I had completely forgotten about Tyco US1 Electric Trucking! Like yourself (and millions of other males of our era), that set was indeed a true pinnacle of Christmas wish-ery. Funny though - of various friends and cousins, I can't recall anybody who actually received one as a present...

The best Christmas gift I've ever received was a Kim Breedlove Mandolin given to me by my wife.

I had played it weeks earlier and mentioned to my wife what a wonderful instrument it was. She called the store and described what I had told her. They figured out that it must be the Breedlove I was playing and she bought it.

It was a used instrument and was several hundred dollars cheaper than a new instrument, but it was still damn expensive (nearly $1000). I was expecting to get, perhaps, an inexpensive Michael Kelly mandolin which would still be an upgrade from the cheap piece of crap mandolin I already owned. But she found exactly the right instrument and surprised me with it.

I own 8 guitars but only one mandolin. That one instrument does everything I need it to do and I still love it.

Best present ever!

Regarding the Bon Jovi Christmas video, don't forget other inappropriate holiday tunes. It started with "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." Then Kip Adotta did "I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus." This, of course, led to "I Saw Mommy Fucking Santa Claus" and now all childhood has been demolished.

I Googled "tyco us1 electric trucking" and found and watched this video while I listened to you tell your story, before I heard you describe finding and watching the same video yourself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYf5cqi0_Y8

It does look like a lot of fun, and the guy in the video is still enjoying it and talking about it 30 years later! Anyway, here's the link in case anyone else wants to check it out. Cheers,

-Fred