Games Talk: what game laid the foundation for your love of gaming?

My passion for games came from my family.  When I was a kid, I used to watch my parents and aunts and uncles play Canasta...a card game.  The kids used to stand around watching them play and learning.  We couldn't wait until we would be old enough to get to play with the grownups!!!  We also played Croquet.  All of my relatives had a Croquet game and we all knew where to set it up to play.  I now play games on my computer at the AARP game site.  Thanks.