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Gift you were most proud to give

Iscariot

Iscariot

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Aug 16, 2007
2,627
3
Toronteazy
Humbug, I hate the Christmas. Would if I could, I'd steal your trees, break your lights and eat all your cookies. But, as I'm trying to steal your gift ideas I'm trying to grow my heart 3 sizes bigger, I'd like to hear what gift idea you were most proud of giving.

Did you ever get the perfect gift for a friend/loved one that just made your Christmas, and theirs? Post it here!

If you mention something you recieved, I will saw your greedy human legs off.
 
Iscariot said:
Did you ever get the perfect gift for a friend/loved one that just made your Christmas, and theirs? Post it here!

If you mention something you recieved, I will saw your greedy human legs off.
Click to expand...
Well the most humbling, and ultimately rewarding gift I ever gave was "Kickback" an insect transformer. I was about eight, and I recall being jealous that I was picking out a cool toy (or at least a toy I wanted) for another kid. I'm sure my parents tried to explain why we were buying this toy for a kid we didn't know, but being that young and grumpy about not getting what I wanted it fell on deaf ears. I even remember being upset about it during the wrapping and on the way to drop it off... until we got there. The kids 'house' was a small, run-down trailer and it was obvious that this family was very poor, everything outside was rusted, broken or both.

At that instant my greed turned to shame; I couldn't believe I wanted to deny this kids happiness just so I could add another transformer to my own collection (and I had a lot). Then as my parents went to the front door, as I sat in the car I wondered if I got the right one... Would he like it? Did he have that one? Did he even like transformers? All I wished for at that moment was that he was happy with the gift... I never got to know, I don't know who that kid was but I learned my lesson.

Now each year I get together with coworkers or friends and 'adopt' a family over the Christmas season. Through the organizers we get details of the family, usually ages and gender of the kids and most importantly the kids Christmas list. The lists are quite humble and the toys they want aren't too expensive. Normally after taking a collection from about 30 people or so we have tons of money left over so we buy a gift card from a grocery store, usually it's enough for about a months worth so we hope they eat well in the new year too.

Honestly you might have to come after me Iscariot, 'adopting' a family like that is the best gift I give myself each year. :)
 
Well...

Mine sure doesn't beat Raid's...

I am really excited to give an iPhoto photo book to my parents this year. The book is pictures of their 25th wedding anniversary photos that I took with my D50. It has pictures of family from all over the place, and I know it's something they will keep forever.
 
Think I agree w/ Lamina, it'll be tough to post something more poignant than Raid's experience. :eek:

I spent a good chunk of time and energy (carpal tunnel, anyone?) knitting a ginormous blanket for the then boyfriend. About queen-sized. And yes, every damned stitch had him in mind (though sometimes it was a frustrated thought like, "WTF am I doing this?!"). It was worth it to see how ecstatic he was when he finally got it. And he even used it after we broke up. :p

This year, I've gotten some fun gifts for my mom and sister. Not really fun for most folks, but considering how lame my gifts for them usually are, I'm rather excited to see their reactions. I'm not going to post more details as they might stumble upon them. *dogeyes*
 
The gift I am most proud of was when my wife and I took on a foster child in the end of November. The little girl was only 2 months old and she would be separated from her mother for her first Christmas. The mother went into rehab at a location more than 2 hours from our town and visitation was extremely limited. We ended up spending our entire Christmas day driving to the rehab center so that mom could be with her little girl on her first Christmas. We even took some pictures of our foster daughter in a Christmas outfit to give to the mother as a present. It was a very humbling experience to spend Christmas in the rehab center, but extremely rewarding to see the mother's gratitude and to encourage her in her recovery.
 
About a month before christmas i bought my MBP and told my brother that I was going to keep using my old iBook and he would grouble and complain, and was really mad when he saw me send it to apple (it was actually to get minor things fixed, i bought the apple care I mise well use it!) and then gave it to him for christmas.

He was extatic and it felt really good...too bad I wont be abel to top that for a while..being poor and in college sucked i didn't work at all this semester :(
 
I bought an iPod nano 2G for my ex for xmas, her iPod had recently died, her face lit up when I bought it, she didn't know why we were going to town :p
 
imac/cheese said:
The gift I am most proud of was when my wife and I took on a foster child in the end of November. The little girl was only 2 months old and she would be separated from her mother for her first Christmas. The mother went into rehab at a location more than 2 hours from our town and visitation was extremely limited. We ended up spending our entire Christmas day driving to the rehab center so that mom could be with her little girl on her first Christmas. We even took some pictures of our foster daughter in a Christmas outfit to give to the mother as a present. It was a very humbling experience to spend Christmas in the rehab center, but extremely rewarding to see the mother's gratitude and to encourage her in her recovery.
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That's a great story, imac/cheese. I can't think of a better way to spend Christmas day.

I'm a flutist, and when I lived in Quebec many years ago there was a family at my church whose daughter wanted very much to learn how to play the flute. She was only 8 (a bit young to start playing) but her eyes would light up anytime I played the flute at church. When the holidays rolled around that year the mom asked her daughter what she wanted for Christmas. The little girl said "I want <Stampyhead> to come over on Christmas and play the flute for me." I was touched when her mother told me this and I told her I would be there. That year there was a terrible blizzard on Christmas morning and people were being advised to stay off the roads if possible, but I wasn't going to let anything stop me from fulfilling this little girl's Christmas wish. I almost killed myself on those icy roads, but when I finally got to her house and saw the look on her face I knew it had been worth it. That was my best Christmas ever, hands down.
 
imac/cheese said:
The gift I am most proud of was when my wife and I took on a foster child in the end of November. The little girl was only 2 months old and she would be separated from her mother for her first Christmas. The mother went into rehab at a location more than 2 hours from our town and visitation was extremely limited. We ended up spending our entire Christmas day driving to the rehab center so that mom could be with her little girl on her first Christmas. We even took some pictures of our foster daughter in a Christmas outfit to give to the mother as a present. It was a very humbling experience to spend Christmas in the rehab center, but extremely rewarding to see the mother's gratitude and to encourage her in her recovery.
Click to expand...

That is the bomb biggity! I hope the mother pulls through, but if she's in rehab after having a newborn because she's back on the smack (or whatever), hopes are not high for this one.
 
Caroline was having a bad time at college; stress, bullies etc. During one dinner break we went into the local town centre and we were looking for presents for our families. We went into Game and she ended up looking at this one she wanted for a while, she had no money and thought she would never get it. So I bought it for her with my last £40 :eek:

It wasn't a hugely expensive gift. I don't even know why I'm telling this story :eek: we were only young at the time too. Think it was the first time I ever bought somebody a gift like that.
 
Mindflux said:
That is the bomb biggity! I hope the mother pulls through, but if she's in rehab after having a newborn because she's back on the smack (or whatever), hopes are not high for this one.
Click to expand...

She got off drugs and got her daughter back. She has had some stuggles since then, but we are no longer involved in the case and not privy to all the details.
 
Stampyhead said:
I'm a flutist, and when I lived in Quebec many years ago there was a family at my church whose daughter wanted very much to learn how to play the flute. She was only 8 (a bit young to start playing) but her eyes would light up anytime I played the flute at church. When the holidays rolled around that year the mom asked her daughter what she wanted for Christmas. The little girl said "I want <Stampyhead> to come over on Christmas and play the flute for me." I was touched when her mother told me this and I told her I would be there. That year there was a terrible blizzard on Christmas morning and people were being advised to stay off the roads if possible, but I wasn't going to let anything stop me from fulfilling this little girl's Christmas wish. I almost killed myself on those icy roads, but when I finally got to her house and saw the look on her face I knew it had been worth it. That was my best Christmas ever, hands down.
Click to expand...


It is always amazing to be able to make a child's Christmas wish come true. That is a great story.

There is an older couple in my town that make the Christmas wishes of dozens of children come true each year. The man has a long white beard and a jolly belly and looks exactly like a picture perfect santa. He and his wife make dozens of appearances as Mr. and Mrs. Claus at parties and banquets throughout the season leading up to Christmas. They even take off work so they can make extra appearances. They are by far the most authentic looking Clauses I have ever seen and many places make special requests to have them come to their event. They normally make about $5000 doing this of which they spend every penny on gifts for orphans. On Christmas Eve, they get dressed up one last time and head over to the local children's home. They arrive with bags full of presents for each kid there. The home has on average about 20 kids. They are in the foster care system but aren't in a foster home because there are not enough foster families in our area. These kids are spending Christmas away from their parents and everything they know. When Santa arrives with dozens of toys and lots of love for each child it truly makes Christmas a better day.
 
Last year, I took one of those clear but opaque glass block things, drilled a hole in it (took a LONG time...) and wired a blue LED, and built a wooden frame around it. My woodworking skills improved so much since then, I'm kind of ashamed to say I built it....but it's a nifty little nightlight that I made for my mother.

I don't remember what I got or made for my dad, honestly....

And I took some clamplight things from Homedepot, removed the reflectors, and then took some small metal round trashcans and attached them to the light socket things to create hanging lamps for my two brothers.

Definitely the coolest time, building gifts for people....I really love putting work into gifts.

This year, I am getting everyone slinkies. :)
 
I got my brother an iPod 3 years ago (when I was 16....worked months to afford it) and he still stalks about it, even though he has an iPhone now. Other than that, just being with my family!
 
Would be the custom made hardwood art easel I gave my mother for x-mas
she though she was getting another pair of skis ( the box looked that way)
and then I assembled the easel for her.

Otherwise it would be donating my time and energy to pull off a x-mas dinner for 1,000 people who other wise would not have one. There were only 22 of us who did everything - buy, cook , set up, serve, clean up after the event.
Everything was donated and we even had socks and blankets for those who really needed them.
 
All for my girlfriend

I wrote/illustrated a book based on our pet names for each other and put in all the little things we do.

I hand made a cuddly toy of my pet name.

Also one year I told here I was getting her an elephant so I made a elephant from cardboard boxes and put her present in that. Then rang the door bell and hide in the bushes.
 
xUKHCx said:
All for my girlfriend

I wrote/illustrated a book based on our pet names for each other and put in all the little things we do.

I hand made a cuddly toy of my pet name.

Also one year I told here I was getting her an elephant so I made a elephant from cardboard boxes and put her present in that. Then rang the door bell and hide in the bushes.
Click to expand...

If not for your first line - I'd say you're (#*$ing crazy, and then fear you.

But that first line has the same net effect as a bluetooth headset. A little flashing blue light and a microphone are all that stands between a true schizophrenic and an "important business person".
;)
 
Big-TDI-Guy said:
If not for your first line - I'd say you're (#*$ing crazy, and then fear you.

But that first line has the same net effect as a bluetooth headset. A little flashing blue light and a microphone are all that stands between a true schizophrenic and an "important business person".
;)
Click to expand...

It is all about hand made thoughtful presents. They really pay back.

The cuddle toy was quite laborious as I don't have a sewing machine (being a 23 yo male) and having to made all 8 legs.

When writing the book I went through about 3 sets of colouring pencils.

Sometime in the future I plan to make a stop motion animated film of the book and modify it to use as my proposal.
 
imac/cheese said:
It is always amazing to be able to make a child's Christmas wish come true. That is a great story.

There is an older couple in my town that make the Christmas wishes of dozens of children come true each year. The man has a long white beard and a jolly belly and looks exactly like a picture perfect santa. He and his wife make dozens of appearances as Mr. and Mrs. Claus at parties and banquets throughout the season leading up to Christmas. They even take off work so they can make extra appearances. They are by far the most authentic looking Clauses I have ever seen and many places make special requests to have them come to their event. They normally make about $5000 doing this of which they spend every penny on gifts for orphans. On Christmas Eve, they get dressed up one last time and head over to the local children's home. They arrive with bags full of presents for each kid there. The home has on average about 20 kids. They are in the foster care system but aren't in a foster home because there are not enough foster families in our area. These kids are spending Christmas away from their parents and everything they know. When Santa arrives with dozens of toys and lots of love for each child it truly makes Christmas a better day.
Click to expand...

Those are the sorts of stories I love to hear. Makes me think the world isn't going completely to hell after all. It's sad that there is a lack of foster homes, though. That's something that I've always thought I'd like to do, actually, if I ever get married someday, is to become a foster parent. I imagine it's tough getting attached to these children only to have to say goodbye to them, but I imagine the joy of being able to help them outweighs the pain of losing them. What's the process like to get certified? (or whatever it's called).
 
Does my virginity count?
Wait...I'm greedy I kept that for myself. ;)

Best gift ever given. Mom - pink diamond sapphire ring. Dad, out of everything it was the book of my photos that brought tears to his eyes.

Bah humbug? Bummer Iscariot.
 
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