Graydon Webb – Krampus’s Little Helper

My goodness, I have to follow that? How can you have a better holiday story than that? My favorite holiday memories all involve my family in some way, whether it’s gathering together to go on a fun trip or simply the traditions we uphold each and every year. But one big holiday memory in the realm of gaming would have to be the year I received a Nintendo Wii.

Growing up, I was surrounded by quite a few gaming consoles, all of which belonged to my dad. From the PS1 to the Dreamcast to the PS2, I wasn’t ever allowed to touch them without his supervision, and while I do find myself lucky to have played some great games in my formative years, I never really felt like these games were “mine.” Fast forward to 2006, when I received a gift I never would’ve imagined seeing in front of the television: a real, genuine Wii just for me!

It’s one of those visions that’s engrained in your brain, and when I close my eyes I can always picture the Wii sitting there on the floor by the front door of our extremely tiny apartment, and on top of it sat a copy of Happy Feet; the first real game I could call my own.

I’d seen the Wii before at my aunt and uncle’s house, in fact, I think I stood in line at launch to get one with them! I’d also tried out some games back when Six Flags had Wii stations you could play new games on. But actually having a game console in my possession that I could use whenever I wanted… that was something truly special.

The Wii became my baby and I still have that launch Wii plugged in to this day! Happy Feet may have made its way to the bottom of a Rubbermaid tub in my attic, but the memories still live on in my heart, and I long for the Christmas when I can someday give my own child their own console for the first time.