What Christmas season meant in '78—and still means in '23...

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So, I stumbled across a picture the other day on Facebook that took me back in time—December of 1978 to be exact—and that year's Christmas season that still remains famous, in part, due to the Star Wars merchandise that was all the rage among boys and girls around the world that year!

The Death Star play station circa ‘78

In May of 1977, Star Wars, the brainchild of a still somewhat obscure director who would become a legend, George Lucas, broke all sorts of box office records as moviegoers could not get enough of the epic journey of Luke Skywalker, a farmboy on the fictional planet Tatooine, one who had no idea that his future (under the tutelage of legendary Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi) would soon make him an intergalactic hero "in a galaxy far, far away."

Poster from the original Star Wars circa ‘77

Here on Earth, specifically in the United States, Lucas, best known at the time for his cult classic film American Graffiti, took a huge gamble when he pitched the Star Wars movie rights to 20th Century Fox in 1975. The gamble? Lucas, in exchange for a smaller slice of Star Wars pay, demanded the exclusive rights to all toys and merchandise related to the film—and the right to create future sequels. You see, the studio execs back then had no clue that Star Wars would become a billion dollar blockbuster from ticket sales—let alone a multi-billion dollar enterprise from the toys, clothes, blankets, lunchboxes, and Halloween costumes, the latter of which transformed Lucas from "lukewarm" (pun intended) to as hot as the lava on another fictional Star Wars planet, Mustafar!

Depiction of the Star Wars lunchbox and thermos that young “Chuckie” Hobbs carried each and every day, from 1st grade until 4th grade, replete with a sandwich, some chips, fruit, and a thermos filled with tomato soup 😋

The problem was that Kenner, the toy company that was contracted to develop the Star Wars toys empire, didn't have enough merchandise to meet demands by the Christmas of 1977. But by the Fall of '78, one could hardly watch network TV without seeing commercials for all of the Star Wars paraphernalia that Kenner shipped to Toys R Us, KMart, Sears and the like—or, to the North Pole for six year olds like me who didn't yet realize that "Santa and Mrs. Claus" were actually my parents, Charles and Vivian Hobbs 😂. 

Thus, on October 31, 1978, I went to school on Halloween wearing my Black Darth Vader costume—one of several dozen kids wearing the same as I recall—and on Christmas morning less than two months later, I awoke to the above depicted Death Star near the fire place, surrounded by an X-Wing Fighter, a Tie Fighter, the Millennium Falcon, multiple action figures, and what then seemed like a life sized Darth Vader—one that I STILL have and treasure!

Hobbs's Christmas tree ‘17…

By the end of Christmas Day, I soon learned that all of my close friends in our Apple Grove neighborhood in Maryland had hit the Star Wars lotto, too, and over the next two years, my boys David Brown, Jay Bynum-Williams, and Kenny Clark spent time hauling our collections to and from each other's basements to reenact what had enthralled us on the big screen. 

Thus, as I reminisced on that magical Christmas of '78 the other night, I could not help but recall that less than 45 years later, those very same friends of mine and I met this past May at the funeral for Kenny Clark, 51.

Jay (left), David (right), and me following Kenny Clark's funeral in Alexandria, Virginia this past May…

While it was beyond amazing to renew those acquaintances, Kenny's death was but another reminder that time does not stand still and that each year, more and more of my kin and friends transition from this Earthly life. In fact, 2023 has been particularly brutal for me as I have lost one grandmother, Mabel E. Harper, a younger cousin, James Cambridge, an elder Fraternity Brother and longtime professional mentor, Attorney Robert Woolfork, a Morehouse Brother and professional mentor, Attorney/Publisher Chuck Cherry; two other Frat Brothers that I held in very high esteem, Nupes Rick Dubose and Bam Rose, a close childhood friend from FAMU High School, Kofi Hemmingway, and countless other friends, schoolmates, and acquaintances whose memories will never fade from my mind or in my heart.

Alas, such remains the dichotomy of the Christmas season, one in which I look forward to spending time resting and enjoying the company of kin and friends, while also remembering those kin and friends who are no longer here, like my father, all of his siblings, and ALL of my grandparents as well.

But as I age, instead of getting depressed by counting who is no longer here, I take note of who remains—all the while thanking God for having gainful employment, good health, and a very sound mind! If you are blessed with the same, lest ye forget to be grateful for your good fortune!

Last Minute Shoppers

If you're a last minute shopper like Ol' Hobbs, please consider patronizing two of my SpelHouse Sisters, Andrea Harris-Lyons ("Legendary" Class of '94), and Kitiya King (Class of '96), for your holiday needs:

Anna Pookie

Andrea Harris, Owner

Found in Target 🎯 and online via the following link

Mischo Beauty

Kitiya King, Owner

Found at JC Penney’s and online via the following link

Last, you can ALWAYS give the gift of “perspective” by sending a subscription to Hobbservation Point to your family and friends by following the link below: