[carbking]

I have been following this thread with interest.

I am not convinced people, or generations of people, can be "pigeon-holed" (hopefully you youngsters understand the term )

I am more of the opinion that individuals are individuals.

I just barely made the chart (by 3 months).

I don't think I ever tore up a toy; but in that era, few toys to tear up.

On the other hand, the neighbors kids tore up everything they had, including a couple of mine.

But as far as personal nostalgia:

My favorite Christmas toy was an Erector set in 1951 ( I still have it). I collected stamps and coins (still do, and have almost all from the start).

We had vinyl (I still have all I ever had), and my record player from 1957 (it still works).

Fast forward to the next generation: I have two children (in the 1970's). One is trying to recreate everything from their childhood, the other lives in the present.

Where I am really nostalgic is in concepts, conditions, etc.

We had no locks on the door (other than a catch on the screen door to keep the wind from opening and closing).

Mostly grew up on a farm, but other than two decades I spent in a 6-month period in Los Angeles, spent some time in 3 small towns/cities in north central Missouri. EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN THESE TOWNS/CITIES WOULD HAVE BEEN WELCOME DINNER GUESTS IN OUR HOME, AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN WELCOME IN ANY OF THEIRS!

Items were loaned to neighbors, and returned.

If a neighbor had a problem, you helped the neighbor.

An example of the above: About 1962, the largest farmer in our area was involved in a major vehicle accident in the very early spring, just before spring planting. He worried in the hospital about getting out his crops. When he was discharged and on the way home, he found some of his land, which was fallow prior to his accident, was now worked. His neighbors, from miles around, had brought their equipment and had planted every field he owned (the seed store had provided the seed) prior to working any of their own fields.

And yes, I WOULD like to go back!

Jon