What have been your best and worst gifts?

My best? I don't know. My worst? My brother-in-law gave me the hospital slippers he brought home with him. (We were in the habit of drawing names).

Do you still have the slippers, edgarblythe?.....lol

Come on.....if you think about it, I'm sure you could come up with a best gift. (Kids don't count.)

Worst gift: for Christmas, my father gave me gray mats for my car when I was 20. Runner up: for junior high school graduation I received a pink Remington electric shaver....

Best? One Christmas when I was 15 I got a charming framed print of a smoky tiger kitten. As an artist and cat lover it was very special to me. The next Christmas my mother got me a kitten that looked exactly like my print! "Daffodil" (she had yellow eyes) was the family cat for years and years.

BTW, I've had wonderful gifts from my youngest son - he always comes up with something small but unique that he knows would be special to me. I think that gift selection is a rare and wonderful talent some dear people have.

The floodgates are opening now.....

Twenty some odd years ago, I caught a sailfish. We were on a professional fishing boat owned by friends ~ I had all the best equipment. It took forty-five minutes for me to reel the thing in ~ and that was after my step-brother had battled it for an hour.

Anyway, I was very proud of this catch.

The following Christmas, my Dad bought me a gold sailfish charm.

cobalt ~ a lot of my friends got that Remington razor as a gift, too!

Best and worst? This is a hard one for me, although I hadn't received all that many gifts. However, I must say that many people have been very generous to me during my life time. Not so much with an individual gift, but with long term friendship and treats when I didn't have any $$$. I remember so many kindnesses extended to me over the years, it's really amazing to me. It started when I was in the air force when I was in my early twenties, and a colonel used to drive me to the mess hall, because our secured work area was always some miles away from the main base. I was only an E3, a corporal. During the four years, I've had a major sign out a jeep for the day, and he'd let me have it. When I was stationed at Walker AFB, a major used to invite me over for dinner by saying, "c.i., I bet you miss your rice. Come over for dinner, tonight." He was married to a Japanese war bride. As for worst gift, I doubt I ever received one of those. c.i.

Thanks for responding, everyone. Keep those memories working. See ya'll tomorrow!

Night night.....

In the last few years the gifts my parents have given me have been great, not because they are expensive but because a great deal of thought has gone into them which shows that they know me and know my tastes, taking the time to find this out for me is about the best gift you can get, it shows you are cared about, loved and respected enough for someone to toil over what to get you and (eventually, it's taken them 26 years ) also get it right.

Worst gift, I can't really think of anything!

The worst one is easy - When I was about 8, a total down and dirty tomboy, my mom bought me this little cream colored dress with a strawberry print and rick-rack all over.

The best is a toss up - When I was about 14 my parents gave me my first "real" all mine camera and that was unbelievable cool.

The other is the first gift Mr. B (before he was Mr. B even) gave me, a gift I still have. In fact, it's sitting on my lap right now. The Ancient One. My cat Boomerang.

The best gift would have to be the one my son gave me this past Christmas. I use to own my own taxi and my son thought that was the greatest thing, so since he loves to build models, he and my mother bought a model of a taxi without me knowing and he made it look just like my old taxi. He painted all the details including my taxi #11, company name, and my business name on it. I have it displayed in my computer room where I can always see it. I think the worst gift was an play iron and ironing board when I was about 4. I was also a big time tom boy and my brother always got all the cool stuff while I got dolls and girly stuff.

The best gifts I have had have been simple thank you notes. Very few people take the time to put thanks and compliments in writing and when they do they become treasured possessions.

I think this story I heard when a child is too good not to share. It was very meaningful for me, because we were so poor. c.i.
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When going to school during my first few years in the city where I lived, I used to feel sorry for myself, because I had no shoes. That changed, when I saw a boy without his feet.

(The people at the Florida gathering can go past this- they have already heard it)

Worst gift- My ex-mother in law gave me a garbage pail for Mother's Day. (I have to admit, it WAS a nice pail!)

Best Gift-We were at the art show in Greenwich Village, in N.Y. My husband bought me a silver pendant, made by an artist, that is one of a kind.I have had it for many years, and people always comment on it. Some think that it is a Marine emblem, others a map of Africa.

I must have that piece for nearly 30 years, and I wear it constantly! (in fact, I am wearing it right now!)

boomerang ~ cool story! At least about the 'ancient one'!

gezzy ~ a taxi driver? Girl, we need to talk!

Eve ~ I agree! I have a box full of special letters, cards and yes, thank-you notes.

Thank you, Rae.

The Ancient One is indeed a marvelous story and an even better animal. She alone is enough to convince one that reincarnation is a fact. I would not be exaggerating to say that everyone who touches her loves her.

Best Gift--I have been paying rent on my mother's apartment despite the fact that she's in a nursing home. My health is poor, and I haven't been physically able to clear things out and take care of what needs taking care of. This past year as a Christmas present, friends offered to help me with the apartment. They pick me up and take me there. They help me sift through everything. They throw out, save, pack, whatever. They will arrange and pay for moving things from my mother's place to mine. They have also offered to help me get my apartment ready so that I can accommodate all my mother's stuff. The friends are a married couple and their two grown children. They have been amazing. Energetic. I can't think of a finer gift.

Worst Gift: My mother once gave me a necklace. Plastic chain painted to look like gold. On the chain were plastic fangs and teeth. Supposedly these things are good luck. Yuck.

Worst Gift Exchange: My best friend and I exchanged college graduation gifts. I gave her what I wanted, and she gave me what she wanted. I learned something from that.

Wow Roberta. Those are good friends and that is an amazing gift. Nothing in the world is more special than time and care.

You've been blessed with wonderful friends, Roberta. (If I was closer, I'd help, too!)

c.i. ~ sorry for not saying anything yesterday.....I have heard that little story before and it always gives me goosebumps. The grass across the street isn't always greener.....

Boomer, These friends are wonderful people. I'm lucky.

Rae, Thanks for the thought.

Although this is slightly off-track, this thread reminded me of one of the favorite gifts I ever gave. Ironically, it was to the friends who are helping me now.

I bought a large wicker basket. Then I went around to food stores all over the city and bought unusual or exotic foods, the kinds of things you wouldn't necessarily get for yourself. (eg, smoked oysters, cranberry mustard, caviar, pickled watermelon rind) I also bought a small bottle of champagne. Then I wrapped each item individually and put it in the basket. This was half the fun. The second half was being there as my friends opened each of the packages. The cranberry mustard ended up on the dinner table that night. I went well with the roast ham. It was a fun gift to buy and give.