12 Toys of Christmas: 9 Nerfs Launching
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Every Christmas, my nicely wrapped gifts were filled with the latest and greatest Nerf guns; after all their slogan was “It’s NERF or nothing!” My childhood was filled with NERF balls zooming by my head as I rolled behind an object avoiding my archenemy’s (usually my best friend) vicious strike from his blaster. Okay so it was only a spongy ball that couldn’t hurt a fly, but still you get six of those things flying your direction, tell me you wouldn’t jump for your life. I digress.
Something that never crossed my mind as I was jolting to the ground while launching my NERF reactor gun into space was where did the name “NERF” come from? It turns out the solid, spongy cellular material (produced by the chemical reaction of polyester resin reacting with a compound while CO2 is simultaneously released by another reaction creating gas in open pockets) doesn’t have a clear meaning. Some say it’s an acronym for “non=expanding recreational foam” but nothing has been confirmed.
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