Wanted: Your Christmas Stories

[nefgm.org]

it's that time of year when I start collecting Christmas Stories and Pics again; If you have anything you would like to share, please post it here. Thanks. Here is the 2021 Christmas Video created from shared pics and stories. 

Here also is a comment left on my YouTube channel.

grumpyoldgrognard9561
11/21/2023
1970. My dad was determined to turn me into a superfan. 

Christmas morning, I wake up to a #12 Jets away dress up uniform complete with shoulder pads, and a Super Bowl III Electric Football set. 

I was 5. This is one of my first living memories. 

I didn't have anyone to play with, so I played solo. For years I played whole seasons pretending the colts were every other team in the league. Arms broke off. Figures snapped off at the ankles. I glued together what I could, and in the end, as long as the bases worked you still had a game. It was THAT toy, for me. It saw me through some hard times. In the end it was thrown away by an evil stepmother who didn't like the noise. 

My dad replaced it, of course, with a different board and I still played with it constantly, but it that board doesn't seem to share the same vivid memory space as the first one.
 

[Daryl Collins]

Just the absolute best! Thanks, man!!

Journey On!

[Curt]

Hoping this is relevant. In 1971, my dad was transferred from Rochester New York to Atlanta, Georgia where I was first introduced to EF by a friend. I just loved it and was hoping one day to get my own game set. Just after the school year 1973 completed, we moved back to upstate New York. My dad got me my own game set in late June for my birthday, but my obnoxious brother just had to have his teams and constantly bugged dad [ a lifelong habit it would turn out to be, the bugger - pun intended] for dad to paint him his favorite Vikings and Falcons. 

Patience finally won out in CHRISTMAS of 1973 when dad ordered and then painted my favorite 49ers and Lions. So, technically I started playing EF on my own set 50 years ago on "my" set on my 10th birthday but Christmas always has fond memories of what was the beginning of my adding teams and building my own solitaire league without my brother, nyah, nyah, nyah,nyah nyah. 🙂 

My brother started losing interest in EF and throughout life found other ways to endlessly bug our parents for things he wanted which was great for me. It gave me my own private world to escape to. Boards and numbers of teams slowly grew and ashamedly I have to admit I was extremely selfish with my hobby. I didn't like playing with anyone for a long time, so it wasn't until much later that I learned to share. 

My oldest foster girl liked playing with me and until she finally beat me for the first time, EF was quite enjoyable. My nephew and his mother moved in next to my wife and me in 2005 and he graciously liked to play too but he wanted to play with me by the regulations I set up, which helped me learn to share even more. 

My brother visited in 2005 at which point my league had grown to 24 teams. He ordered me enough teams to fully outfit the whole active NFL which was kewl but then his mind started reeling. "Bro, you gotta get all the teams in all their past, present, and whacky Thursday home and away colors."

My immediate thought was: So, once again, you are only thinking what you deem best and not what I care to do with my hobby. I use everything I got, and I don't need a bunch of extra pieces that may not get used. This is my league and while I appreciate the enthusiasm, I'll run my league the way I run my league so butt out bro." Then I calmed down and politely refused his idea. so, to him I just smile and say once more  nyah, nyah, nyah,nyah nyah. 🙂 

Thanks to my nephew's suggestion, I added home and away Houston Oilers for a total of 33 complete NFL teams. My schedule is set to start New Years' week and complete the season on Christmas week. Every game is a Christmas celebration for me, especially today as Covid delayed my schedule. I've been pushing a very aggressive schedule to complete season 19 on time this Christmas. I'm just a few more games away from Superbowl 19 and get more and more excited as it nears and my season 20 should be able to start 2024 as planned. Every Christmas brings fabulous memories and excitement but this one to be, will be extra special as I should finally be caught up on my EF schedule. So, with that, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone. Blessings, Curt

[Terry43]

2 hours ago, Curt said:

Every game is a Christmas celebration for me,

I agree completely. Christmas is a time of joy and giving so why not make it the norm instead of the holiday. My wife and I believe in Christmas every day.

2 hours ago, Curt said:

I'll run my league the way I run my league

Exactly! 😃👍 It's a small blessing but an important one. Very much my philosophy.

Happy Thanksgiving 🦃 to you also.

Curt, thank you for letting me enjoy a small part of your Journey.  T43. ⚡🏈♾️

[nefgm.org]

Curt. Thanks for sharing. 

[Curt]

You guys are most welcome but all of you coaches have been such a great influence on me. EF is a wonderful community and today I find myself very grateful, giving thanks for being included in this particularly awesome family. I so look forward to future games and forums. Blessings, Curt