Birthday-Swiss army knife- use it for my makeup believe it or not. I've had it for 11 years.

Christmas-handmade monkeys dressed in Santa suits stickers from a Japanese friend.

When I was seven or eight, my grandparents gave me a ruby ring. It was a tiny ruby. You practically needed a microscope to see it. But it was a REAL ruby and REAL gold with teeny little diamond chips along the side. I still have that ring.

It made me feel like a grown-up. Because it was REAL. All in Caps!

Christmas - a paper sack of used books and a $50 gift certificate to a used book store. I was 13 years old or so and it was hands down the best gift ever for Christmas.

Right now i am wearing the sweater i was given in 1987. 100% acrylic, sri lanka.

Christmas 1976 - buckskin jacket with fringe on the arms from shoulder to wrist and on the bottom of the jacket that went from hips to knees. (The consummate hippie jacket - I wore that sucker everywhere.)

As for me, it was Christmas 1994, back during my active duty time. It wasn't anything that came in a box. I was with my girlfriend and her daughter. We'd spent Christmas week at her place near Stuttgart, and the week after at my place just south of Kaiserslautern. That was the Christmas where we figured out for sure what we were going to do.

Later that winter, on leave in Ohio after completing a training school in Alabama, I showed a picture of the three of us to my mother. "Look like a family, don't we?" I said. "You sure do," said my mother. "Well, we're thinking of becoming one," I said. "I figured that," said my mother.

Sorry, that was a little sentimental, but it's that time of year.

And Flynne, I'll bet you looked like a backup singer for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young with that jacket on!

The best gift ever: Having one's fault's explicated.

"Having one's fault's explicated."

I just bookmarked that site.

Christmas - a paper sack of used books and a $50 gift certificate to a used book store. I was 13 years old or so and it was hands down the best gift ever for Christmas.

Posted by: Nelanie at December 11, 2012 3:53 AM

I'd feel the same way, if I didn't have 2,000 books or so by now - in a small apartment.

Christmas, sixteen years old. Twelve string Yamaha guitar. Of all the presents I've ever received, *that's* the one that has made the most difference in my life.

Thanks Dad.

Christmas:

Ever since my oldest niece was one, I've spent Christmas Eve with my sister and brother-in-law. Once the kids were old enough to grasp the concept of Santa, it was expected (by the spawn, not by me!) that Auntie Kel would ALSO be opening a "gift from Santa" (provided by my sister).

Wicked had just opened in Boston that year, and as I had read and loved the novel, I'd been playing with the idea of going to the show. Christmas dawns, and there's an envelope with "To Aunt Kel from Santa" on it...two tickets to Wicked. Front. Row. Center.

As I'm legally blind, I'd never really been able to SEE what was going on when I attended musical productions. The show opened with a flying monkey trotting out on stage, and I was bawling from that moment. (Oldest Niece: "Mummy, why did Aunt Kelli cry at the monkey--was she SCARED!?" Mummy (when done laughing): "No honey, because she could see it.")

Best. Present. Ever.

My Sony 900 ebook. It has an aluminum case, so it doesnt break when I drop it. I have over 400 books on it, which clears out a lot of space in my tiny house. It goes everywhere with me and it is used every day.

Now, if I just had the money to purchase the other 3000+ books littering my house in epub format...

Probably when I was 8 and came downstairs CHristmas morning to find Santa had really taken it seriously when I asked for a wooden dollhouse like the craft stores sold furnishings for. It was dark, with just a fire in the fireplace and the lights blazing in my fully wired, tall as me, 4 foot wide Victorian mansion. Twas an awe-inspiring sight. I ahve lots of fun installing faux brick flooring and furnishing that thing. My girls have it now.

When DH and I first got together, he HATED his birthday with a passion. I, however, love them. And loved him, and wanted him to have a fantastic day. So I took him skydiving, then to Benihanas. He'd never done either one. He was being such an ass the whole way to the skydiving place, to the point I nearly pushed him out of the car, talking about how birthdays suck. When he landed after, he had the BIGGEST smile! And Benihanas became "our" place till they closed down here-he loved it too. He now loves his Bday, all because I took him on such an awesome one.

I relly get into the giving more than teh receiving. If I can give someone something they'll love (for my mom's bday this year it was an AC) then I am soooo happy.

And Flynne, I'll bet you looked like a backup singer for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young with that jacket on!

Speaking of which, we just saw Neil last week at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT. Excellent show, but he seemed a tad tired. I've seen better shows (and sang at them! LOL!), but he was still good. And Crazy Horse still kicks serious ass!

Slot cars!

Try getting four elementary school boys out of the basement when they've got a 2-sheet plywood racetrack with four lanes, night lighting, fake grass and trees, and all those little cows standing in the corners, waiting to die when a driver goes mad and overshoots the turn. Hamburger all over the highway!

Bliss.

I was 4 and my parents got an Expert Lego set where you built a car that had functional steering.

My best gift/compliment ever has been just a random comment or two from co-workers:

"You showed me stuff on your second day on the job that I had no clue about."

"When it comes to [computer systems/software/etc.] if you can't solve it, I don't think anyone can."

It is appreciated that I'm appreciated and is coming from people who I can think is also competent and knowledgeable about what we do.

Yes, there are physical things I'd like and have enjoyed in the past, but I don't treasure physical items. I have very few photos, writings, etc. that I ever have to worry about.

At the risk of being a complete wuss--my baby son. Born 10 days before Christmas, and I was enchanted from the moment I saw him. I was just enthralled. My husband went out on Christmas eve and got a huge Christmas tree and when he told the people that he'd just had a baby--they gave him the tree. Son is 26 now.

When I was 14, one of my teachers lent me his camera and gave me a couple of rolls of film and set me loose. I took lots of pictures, and he entered me in a school contest for a chance to go to a sort of "photo camp".

I loved every minute, so that year for Christmas, my Dad scraped together the money to get me a half-decent, used-but-not-abused 35mm camera of my own. I have a metric ton of photos from that wonderful little camera, and the ones that have since replaced it. I still get a warm and fuzzy when I get one of those "perfect moment" pictures.

> I just bookmarked that site.

I'm guilty of most of those sins, but the one I hate most is "Offhanded dismissal of canonic literary/philosophical/political figure."

(Mention Freud here and watch what happens.)

@M4: "When DH and I first got together, he HATED his birthday with a passion. I, however, love them. And loved him, and wanted him to have a fantastic day. So I took him skydiving ..."

I would have been thrilled, too. And terrified! Reminds me of one of my friends from high school, who bought her husband flying lessons. That's a pretty nice gift!

Tell us a penis joke, Crid!

Received a Mossberg 142A .22 rimfire rifle for Christmas when I was thirteen.
But the way I received it was even better: It was a hunt to get it. I had to find it, and use clues to do it.
Funnest Christmas ever.

Birthday? None of your business...