We could have gone with “what your first tech gift says about you,” but it’s almost Christmas already.
There comes a time in a kid’s life when the wishlist evolves from past dolls and dump trucks to games and gadgets.
It’s a refinement of interest, and taste. Rather than ask Santa for presents that speak when you spin the wheel/squeeze the paw/push the button, we request gifts of a higher order. Some are electronic; others, battery-powered.
All, though, signal our graduation from toys we’re still likely to chew on at some juncture, to those that require dexterity and thought.
I asked social media connections to share with Tech Life the first tech gift they remember unwrapping for the holidays. The answers spanned generations and complexities. Here’s what they came up with.
What about you? What’s the first tech gift you remember receiving?
From Facebook
I got a digital clock radio when I was 10. Yes, it was on my Christmas list. What. – Kelly W.
I’m gonna show my age, but when I was about 8yrs old I got a transistor radio. My sister called me her Transistor Sister. – Dina M.
Radio Shack cassette player in middle school. Before that, I inherited a used mini transistor radio that was epically cool. Lisa L.
A little electric organ on which I played Send in the Clowns and When the Saints Go Marching In. I’m sure my parents regretted that purchase. – Dana M.
ATARI!! lol. Just dated myself! – Veronica O.
I got a Walkman. And now I feel very old. If you ask me to explain what a Walkman is, I may have to kill you. – Jana K.
Same as my ‘Pong.’ – Dana S.
Speak & Spell and Speak & Math toys from Fisher-Price. I was 8 or 9 years old. – R.S.W.
Not to age myself…but Pong… – Dana S.
OMG – we played that for hours. – Jennifer B.
Can you believe it…Like watching grass grow… – Dana S.
Speak and Spell. – Lola M.
Walk Man. Jenn M.
Don’t make me explain it or I may have to kill you like Jana K. said… – Dana S.
Teddy Ruxpin & Grubby – the creepy animatronics. We’d load cassette tapes into teddy’s back listen to stories. Jessie G.
Loved my Teddy Ruxpin! – Chrissy W.
A Merlin! Circa 1978. – Angela M.
A clock radio in 1984. I was so excited. – Rebecca G.
Portable CD player with anti-skip. – Sara G.
My doll house had lights, that was pretty cool in 1972. – Kathy R.
A “U Drive-it”... it was a plastic box with interchangeable boards and had a steering wheel and little car that you could drive around (magnet on the underside of the board). HEY!! That was techy back in the 70’s! – Karin E.
Lite Brite. I had a dollhouse that when you pushed the doorbell it had an actual little bell inside that got dinged. – Sandy K.
Atari. – Danielle R.
Does a record player count? – Jessica Z.
110mm camera? Sega game gear? – Chrissy W.
Intellivision! I feel like it must’ve been cheaper than Atari or else…WHY WOULDN’T WE HAVE GOTTEN AN ATARI? 😉 – Ashley A.
Original Nintendo + Excite Bike. – Drew B.
When I was about 13 I got a Sega Genesis for Christmas. This was about 1995. By far the coolest thing I could’ve gotten at that point in time. A few years ago I received Nook for Christmas. That was really cool too. – Jon H.
Manual Typewriter. – Tammy R.
A digital calculator. – Kira J.
Merlin. – Sherri B.
A Walkman! – Jennifer H.
Does the game “Operation” count? – Laura P.
From Instagram
Pac-man mini arcade. 1982 I think. This is probably not what you mean at all, is it? 😂 We got a VCR as a family gift in ’87. Our first one. We also got our first microwave that year. My dad still uses both. – gingerettanoel
A portable tape player 😜. – kdtravis_
A record player in the 70’s. Atari in the 1980’s. – @theblogging911
Star studio. It was a tape player and recorder. I was convinced I was going to be the next Belinda Carlisle or Madonna. Spoiler alert: I’m not. – @outsmartedmommy
From Twitter
RadioShack video game system with 2-3 built-in games. Pong, Tank type games, plus shooting game with light gun. – @bobmueller
livingthetechlifeblog.wordpress.com 
I remember also getting a clock radio. My sister and I would listen to talk radio before bed every night. My nerdiness goes waaaaay back.
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I’m with you. I used to think I was so cool with my digital clock radio, listening to cool tunes on 95 KIMN in Denver.
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