Happy Holidays everyone! Were having a Cat Fancy Christmas here at the blog and in honor of this very special occasion, I thought I’d do a jolly top ten on some of my favorite holiday classics. Now we’ve all embraced our own holiday movies over the years and these just happen to be some of my favorites, so let’s unwrap these bad boys.

10. Gremlins (1984)
: It’s Christmas time in Kingston Falls when Billy Peltzer’s father brings home an unusual pet for his son. Purchased from a mysterious Chinese man, this friendly little creature is called a mogwai which Billy names “Gizmo”. There’s just two things Billy should have paid closer attention to; 1) Never get it wet and 2) Never feed it after midnight, of course things don’t quite go as according to plan. Gizmo gets wet spawning five new mogwai and after these mischievous new mogwai get their hands on some grub at the ungodly hour, they transform into something that’s not so cute. Definitely one of the darker christmas classics but a Christmas classic nonetheless. It’s got humor, horror and plenty of holiday cheer. Director Joe Dante basically made a live action cartoon and this Spielberg produced classic has been a staple of the holiday season ever since. Just flip over to AMC around Christmas time and your bound to get a taste of these feisty little scrooges.

Magical Moment: When Billy’s mom fends off the house from mischievous gremlins. We see everything from Billy’s mom wrestling a Gremlin filled Christmas tree, to her popping one in the microwave. Probably more messy than magical but definitely memorable.

9. Bad Santa (2003)
Easily the most vulgar film on this list. Bad Santa is dirty, offensive and gross but what makes it so redeeming is that it still has a heart. Following the misadventures of two thieves Willie (Billy Bob Thornton) and Marcus (Tony Cox), who work as a mall santa and his trusty elf in order to rob malls, Bad Santa is a laugh riot and one of my favorite holiday themed films of this decade. Of course what seals the deal here is the relationship between Willie and a young boy named Thurman and all of their hilarious exchanges such as;

Kid: Santa!
Willie: Yeah.
Kid: You’re bringing my present early?
Willie: No
Kid: But I never told you what I wanted.
Willie: I said I didn’t bring it, dipshit.

There’s just something about the innocence of the kid and his relationship with this surly fake santa, that makes this film quite compelling. The dialogue is hilarious and the characters are classic, if you haven’t seen this then you should check it out. It’s the perfect way to spice up you holiday!

Magical Moment: Willie delivering Thurman’s Christmas present even with the cops on his tail. That was pretty messed up but it was heartfelt.

8. Elf (2003)
Elf hasn’t been around for that long but it seems like everywhere I go it’s already been embraced by many as a staple of the season. The story is simple, sweet and the perfect vehicle for it’s masterful leading man Will Ferrell. You just got to love Buddy the elf and his enthusiasm for the holidays. Everybody loves “fish out of water” stories and Elf turns that concept into something completely off-the-wall and lovable. Fun for the whole family, child or adult, Elf is a delightful holiday romp that’s always worth a watch during the Christmas season.

Magical Moment: Hard to say as I enjoy all of Buddy’s encounters in New York. Though I am quite partial to the portion of the movie Buddy spends inside the toy department of Gimbels.

7. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
It’s no cinematic triumph but one thing is for sure is that they sure nailed down the perfect comedic tone for the holidays. There’s tons of moments I think that in our own twisted ways can relate to. I mean I don’t know about everyone else but I’ve definitely had moments where Clark reminds me of my own dad. The perfect personification of the upbeat American dad and is enthusiasm really makes this movie a blast. Not to mention this a perfect venue for Chevy Chase to display his skills in physical comedy which he’s definitely got down. There’s also some great dysfunctional relatives here too, Cousin Eddie comes to mind as he was brilliantly played by Randy Quaid.

Magical Moment: Remember when Clark hangs from the gutter and that window breaks and stuff like that? I love that everything that could go wrong in this movie goes wrong and it makes for some pretty funny stuff.

6. Home Alone (1990)
John Hughes was basically your “go to guy” screenwriter of the 80s and 90s and with Home Alone he yet again hit another one out of the park. Starring the fresh talent Macaulay Culkin as the pesky yet crafty Kevin McCallister, Home Alone is an incredibly imaginative film with a strong cast, loads of off-the-wall gags and many touching moments (I mean it made George Costanza cry). Kevin facing off against two bumbling crooks Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) is stooge-esque comedy at it’s best. Another key component of why this film works so well, is it’s fantastic holiday score by who else but John Williams. Definitely one of those movies I used to watch over and over again as a kid and even today I hold it dear to my heart.

Magical Moment: When Kevin’s creepy old neighbor comes to his rescue and turns out to be nice guy… That always gets me.

5. A Christmas Carol (1951)
There’s got be about a bazillion versions of this classic tale by Charles Dickens and there’s definitely a good share of both bad and good ones. I’ve seen plenty adaptations but I have to say my favorite is easily the 1951 British version starring Alastair Sim. Many great man have taken on the role of Ebenezer Scrooge; George C. Scott, Michael Caine and even Patrick Stewart, but if you ask me Alastair Sim made the role what it is today. His goofy appearance and ghoulish voice set the perfect mold for the crusty old miser, but his hilarious and heartwarming performance is what really leaves you in awe. The script is well crafted but want can you expect when the man who penned the script also co-wrote The Wizard of Oz? That’s a sentimental masterpiece in the bank and this penned to perfection, showcase of strong acting and moving moments is in mind the definitive version of this iconic tale.

Magical Moment: The ending is a definite tear jerker.

4. Die Hard (1988)
“Ho ho ho now I have a machine gun.” That’s what I’m talking about! It made a star out of Bruce Willis, brought the action genre to new heights and is probably the greatest movie to ever combine explosions with christmas. Die Hard is an adrenaline rush of unforgettable one liners, through the roof action, and most importantly holiday cheer. The characters are fun and clever and the direction and script are tight and punchy. John McClane is a classic character and I’ll always welcome him into my own at this time of the season.

Magical Moment: Remember when he walked on the glass? That was awesome…

3. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
A movie centered around the belief that a department store Santa is indeed the real Santa Claus is a pretty fun premise to start with. Though that does mean that the quality of your movie basically lies within the strength of your Santa’s performance, but here there are no worries. Edmund Gwenn (Who dons the iconic red cap) gives what’s probably the greatest performance by any actor to ever play Santa. He was so good that he even won a “Best Supporting Actor” Oscar at that years ceremony. A guy playing Santa winning an Oscar, how cool is that? Though it’s not that surprising as he’s marvelous in the role. You can’t count out the loving supporting cast either, Maureen O’Hara, John Payne and Natalie Wood don charming characters that leave for a warm viewing experience. All in all Miracle on 34th Street is fun for the whole family and hopefully it’s age won’t weigh it down from being passed on to future generations.

Magical Moment: When Santa speaks dutch to the foreign girl who desperately wanted to see Santa.

2. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Definitely up there with some of my favorite movies of all time It’s a Wonderful Life is probably one of the most emotional and powerful films I’ve ever seen. The legendary Jimmy Stewart gives what’s probably his most iconic performance of his entire career. The characters are all lovable and memorable in their own ways, even the douchebag Mr. Potter (Played by the very talented Lionel Barrymore) is a hoot. George Bailey’s relationship with Mary (Donna Reed) is romance at it’s finest and who doesn’t love other oddball characters like poor old Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) or the wise yet silly guardian angel Clarence (Henry Travers). This is probably my favorite movie on this list, but I didn’t give it the top spot for one reason. As much as I love it, it’s not really about Christmas (aside from the finale) rather it focuses more on the decisions we make in life. I mean the sacrifices George makes for the people around him and all his selfless gestures truly brings a tear to your eye. Nothing short of an American classic and a must see.

Magical Moment: When the whole town comes to aide George in his financial woes and George’s brother says “To my brother George, the richest man in town.” Yeah, you just try and fight back those tears of joy.

1. A Christmas Story (1983)
Can you think of any other movie that so perfectly embodies what it means to be a kid around Christmas? Bob Clark’s 1983 classic is the perfect representation of not only the magic and wonder of the holidays, but also the disfunction that can sometimes follow. The Parker family are really a bunch of screwballs that I think everyone can relate to in one way or another. Melinda Dillon is great as Ralphie’s concerned mother, while Darren McGavin easily gives the best performance of his entire career as Ralphie’s “Old Man” and even the kids are pretty good. Peter Billingsley gives a surprisingly professional performance considering his age and all the over kids have their moments. Though what really ties this all together is Jean Shepherd’s narration. The whole basis for the movie was based on the true life experiences of Jean Shepherd (who wrote the film along with Bob Clark) and his radio friendly voice perfectly suits the midwest 40s setting. If you haven’t seen this you’re probably insane as TBS runs a 24 marathon every year (I Watched it twice today) and it just wouldn’t be Christmas without A Christmas Story

Magical Moments: I really can’t decide, I mean there’s when Flick gets his tongue stuck to the flagpole, going out for “Chinese Turkey”, all of Ralphie’s fantasies… You know you have something special when there are that many memorable moments.

Honorable Mention
– Jingle All the Way (1996): It’s dumb but it’s just so zany that it’s hard not to enjoy.
– Scrooged (1988): A sarcastic Bill Murray + Christmas ghosts = Awesome
– The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992): A surprisingly entertaining take on the story.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

In honor of John and I walking around Kirkland all day through the 8 feet of snow in this Deep Freeze 08 season, I thought I might a holiday themed list.

10. The MLB Winter Meetings
This is the pinnacle of the baseball off season and seeing how every year I stay glued to MLBtraderumors.com I thought I should put it on the list.

9. Pumpkin Pie
I don’t know if people usually have it for Christmas dinner, but between my Birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas I try to have it as many times as I possibly can.

8. Jingle All the Way
When we went through our Arnold phase a few years back, Jingle All the Way was definitely the favorite of Arnold’s comedy side. It’s an unbeatable combination of white people, black people, white people, black people.

7. Reesescruit
I have absolutely no clue if I am spelling that right, but every year at our big family Christmas we have this contest where there is this gross pudding thing that looks like cottage cheese but tastes like rotten oat meal and everyone gets a bowl and you start eating it and whoever has the nut in theirs gets a little dinky prize. Its OODLES of fun and my cousin Jeff seems to win every year…

6. People Getting Stuck in John’s Yard
I just learned this quirky fact today that whenever it snows people tend to crash into John’s front yard. And like clockwork there was a guy leaned halfway in a ditch in Johns yard today and it was hilarious.

5. Chex Mix
Even though none of the Cat Fancy crew seems to enjoy my father’s chex mix, I think it is one of the greatest snack foods on earth. It is way better than store brand and Colin can suck a phat one.

4. Kwanza
See here.

3. Snow Days
We don’t have them ever at Central which kind of sucks but just the fact that when you first see snow the first thing that comes to your brain is that you might be able to wiggle out of some sort of responsibility is a great feeling. And of course because rules are meant to be frozen.

2. Calvin and Hobbes Snowman Comics
By far my favorite part of Calvin and Hobbes, these graphic and often morbid portrayals of what it is really like to be a snowman never cease to make me hysterical.

1. Presents
Cause who the hell doesn’t like presents?

In honor of the remake of Day the Earth Stood Still, I thought it would be quite appropriate to do a top ten of some of the greatest individual extra terrestrial characters of pop culture. I tried to pick a fair amount of characters from both television and film but I mostly ended up with just characters from cinema. So there’s no confusion, this list is specifically individual characters no alien races. If I had done that then I’d basically of been up to my ears in Klingons and Wookies and that’s just far too overwhelming. It was hard enough for me to sort through the Star Wars universe and pick specific characters but I think I managed a fairly respectable list. I’d like to thank Sean for significantly helping me decide on upon certain characters worth inclusion and I hope I don’t disappoint to many. Without further ado here are some of our favorite intergalactic individuals.

10. Marvin the Martian (Looney Tunes (1948)
Species: Martian
Portrayed by: Mel Blanc
Greatest Moment: His appearance in that Duck Dodgers short was pretty good. I can’t remember anything specifically but I always enjoyed that as a kid.
Background: Marvin the Martian may not be as notable or relevant as he once was, but with his snappy little outfit, short fuse and stuffy little voice you can’t ignore his greatness. Though only appearing in five original Looney Tunes shorts, Marvin has developed a strong following over the years and is probably the most memorable cartoon alien of all time. I mean who’s he gonna compete with? That stupid little green dude from The Flintstones? That guy was a total douchebag. This Mars native’s plans of destruction were always foiled by the likes of Bugs Bunny and Duck Dodgers but they’ll never be able to stop the determination of this little martian.

9. Klaatu (The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Species: Unknown
Portrayed by: Michael Rennie
Greatest Moment: His arrival on Earth
Background: The peaceful Klaatu was wise beyond his years and actually quite charming. Some of his best moments were his interractions with Helen Benson and her son, but we all remember his iconic arrival on Earth. Klaatu had a lot of personality and you can thank Michael Rennie for his memorable performance in perhaps the best sci-fi film of the 50s and certainly one of the best of all time. I don’t have high hopes for the remake that opens tomorrow but I loved the original so I’ll probably still take a peak.

8. Jabba the Hutt (Return of the Jedi (1983))
Species: Hutt
Portrayed by: Larry Ward (Voice), David Alan Barclay, Toby Philpott, and Mike Edmonds (Puppeteers)
Greatest Moment: When Leia was choking him in and his huge tongue was flapping all around and he was making gross noises.
Background: Jabba was a disgusting morbidly obese jerk, but you got to respect that fact that the guy didn’t seem to have any trouble getting what he wanted. Whether it was having Han Solo in Carbonite or a scantily clad Leia by his side, Jabba was the ultimate gangster of the Star Wars universe. His grotesque appearance and booming voice has forever stuck itself into the minds of movie goers and has been parodied all over the place. I mean if it wasn’t for Jabba than we wouldn’t have Pizza the Hutt from Sapceballs.

7. Predator (Predator (1987)
Species: Predator?
Portrayed by: Kevin Peter Hall
Greatest Moment: His final confrontation with Arnold.
Background: Before he became the subject of a dozen mediocre comic books and novels, not to mention the underwhelming AVP franchise he was the lead villain in John McTiernan’s 1987 Sci-Fi classic. An intelligent and elusive warrior, the Predator was a force to be reckoned with and as Arnold so memorably put it “One Ugly Motherfucker.” He didn’t seem to have much trouble wiping out most of Arnold’s squadron but his final battle with Arnold was damn memorable. Even though he was eventually defeated look at how he ended it all, he freaking blew himself up laughing with his own self destruct mechanism! The Predator was instantly shot into alien superstar status with this action packed adventure.

6. Alien (Alien (1979))
Species: Xenomorph
Portrayed by: Bolaji Badejo
Greatest Moment: It was pretty scary when he killed Harry Dean Stanton. The finale was good too.
Background: In space no one can hear you scream and that’s a damn shame cause this thing literally scared the shit out of everyone back in 1979 and still does today. A sleek and vicious creature you have to give props to H.R. Giger for dreaming up this nightmarish creation. From the moment it burst out of John Hurt’s stomach to it’s demise of being sucked into space. This alien made for the perfect sci-fi villain in Ridley Scott’s classic sci-fi feature. It dripped acid, had superhuman stamina and basically had everything you could ever want in a monstrous extra terrestrial, the Alien was legit.

5. Chewbacca (Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
Species: Wookie
Portrayed by: Peter Mayhew
Greatest Moment I liked it when he was all pissed after losing that weird monster chess game.
Background: Everyone’s favorite furry sidekick comes in at the next spot and you just couldn’t have a list of alien life-forms without him. Equipped with his lucky Bowcaster and possessing one of the most memorable howls in film history, Chewbacca was an excellent partner to the freewheeling Han Solo and one of the most memorable critters in the Star Wars Universe. The 7 foot 4 first mate of the Millennium Falcon won over the hearts of movie goers in the sci-fi classic and has popped up all over the place since then. Possibly most memorable for being somewhat of comic relief in the original trilogy one thing is for sure is that his home is where his spirit goes and if you dare taunt him he’ll rip your arms off and kill your friends.

4. E.T. (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Species: Unknown
Portrayed by: Pat Welsh (Voice), Tamara De Treaux, Pat Bilon, Matthew De Meritt, Caprice Roth (costume)
Greatest Moment: Remember when E.T. got drunk? That was bomb dot com.
Background: Next is the friendly little extra terrestrial that warmed our hearts in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 blockbuster and shot into pop culture as everyone’s favorite intergalactic traveller. Stranded on Earth after being ambushed by government agents, E.T. befriends the young Elliot forming a heartfelt friendship and going through plenty of both humorous and emotional escapades. He wears women’s clothing, goes trick or treating, eats Reeses Pieces all while on the run from the guva-ment people. Not to mention that he has sweet healing powers and a telekinesis. You have to be a sick, twisted heartless monster if you can’t warm up to this friendly little alien.

3. Spock (Star Trek (1966-1969)
Species: Vulcan
Portrayed by: Leonard Nimoy
Greatest Moment: Sacrificing himself to safe the Enterprise in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Background: No one ever though this pointy eared Lieutenant would catch on but in just a short amount of time, he quickly became one of the most popular characters on the show and possibly one of the greatest sci-fi characters of all time. Born on the planet Vulcan to a Vulcan father and a human mother, Kirk’s level headed first mate always keeps his cool. What’s great about Mr. Spock is that even though he was raised by a cold calculating species he still has that human touch of emotionality. Whether he’s spouting his trademark phrase “highly illogical” or giving some douche the Vulcan neck pinch, Spock’s always hip in my book. I can’t say I’m that educated on Star Trek but one thing is for sure is that I respect Spock.

2. Yoda (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1981))
Species: Unknown
Portrayed by: Frank Oz (Voice/Puppeteer)
Greatest Moment: I’m really more of a Yoda in the original trilogy kind of guy, so I liked it when Yoda was all crazy and hitting R2-D2 with his cane.
Background: Wise beyond his years, masterfully skilled in the Jedi arts and a funny little puppet, Yoda played a large part in what’s often considered the best Star Wars installment. Living on the harsh swamp of Dagobah in a little hut you’d never expect that a senile creature like him would be a Jedi Master. That’s part of what I like about Yoda, he seems like the most unlikely candidate for a jedi master with his size and funny appearance but looks can be deceiving. He’s easily become one of the most memorable characters in the franchise but I’ll always love him best in his first appearance. Speaking in a strange almost backwards pattern, voiced by the multi talented Frank Oz (Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Cookie Monster and a talented director) Yoda speaks of infinite wisdom and is the ultimate philosopher of the Star Wars universe.

1. Kal-El a.k.a Superman (Action Comics #1 (1938)
Species: Kryptonian
Portrayed by: George Reeves, Christopher Reeves, Brandon Routh… Uhh Dean Cain and more.
Greatest Moment: Duking it out with General Zod (Terrence Stamp) in Superman II (1980.
Background: Perhaps one of the most iconic characters in all of pop culture. Known throughout the world as the definitive superhero, Superman has done basically everything in his 70 year existence and continues to entertain the masses in various outlets today. He’s been in comics, radio shows, cartoons, television, movies, toy lines, crappy video games and more! He stands for truth, justice, the American way and will probably always have a place in our ever changing go-go gadget world. Born on the planet Krypton, the young Kal-El was sent to Earth during his planet’s demise landing on Earth, where he would forever make his mark. A classic fish out of water story, Superman would end up disguising himself as mild mannered reporter Clark Kent. Breaking out of his seemingly normal life to save helpless souls, duke it out with Lex Luthor or battle mean tempered aliens Superman is timeless. He is a completely selfless, moral and heroic character that will always have a place in the hearts of many.

Honorable Mention
Kang and Kodos (The Simpsons (1990)
The Blob (The Blob (1958)
The Thing (The Thing From Another World (1951) and The Thing (1982)
Edgar (Men in Black (1997))
Mo-Ron (Freakazoid (1995))

Dishonorable Mention

Alf: There is nothing cool about Alf.

How about… Creepy sea creatures?

	10. Dolphins I’m not positive, but I have my suspicions about dolphins. Lots of people do. They’re smart, social, seemingly friendly. Frankly, there’s something wrong with a sea creature that wants to be my friend. Oh, and get this: orcas are dolphins. That’s why we don’t call them killer whales! I guess we should start calling them whale killers!
	9. Oarfish These suckers can get to be larger than 30 feet long. Gross. Really, just a creeper. We mostly know about them because we find them washed up on shore, we’re not even sure where they come from or where they live.
	8. Viperfish One of several really menacing looking fish to make this list. Really, I know it looks really messed up, but it lives like a mile below the sea, it’s not like I’m ever gonna run into one of these. At least, a living one.
	7. Giant Isopod It turns out this thing is like an underwater armadillo. It’s also got a helluva mouth. But, you know, there’s not much food down there. You gotta adapt to eat whatever you can get. You’re all right, giant isopod.
	6. Dragonfish This is a particularly creepy fish that has one of those light-up lure things to attract prey. Again, sure, it’s terrifying, but it’s also pretty tiny and so far underwater I’m not too worried about running into one.
	5. Fangtooth Fangtooth sounds like the name of some mythical dragon or some shit like that. Can someone explain to me why you need giant teeth to live on the bottom of the ocean? It sounds like a lot of these animals eat their prey whole anyway. What’s the point?
	4. Giant Squid Normal squids are OK, but giant ones are even better. There’s a reason sailors are so creeped out by these suckers. I can appreciate why John is such a fan. Personally, I find them terrifying.
	3. Great White Shark The ultimate killing machine. We all know the stories, the Jaws, the attacks. Did you know if a shark stopped swimming, its weight would cause it to sink and die? You probably did, lots of people know that. But it’s awesome.
	2. Blue Whale These fuckers are the biggest things ever alive (as far as we know). Think about that. Like, really, focus on that. And they eat that plankton shit. They so big! I can’t imagine how terrifying it would be to be like swimming around or in a kayak or something and have one of these show up. Ah…
	1. Octopus The octopus is the greatest creature alive on this earth. Fear its wrath. With incredible camouflage skill, the ability to squeeze through ridiculous gaps, cat-like intelligence, and the ability to survive on land, this is an unstoppable killing machine. People who eat living octopus, like in Oldboy, are braver than 1,000 Harrison Fords.

Today’s top ten is devoted to none other than our founder and dear friend Sean Friedrich Lemme in celebration of his 20th birthday last monday. I’ve collected a handful of comments from Sean’s so called friends, along with some other strange things people have said in the past and put them together in a “balls to the walls” T3 to honor Sean, a true patriot.

Sean allows me to not be ashamed of my love for wookiepedia and he’s just a pretty cool guy. besides the fact he still only likes me for my star wars action figures.
– Nancy

I’ve always liked his ability to come up with or try out new phrases, even the lesser ones like “boned” or “balls to the walls”. I also respect the fact that he has always been the clear academic superior out of “the core”.
– Colin

Say the cookie thing!
– Peter Olund (from some time in Junior High)

I’ve never thanked you for existing either have I Sean… Well not yet.. You Still haven’t quite proved yourself to me.
– Jake (From MySpace, I assume he meant “Proven” instead of “Proved”)

He keeps in touch with the world.
– Paul

Sean lemme is one helluva guy. His loyalty, and sensibility are all vital aspects to his character. He’s fun to rock with, better to laugh with, and the perfect person to have a drink with as you watch the world end
– Peter

Hey it’s Tiffy
– Some guy from Myspace

His courage and wisdom have helped guide me through this ridiculous realm of existence for many moons. From his computer wizardry (helping me with my many technical woes) to his bold teachings, stemming back to his Native American roots, Sean is a funny, clever, well rounded guy that’ll I’ll always be proud to have on my side… At least until things go sour when the world ends in 2012.
– John

You are really fucking hilarious thank you for existing.
– Kristin (MySpace comment)

Sean: a brother, a friend, a hero. My older brother is the most inspirational writer I know, in addition he can always add a witty comment that perfectly complements the situation. He brings a lot, not just in size, to any party. Happy Birthday Sean!
– Kevin

A lot of comments about existing and apocalypse, it just goes to show that our lives just wouldn’t be the same without the Seanster. I think I can speak for everyone when I say we all wish you well on this journey called life, happy birthday.

Here’s a quick T3 that I’d originally planned for 90s week but it somehow ended up on the cutting room floor. It’s mostly the fads that most effected my life in the 90s and what not, enjoy I guess.

10. Pogs – This wasn’t really too big around where I grew up, but I had a handful of pogs that I enjoyed collecting even though I never had anyone to play with.

9. Bop It – Remember Bob it? That was actually pretty fun, especially “Bop-It Extreme 2”

8. Surge – Drinking Surge was just bad-ass at least to my memory. Not everyone drank it that often due to it’s high amount of caffein, but I never missed a chance to get extreme.

7. The Rise of Harry Potter – When British import Harry Potter came to our proud land in 1998 kids went nuts, slowly but surely Harry Potter took the world by storm and even I’ll admit I was fan back in the day.

6. Star Wars Special Edition – When the Star Wars trilogy got a makeover in 1997 it was like the birth of a new wave of fans. I remember it was second grade when kids were buying all the latest star wars toys and bringing them to school. There were new trading cards and all sorts of merchandise, what a time to be alive.

5. Tech Decks – Probably the most annoying fads of it’s time. there were always those kids that brought their finger skateboards to class, playing with them when ever they could. I was never as good as Nancy but I still had a handful and some pretty sweet miniature ramps for em.

4, Razor Scooters – Who knows why these got so popular so fast but I guess some of the most simple things in life tend to be the most enjoyable. Just be careful, I had some bad wipeouts in the day… Well never that bad.

3. Tamagotchi – Everyone had those terribly annoying virtual pets beeping away uncontrollably, unless you were Colin he had like some cheap knockoff. They were fun but I swear if you didn’t feed or entertain that thing for every hour of the day they’d freaking get sick and drop dead with the flick of a wrist. One of my worst fears is going to hell and being attacked by the spirits of all my dead tamagotchi pets.

2. Power Rangers – Looking back it was a weak concept, a lame show with an even worse movie but kids identified with those brave spandex warriors, I especially loved the toys with the flip heads. So many memories of pretending to be these guys at recess, I was always Billy cause he was the smartest, I can still remember the name of the actor, David Yost.

1. Pokemon – Whether it was the cards, the games or the terrible cartoon, every adolescent was all about Pokemon in the late 90s. I still keep my cards stored away in a thick binder, my favorite card was always a holographic Blastoise that I got in my first pack, those were some precious yet nerdy times.

Dishonorable Mention
Beanie Babies – They were just god damn stuffed animals people.