it took years, in reality it was months, to save up the money for the Nintendo but we did.

Today I'm not a huge at home gamer.  I love old arcade games and I'm a pinball fanatic, but at home my favorite games to play are the classic Nintendo and Super Nintendo games.

I just found out that this movie is based on a book that came out in 2013, I think I'll have to read that.

Until Next Time!

It's the Christmas Season

I love me some Christmas, always have, it was my favorite holiday.  I just love the time of the year, the family get togethers, the food, the holiday spirit.  A then along the way someone made it very hard for me to enjoy Christmas, it just became more frustrating than fun.

My wife's favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, as she says the only expectation is a good meal and she's got that down.  My wife has really made Thanksgiving so appealing and exciting, and she really is a marvelous cook. 

Last year on Black Friday, Wesley asked if we could go and get a Christmas tree, the look on his faceand the excitement in his eyes reminded me of how great Christmas was for me.  So we headed to the tree lot and picked out a nice one.  Christmas 2020 was one of the best that I have had in years.  Christmas 2021 feels like it's going to top last year easily.  

Before Thanksgiving Wesley asked if we were going to get the tree the day after again, and I said that we would.  Even my wife said that Wesley's excitement was rubbing off on her.  I mean who doesn't find a 6 years old innocent wonder and excitement contagious.  

The weather Black Friday forecasted rain with a mix of snow all day and I didn't want to bring a wet tree in the house, as the lot was open on Thanksgiving day I decided to get it that morning.  So at 8am when it opened Wesley and I were there to fetch the tree.  We had to be back by 9am to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, he was very excited to watch that.

We got the tree in the stand but didn't decorate it until Friday.  I worked in the morning, then when I got home Addison and I made the popcorn strands, Kate had already put the lights on it.  Wesley and Addison then decorated it.  I must say it looks fantastic!

We watched Christmas Chronicles 2 on Netflix while we trimmed the tree, so I guess it can be said that we are definitely full ahead Christmas!

Until Next Time!