The best gift you ever gave . . . .
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: The best gift you ever gave . . . .

Colordeagua

Sunday, November 09, 2003 - 08:21 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Not the gift of health, love, family, and the like. An item. Did it take a lot of thought?

The best gift I ever gave was to a boss (attorney) in '91. He was from Minnesota -- a big Twins fan. (I was at a law firm in Chicago at the time.) His wife had given him framed Sports Illustrated covers of Twins from earlier Series winning team which were hanging on his wall. I do not follow baseball. I wondered if the guys on the covers might still with the Twins and if so, maybe I could get their autographs. It was about August when I called / wrote to the Twins and did get a hold of the right PR person. She said the Twins were doing well that year, be patient, and she would get something to me. Well, after just a couple more calls and letters and the Twins winning the Series again in '91, the PR person told me she would send me a game ball signed by the team that someone in the Twin Cities had requested but hadn't picked up!! It finally came on December 23 along with a Homer Hankie and ring binder with some baseball cards. I told my boss, "You're gonna die when you see this." Well, he didn't die -- but have you ever seen a speechless lawyer? He was truly speechless. He said it was the best material gift he'd ever received.

Sanfranjoshfan

Sunday, November 09, 2003 - 09:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I gave my 7 year old nephew one hundred dollars cash for Xmas one year. I had already discussed it with my sister and made her PROMISE that Chad could do whatever he wanted with the money. Of course, she wanted to make him put at least half of it in the bank and she lobbied hard for that idea, but I insisted that it was for HIM and that it was his one chance to blow an entire fortune if he wanted, without it hurting him in the long run....she finally relented.

My reasoning was that a hundred bucks was not all that much to me (at the time), but to a 7 year old boy, it was a fortune of major proportions! Once he was older, he'd realize that a hundred bucks just isn't quite as much as it is when you're only 7, so it was the perfect time to do this. I also thought of how *I* would have reacted had someone given me a hundred bucks when I was that young...with no strings attached!

I went to the bank and got a *brand new* packet of crisp 100 one-dollar bills, still in its official bank wrapper. I wrapped it up and included a note saying that he was allowed to do *whatever* he wanted with it, that it was all up to *him* (and not up to his mom or anybody else) because it was HIS money.

He and his mom lived in upstate New York and I was here in San Francisco, so I was unable to be there for the surprise....but my sister called me at gift opening time so I could at least listen to the surprise. There was the rustle and tearing of wrapping paper, then a shriek! That was followed by a lot more yelling and shrieking and a chant of "COLD HARD CASH! COLD HARD CASH!" as he marched around the living room. I got the biggest charge out of that! I'd never turned a kid into a "hundredaire" before....and I'd have bet anything that he was truly the happiest kid in the world at that moment!

The funniest thing was what my sister told me later. Later on, after the phone call, he was holding his packet of brand new one dollar bills and he looked at his mom, eyes opened wide and innocent, and asked her in a hushed tone, "Did Uncle Danny rob a bank?" (the brand new packet of bills and too many cops 'n robbers movies, I guess) LOL :)

Oh yeah...the next day they went to Toys 'R Us and he blew the *entire* wad on a Masters of the Universe toy set!

Eliz87

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 06:30 am EditMoveDeleteIP
That is SO cool Sanfran!!

The best gift I ever gave was planning a day out with my boyfriend who is now my husband. We spent the day in Cleveland for his birthday -- I had a full itinerary made out (yes, I'm THAT anal haha).

Let's see if I can remember...

#1 - We stopped at West Side Market and shopped (it's a pretty "famous" and beloved market locally).

#2 - We went to tour the new (at that time) Browns Stadium and then went to check in at our hotel.

#3 - Indians game, with club seats (a fringe benefit of the company I was working for at the time) was next.

#4 - Afternoon delight ;-) back at the hotel.

#5 - Dinner at John Q's, a wonderful steakhouse downtown.

#6 - Stayed in "the Flats" until 2 a.m. Had a blast! "The Flats" was an area in Cleveland that had all the best, trendiest bars, right by the water. They're not so hot anymore unfortunately.

Whew, it was a long day, but so fun, so memorable, so fun to plan. He loved it.

Sweetbabygirl

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 06:53 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Since me and my siblings were little, my grandfather has referred to us as gorillas, always offering us bananas.

About 3 years ago, I decided to send him a special birthday present....I had a huge basket of bananas delivered to him with the inscription card reading "Happy Birthday to the King of Gorillas". Also included was a big furry stuffed monkey.

I wasn't around when he received the package, but my mother called me at work in hysterics....she said that she had never laughed so hard in her life; I could hear my grandmother and uncle cracking up in the background. Before the bananas were consumed, he made sure that everyone that came to the house got to see it.

To this day, my family loves to josh him about Sweetbabygirl's "birthday bananas".

Ladytex

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 07:03 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I have an older sister that helped raise me. It's very hard to buy gifts for her that I can afford. She has no kids and her home is full of antiques and other beautiful things. She was always giving one of the rest of us something or another, even if she didn't have for herself. I spent almost an entire year learning how to and then crocheting her an ivory colored popcorn afghan and sent it to her for Christmas. She called me in tears to thank me for this gift. She still displays this afghan in her home.

Ginger1218

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 07:22 am EditMoveDeleteIP
About 1 1/2 years before my mother passed away, she had gone through a 5 month illness that was very debillitating and we thought she was not going to make it at that time. I promised her if she made it through this, that I would take her to Las Vegas, just her and I. Well, she came through it, she was still weak and needed a wheelchair, because she could not walk a lot. Well, I took her to Las Vegas for 5 days. I paid for her whole trip (including money for gambling - although my sister gave her some money for that too) and took her to see Frank Sinatra and also Liza Minnelli. She enjoyed it so much, and was so proud that her daughter took her. It made me feel so wonderful. And it is a memory that I will always have of her and I. It was the best gift that I gave her - and also that I gave myself.

Djgirl

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 09:20 am EditMoveDeleteIP
The best gift I have ever given was last Christmas. My brother & I have been blessed with an absolutely wonderful man as our stepfather. He has loved us unconditionally and treated us with respect ever since he met us - when he was 30 and we were 14 & 16... (Pretty brave guy eh?!)

When I need a co-signer he never hesitates to offer his help (whereas my own father refuses to help since he never needed help from his parents, why should I?!) Anyway, last Christmas, my brother, Tim & I gave him an authentic Toronto Maple Leaf jersey, and he didn't know what to say. The fact that he sat there aghast, with tears in his eyes did it for me. I'll never forget that Christmas.

Sweetbabygirl

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 09:23 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Aw man, you guys are bringing such touching rememberances to the folder!!

(runs out crying)

Ophiliasgrandma

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 09:51 am EditMoveDeleteIP
The best gift I ever gave was smoke detectors for the whole family...about 15 of them. This was before they became popular and in some places mandatory. They thought I was sort of nuts, but all I know is that I slept better knowing they were all protected.

Landi

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 10:42 am EditMoveDeleteIP
the best gift i've ever given was when my daughter was 3 years old. she only wanted one gift that year, and she wanted us to stop at every department store santa to let him know what it should be... the fisher price dream doll house. i had been on a search for one from the beginning of november (no ebay back then!), and had even called fisher price's main office to get one. i could not find one for anything. so on christmas day, my dh and i "wrote a letter" from santa that stated that "they didn't make those at the north pole, and he was unable to get the doll house from fisher price, but that when he did, he would make sure that she would get one!". We put the letter with a hallmark ornament that looked just like the doll house under the tree, along with a bunch of other presents. holly (my daughter) was disappointed, but she said in her little wistful voice.."it's okay mommy, santa will get it for me".

she wouldn't let us take down the christmas tree that year, because santa needed to have a place for her dollhouse.

in march i finally got a call from toys r us that her dollhouse had arrived and i could come pick it up, i got off work early, phone my dh to alert him to get her at daycare and what was going on, raced to toys r us, raced home and set up the dollhouse underneath the christmas tree, then waited for my dh and dd to arrive.

<crying now> i will never, ever forget the look on her face or what her voice sounded like when she opened the front door. she had little tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked to me and her dad and said, "i told you santa loved me, he didn't forget me!"

Texannie

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 10:44 am EditMoveDeleteIP
ok..I am sobbing now!!!!!!!!!!!

Tater

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 12:05 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh My! So am I Texannie!!!!! Thats a great story Landi.

Tigerfan

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 12:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Wow...sniff...thanks Landi

Ladytex

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 01:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
That's an awesome story, Landi!

Tabbyking

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 01:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
when i subbed at a preschool in town for 5 months, the board was awful to deal with, but i loved, loved, loved the kids, so put up with a ton of BS.
there was a family with 7 kids and they had two kids in this preschool. (my old preschool had closed due to my being on the grand jury, but i had had siblings of the two kids a few years earlier. my preschool had only cost $4 for a 3-hour day. the preschool where i subbed cost $15/ for a 3.5 hour day).

anyway, one night i was at the board meeting and the treasurer brought up that this family's check had bounced. i asked if they had run it through again, in case someone processed it before a deposit or something. they looked at me as if i were nuts and told me if a check bounces the people are out. period. no second chance. i said, "but the father is out of work and the mom is working for minimum wage. isn't there even a break for siblings, so it would be affordable for the family? they each only come one day a week because they can't afford all 3 days!"
no, the board was adamant that the family would be out.
i got out my checkbook and wrote a check out to cover the cost of both kids coming for a month. i asked for the bounced check.
at school the next day, i gave the mom back the check and told her not to worry about it not clearing their account; the kids had been 'given a scholarship' for the month.
she never knew i paid, but i felt so good!!

Cindori

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 01:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Awwww, Tabby. I like you.

Landi

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 01:31 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
thanks guys! I couldn't even write the story without crying my eyes out. i have to tell it every christmas now. (holly has to be out of the room when i tell it, she still believes that santa was around that year. even if she knows that he only exists in our hearts)

tabby,
you are an angel hon. it is truly better to give!

Tabbyking

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 01:41 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
landi, my daughter has the same play house. i lucked out because i got it the day after thanksgiving at k-mart--without even knowing it was the hottest gift of the year and people were offering me big money to have it for their kids. i am so glad i got it for dd... she is going to be 16 in december, but she played with it until she was at least 13! she has sold some of the furniture on eBay (she earned enough to buy her own sheet sets, large pillows and comforter, and we were amazed what some of the stuff went for; i guess the office furniture with the potted plant, briefcase with real stuff in it, computer, etc., were very hard to come by, and dd's least favorite furnishings, so she had no trouble parting with those items!), but she still has the house in her closet and several shoeboxes of furniture. i think she has about 15 kids, too!
if she becomes a pediatrician, the playhouse will be out for kids to play with; if she becomes a teacher, she will have it in her classroom...and if she becomes a vet, she will have to take her pet shoppe, too!
even when your daughter knows all the story, she will keep the 'secret' part of it, so she can tell her kids about the magic that happened 3 months after christmas! i think when people are given special things, they want to do the same for others...
as in the movie "pay it forward", which was very special.

Tater

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 01:58 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
One Christmas was beginning to look like a comedy of errors. I moved in with my parents while we waited for my house to close. So I had no money till after Christmas. My father did contract work and his check was lost in a Fed Ex plane crash. So they didn’t have any $ and my mom felt real bad cause she not only did she need that $ for the presents, she needed it for groceries and to send a box Fed Ex to my sister and her kids. My brothers were in their teens so they understood.

So I took all my money, which was about $300, and when they went to sleep Christmas Eve, got up went to Wal-Mart and got everybody 2 small things. Then I went grocery shopping and got all the fixings. I snuck in put the groceries away, wrapped the presents and put them under the tree. I then took the boxes going to my sister and her kids and left for her house 4 hours away. I showed up at her doorstep at 7am! I got to surprise everyone! It was my best Christmas as a grown up!

Landi

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 01:59 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
i'm one of those people that truly believes in the "pay it forward". i'm always trying to do kind things for others, as i feel that i will always get it back ten-fold! i've truly been blessed with my daughter, she also believes in the same ideals as I do.

for all that i've been through in this lifetime, i wake up every morning and know that i was given the greatest gift of all. friends.

Maris

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 02:04 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I have a story which is like a gift although it didnt cost me anyting other than my time but it is also a story that shows that nice guys dont always finish last.

A neighbor of mine was laid off and while she was laid off she was helping a friend by taking care of three young children. The children's mother died in 9/11 and the father abandoned them very shortly after. He gave the children to his wife's sister and it was a struggle taking care of six children, with three of them emotionally damaged. They were eight people living in a two bedroom apartment. She had legally adopted the children but couldnt afford childcare or even counselling for the kids.

When my neighbor told me the story in August I said, what about the money for the children and she replied what money. When I told her they could be entitled to a significant amount of money and tuitition for college she was stunned. I offered to do research and I found out that they had till December to apply and that they could get free legal assistance from the victims compensation fund. I researched on the web and printed the the phone numbers and all the information the aunt would need to see if she could get assistance. The aunt immediately got in touch with the 9/11 fund.

Believe it or not, some things in New York do go quickly. I found out this week that This group tracked down the scum of a father in Puerto Rico, forced him back to New York where he had to turn over the money (half a million) he had collected on behalf of his three motherless children and his dead wife. So now the aunt and six children are moving to a bigger place, the children are getting therapy, and their college is secure.


So that is my story of helping someone out.

Tabbyking

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 02:08 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
wow. sometimes 'information' is the best gift.......

Texannie

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 02:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
WOW Maris!

Tater

Monday, November 10, 2003 - 02:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Wow Maris, information is a powerful gift!

Admin

Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 04:33 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
You guys always amaze me. Great stories, thanks for sharing.

Here's a gift I really enjoyed giving.

I used to work for a good friend named Pat. We were in Toronto doing a job once and went pawn shop shopping one day. Pat absolutely fell in love with this Samic Hollowbody guitar. He didn't buy it though, he couldn't afford it, it was something like $500.

During his birthday party a good month or more later, we suprised him with the guitar. Myself and a couple of other employees had phoned the pawn shop and bought the guitar, had it shipped here. Pat was awestruck and didn't say anything. He was just speechless, which was nice. Now, about 7 years later, he's in a band with some friends and he still calls that his favorite guitar.

Pamy

Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 05:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I love all these stories!!! Just shows what great people we have here!