In May 1977,  with relatively less fanfare than in coming years, the first of the STAR WARS movies was released. And my Mom told me I was too young to go see it. 

I was very disappointed.

But over the next 10 + years, I would encounter "Star Wars" everything: Kenner mini figures, music, models, movies, TV Specials, T-Shirts, Lunch Boxes etc. etc. 

Now, I found this fascinating posting that highlights a Flickr Group which shows just how many Star Wars items were created over the years:

This wonderful little Flickr group, Growing Up Star Wars: 1977-1985 is the perfect antidote the Star Wars cynicism that has become the norm for so many fans like me. Take a few minutes to browse through these pictures, and remember. These are the golden years of fandom.Solar Flare: Science Fiction News, Jun 2008

Getting inspired. How about building your own Millennium Falcon? Head on over to this site to build your very own Millennium Falcon from the paper patterns that you can find here.