What’s the Best Gift You’ve Ever Given or Received?
By: Jacinta O’Halloran (View Profile)
As I pulled the slender box from under the tree, my mind raced with possibilities. Ripping the paper away, I found a small box of coloring pencils. “Huh?” The attached note read “you fill my life with color, now go fill yours,” and it included a certificate to a local art class, something I’d been feeling too busy to sign up for myself. I burst into tears. What’s your gift giving—or receiving—high point?
The giveaway ended Dec 17th, but you can still add your story to this chit chat. Look for more giveaways soon and stand by for an announcement about our winner.
Gifts can come in strange ways. My husband died, and I was left with four babies to raise alone. I was living in Maine, very far away from my family. It was right before Christmas. I had very little to give my children. I made very little money. The winters there are very cold. One week, I paid all my bills and mailed them out. Never realizing til two weeks later, we ran out of heating fuel. I had no money to buy more. I begged them to deliver fuel, and I would pay them later. They refused. They said, we will deliver tomorrow but you must have the $76.00 or no fuel. I didnt no what to do. So, I turned to God for help. The next day, three hours before delivery and still no money. I went to the mailbox for our mail, and there was a letter from my car insurance company, with a check in the amount of $78.00. I had over paid them in error and they were sending a check with the difference. Not only did I get the oil, but God gave me the greatest gift that Christmas. He gave me my faith back.
My greatest gift was being able to celebrate Christmas with our baby after four years of trying and three miscarriages. Now she is 2 and soooo excited for Christmas.
the best gift i was given was a set of graduated pearls. i looked everywhere for some and couldn't find a set. the best present i've ever given was a knight in shining armor christmas tree ornament. the guy talked about it for years.
When I think of the best gift that I have ever given was to be able to give my grandchildren the gift of love. Not only the gift of love but to be able to give them the gifts that their father could no longer give to them. I can always give them the gift of love, of my son through me to them. You see they lost their father last year in Sept. on his birthday, and so he was not here for Christmas. So I gave them gifts of love and gifts that I new he would have wonted them to have. Most of all we had each other it was such a joy to hug, kiss, and hold, those kids in my arms and to tell them how much I love them. One day I was missing him so much that I realized that I still had him in his children. And I quietly said thank you Brian for my grandchildren. and we yet have you in each other. That is the greatest gift I remember and I will never forget, the gift of "LOVE" and giving, and sharing and being there for each other. We all learned something from this and it taught us giving.
To me a great gift does not need to cost a lot of money, in fact, it may not need to cost anything. The greatest gifts come from the heart and those are priceless! I was going through a very tough time a few years ago, it was the darkest time of my life, and my best friend made me a music CD that was filled with inspirational, spiritual songs. I must have listened to that CD a thousand times over a timespan of a year! The lyrics in the music got me through each and every day, and to me it was the greatest gift anyone could have possibly given me. I still have the CD to this day, and when I need a lift, or a need to get grounded again, I just listen to it and it still has the same magical affect it originally had when I received it!
My greatest gift is not something wrapped in a box with a colorful bow. My greatest gift is being with my wonderful children, their spouses, and my adorable grandchildren. Their smiles are always the highlights of each and every day. Being fortunate to have them around all year long is a daily gift, not one that just comes once a year.
I had been working too much and was getting in the habit of locking myself in my room alone at night. My husband gave me a package from him and the kids for lunch, a visit to the aquarium, and games at Dave and Busters. He wrote me a note that said "I know you have been saying you need time alone but you foget how much fun you have with your family, lets have a big day and smile as we go to sleep."
That full day of running around like crazy with my nutty family was just what I needed to rejuvinate my attitude. These people who need laundry cleaned and food on the table are not adding to my burdens, these are the people who I love and help take me away from stress.
It was when I married my husband. He is my gift. I waited to get married and did not meet my special man until I was 38 years old. He shares my love of animals and other things we enjoy together. I met him through his mother. She thought we would make a good match. So did many of our friends that we shared. He is so understanding and has a good sense of humor. He definitely is a gift from God. I cry just thinking about him being given to me.
that is easy! Christmas of 2006 my son and his girlfriend got engaged...it was the most wonderful gift since we all love this young woman so much! My future daughter-in-law, my daughter and myself cried so hard...happy tears! Makes me smile just writing about it now!
My husband and I had just gotten married and moved out of state to start new jobs. Because of the move, the wedding, and the start of new careers, our Christmas funds were depleted. We had set a very small budget of $25 that we were able to spend on each other for Christmas. Imagine my surprise when I received the very distinct blue Tiffany's box with a large white ribbon tied around it. Inside was the beautiful necklace I had been dreaming of for most of the year. My husband wanted to make sure our first Christmas was special and memorable so he sold his precious baseball cards that he had been collecting since he was a child to get the money to buy me a very special and memorable first Christmas gift.
My Husband has since given me 3 more precious gifts: our daughter Ellie and Twins due in June. This story just reminds me of my husband's selfless nature and makes me want to marry him all over again.
Happy Holidays!
