What is the best present you have given/received where the value was all/mostly in the thought/time/effort?

[cleanandclothed]

Mine are:

Given - a 'Santa is a tractor boy' (Ipswich town supporter) father christmas hat

• a DVD of DS
  
  Received - a palette knife from my MIL - I couldn't find one to buy anywhere and she managed it
  
• a DVD of the Heidi series that was on when I was about 5 and I loved it (given to me when I was 29
  
• A tape my DH made me of him reading Winnie the Pooh.

[GentleOtter]

I have a piece of card with bits of odds and ends glued on to it, made a few years ago by my completely skint son.

The card 'buys' me time to myself and my son will take over if I'm vexed, struggling or just need peace.

It has been invaluable.

[MintyCane]

My mum put together a sewing box for me entirely made of second hand things lined with beautiful paper. I love it because she put so much thought into it.

[TheArmadillo]

when me and dp were first living together (18 and had no money) his granma gave us a box of food with loads of treats in (like mince pies adn xmas puddings) as well as cupboard stuff that would last.

It was so thoughtful and lovely.

[grin]

Gentle what an absolutely gorgeous present. And clearly a gorgeous son too.

[fruitshootsandheaves]

I have a knitted bride and groom that my mum made for my wedding when she was terminally ill. In fact my sister had to finish them as she was too ill to.
She also made me a cross stitch scene commemorating our wedding day with the dates and our names on. When we brought our wedding day forward by 2 weeks as she was so ill she insisted on changing the date on it.
We had it all professionally mounted after the wedding and it hangs by our stairs.

[treacletart]

When I was little there was a huge present under our tree for me from my godmother. She had put together an enormous box of making things - different papers, glitter, sweet wrappers, doilies, cellophane, pipecleaners brass paper clips etc etc - a mixture of bought and found I think. It was my favourite ever present.

[BibiBOO]

DH made us a family Monopoly for our first Christmas as a family of 3 - very, very sweet, printed all the board squares, the game cards, the money - took him weeks to get it finished and made me cry like a baby.

[biggirlsdontcry]

last year my best friend made us a calendar & on every month there was a picture of our dc's , also she had their newborn photo's enlarged & framed ... the most thoughtful gift we have ever received .... she's a sweetie

[biggirlsdontcry]

sorry forgot to add that she made the calendar herself through her pc .

[Littlepurpleprincess]

My best ever present was a photo album made by DP and MIL. It was DS's first christmas (aged 6 months) and the album was full of pictures of my baby with 2 blank pages at the end for christmas pics.

[Wonderstuff]

My good friend made me a wonderful picture birthday card, a caracature type thing, it must have taken her hours, so much thought went into it.

I think the best one I gave was to her too. I spent some time seeking out retro sweets and silly toys to remind her of being a kid and wrapped everything individually for her 21st. She really loved it.

[Rolf]

A few days after my DD1 was born, after a horrible, worrying pregnancy, a friend came to see us and took a few photo of DD1. She came back a couple of hours later with a beautifully framed photo of DD1.

[Thingiebob]

At my wedding party (small family affair), my bil's partner, an amateur photographer, took photos of everyone with a digital camera then at the end of the day my DH and I were presented with a beautifully wrapped present. On opening it was a multi aperture photo frame filled with pictures of the day. They'd discreetly brought over their laptop, wireless printer etc and had printed off the pictures upstairs when we weren't looking with the help of my SIL. It was so touching.

One year my parents bought my brother and me a Cadburys moneybox where you pop your money in and a small chocolate bar comes out. We saved up our pennies in order to get the choccy bar. I had told my DH how it had been my favourite present when I was a little kid, so he got me one for Christmas one year! It brought back so many memories. I still have it but it never has chocolate in it anymore!

[Helium]

My dh aunt made my daughter a lovely gift. She got three toy cuddly mice and put them into toilet roll tubes. She then recorded on to a CD a story in rhyming verse (which she wrote herself) all about the mice and how my daughter needs to look after them. She did voices and funny bits and everything - the whole thing lasted about 2-3 minutes but is magical for my 2 year old daughter. She loves listening to their familiar-ish voices and loves hearing her name being said by them too. A BRILLIANT gift - the best both my daughter and I have ever had!!

[monkeypinkmonkey]

I hadn't been allowed a mr frosty when little and never forgot, always bringing the subject up.
On my 18th birthday my folks bought me one, I was over the moon!

[StealthPolarBear]

my cousin once made me chocolate truffles for Christmas, they were delicious, have tried and failed to recreate them

When I finished my GCSEs my mum popped home at lunchtime with a magazine and a bag of M&Ms for me - tiny gifts but it was the sentiment of "you've wokred hard, now put your feet up" that I really appreciated. Doubt she even remembers doing it!

[pranma]

My s-i-l gave dd a little box covered in pretty paper and tied with ribbon.Inside was a cutout star with the words,'A little box full of love for you' written on it..How lovely was that-he bought her stuff as well[their first married Christmas]but she treasures that little cardboard box.

[PurpleLostPrincess]

My Mum is a sign language interpreter and comes from a deaf family so LOVES hands and has them all over her house. We were skint a few years ago but managed to find lots of brilliant pictures of hands, DH made a collage on the computer of them, then we printed them off and framed them - she still keeps it in her office and absolutely loves it!

Also, DD1 made a wax thing of her hand in the shape of the sign for love when she was little - she treasures this too, bless!

[BikeRunSki]

DH and I are both cyclists- he races, follows races etc, me for fun. Road bikes, mountain bikes, track bikes - cycling is a big deal in our house.

When DS was born, my uncle (very skint) sent us a T shirt with "Cycling is in My Blood". It wasn't expensive, but so thoughtful. He said it took him ages to find it. It was a refreshing change in a sea of blue sleepsuits.

[Curiousmama]

What a lovely thread

Mine is home made cards (me)

[LordVetinarisApprentice]

When dh and I were first together I had to go abroad for a month. He gave me an envelope just before I left containing half a coin - he had the other half, and a dated and folded piece of paper for each day of the trip with a reason written on it why he loved me

When I was setting up a small business from home my friend ordered me some little address labels with my name and address on and a picture that was associated with my business. I always try and give thoughtful presents, it was so lovely to be on the receiving end. She is a fab, fab friend

[Fleecy]

A few years ago, my mum asked everyone in the family to contribute a favourite recipe. She then put them all together and made a family cookbook each for me and my sister.

It can only have cost a few pence but must have taken her hours. It was a lovely gift. I still file all my new recipes in it and like to think I'll pass them on to my DC in the years to come.

[redsofas]

best gift ive given is a scrapbook made full of piccies and random bits and bobs and best gift ever recieved is a peom that my best friend wrote for me and decorated and laminated it! (we were only about 14 at the time!)

[redsofas]

best gifts i am working on are family scrapbooks full of all sorts of pictures, tickets, small bits, memories ect to give to each of my two sons when they are 18!!! a bit wierd to be planning that far ahead for a gift but its just something ive been working on!

[trixymalixy]

A certain lovely Mumsnetter left a box full of delicious cakes on my doorstep just after DD was born. It was lovely opening the door to find them in the morning. The best thing was that she had made extra effort to make them dairy free so my DS could eat them too.