Love help: A simple world…I answered a post and suddenly was reminded of the simple world I grew up before the age of convenience. - Help.com

I didn’t get a computer until I was 10, even then I didn’t have the internet until I started high school. I remember not having cable and having to use the antenna lol. I also remember a time when kids actually played with toys. Video games existed, but they were like a luxury.

But then… We were broke growing up so that might just be me. Either way, those were better times =)…

I hope you and your kids have a great Christmas. Seems like it’s gonna be fun ^^.

I think it sounds wonderful that you have that planned for xmas.

Lets me honest, everyone loves presents. But I would have given anything for my mum or dad to ask me to help make xmas dinner or make cookies with them.

There are always some good films on tv and xmas is a real nice family time. You enjoy your kids and when they are older they will be so grateful that for xmas they got love.

i still aint got no color TV, but would not know if I did cause color killed my pa.

I remember, was it just 14 years ago, having a “Car Phone”, because I was such a big deal guy at Sears Logistics. This phone consisted of a bag that weighed about 12 LBS, a handset about the size of a large remote control, and a battery pack with a car charger that was the size of a small school bus.

It cost about $2.00 a minute, which was no big deal because there was no coverage and the battery only lasted about 30 minutes.

I hate TV. and I miss pagers

*Black and White TV with rabbit ear antenna for no cable then

dont forget, there were no controllers either… it was turn dial.. and when you wanted to change the station, you had to get off the couch and do it..

i remember those days as well.. weird isnt it? i remember hearing the stories of “when i was little” from my grandparents and thinking of how neat it was to hear how things use to be… and now, we can do it with our own children…. funny how time changes everything..

wishing you the best christmas ever

Jade wrote:
I actually would do well with no TV…I have less than 20 hours viewing time in 2008. My kids are actually turning the TV off or not bothering with it all anymore. My 3 year old son is all about his firetrucks right now and my daughter has her mind set on beating me in several board games: Monopoly, Scrabble, and Othello. She got me in Monopoly the other day.

Anyway, our children really do follow our example.

That’s pretty badass. I wish I knew more little kids like that. Everything is game game game, sneakers to most of them.

That sounds really nice, as much as I love my technology the thought of being unplugged from it all is nice.

I don’t have a tv at all… (never did)
No dishwasher, no electric toothbrush.
The only thing I really use is my microwave.
My family got a computer when I was 12. I still don’t have a computer now. I go on other peoples’.

I used to play outside with my neighbors and run around, street hockey, etc. Kids now are addicted to their xboxes.

There’s 3 computers and 5 screens staring at me right now, one third of my room is a canal of cables, for cameras, printers, lights etc for 2d and 3d animation. I intend to work n 3d animation for video game design. My whole life revolves around new technology. :S

What an interesting post :D

We had a tiny black and white television until I was 10.
We didn’t have a colour one before that because Mum and Dad wanted an organ!
My aunty who was a bit of a rabble-rouser back then insisted we have a ‘family meeting’ and demanded my parents by a colour TV.

My Aunt’s colour Tv was horrid, they had the colour all out of whack… the picture was far too red, but they didn’t seem realise!

I got my first computer when I was 11. And old Commodore 16.
Back in the days when you had to know some computer language to actually operate a computer ;)

Then we upgraded to a Commodore 64 when I was 12.
Man I love all those old games. I laugh when people talk of things like a Nintendo 64 or a PS1 being old school! hehehe

Of course its very easy download emulators for old games systems off the net.
So I still enjoy all the old games :)

Up until about 1995 we still had a telephone with a rotary dialer.
Mum couldn’t get used to the buttons. Even now I have to operate the VCR and DVD player for her.

I think we still have all our old vinyl records somewhere too!

Haha my family still has house phones with cords attached lol

Thank you for this post Jade. I for one will be feeling the lean times this year (more than lean in my case). But I was talking to my mom the other day, and she was talking about the years when my dad was no strike, and there was nothing… but somehow my childhood memories really don’t remember that lack. My folks (and I understand one year our community) always came through well enough. Of course emphasis was placed on “the reason for the season” in the first place. So how about some ideas? Jade you mentioned some… baking, singing decorating… any other idea’s that save money yet bring us together? Someone mentioned some movies… of course my fav there is 42nd Street. When decorating the tree how about going and gathering bits of nature and ribbon? Holly, evergreen sprigs… stringing popcorn and cranberries… make your own Christmas ornaments out of paper-mache… create “love coupons” to give. Go sing at a Rest home or hospital…

Ah its sort of a Xmas movie… and they always play it here in Australia at Xmas time… another oldie but a goodie…
It’s a wonderful life :D

Every time a bell rings…
An angel gets its wings :D

Here is something funny for you. My YOUNGER brother misses the old things. I have NO idea where he found it but he has an archaic looking handset complete with rotary dial and spirally cord that plugs into the headset jack of your cell phone! Now he carries this thing everywhere and when his cell rings you hear the old style ring and he reaches into his pocket and pulls this out! People see it and ALWAYS do a double take. They see the cord going into his pocket… But other then that it is an OLD looking phone. I LOVE when people ask to borrow his phone without realizing it. He has to show a lot of people how to dial on a rotary! Can you imagine dialing a rotary CELL?

Christmas Camping trip, if the climate is okay for it.

Funny that the first Christmas was celebrated in the desert, but yet so much of the world associates it with snow, huh?

Not the southern hemisphere!
Which when you think about it is half the world!
A good old fashioned Aussie Christmas is either stinking hot, or for some reason raining and thunderstorms!

The southern hemisphere is half the planet, but only 1/3 the land mass and 1/6 the population… That’s hardly half the world in this context.

I will ask my bro to send me a pic but as I am in China I can’t take one…