What's your favourite present this Christmas?

[december2020]

Wanting to spread some positivity while I'm on night shift with my newborn as I've read so many posts of people unhappy with their presents or Christmas itself (some justifiably so).

What's your favourite (physical or non-physical) present this Christmas? Anything that just made you happy?

I got a lovely cafetière for my coffee addiction and a beautiful eternity ring to mark my son's birth (born 4 weeks early last month).

Then as a soppy non-material present was to be able to spend a mellow Christmas with DH just playing games, eating food and having a nice glass of wine. He's a key worker and shifts don't always let him have Christmas off so being able to have the time with him especially with lockdown and no other family allowed has made all the difference.

I'm a single parent and as I'm currently too unwell to work am permanently skint. As a result I didn't buy DCs (16 and 14) much for Christmas. Their Dad (who pays no CM, has hardly seen them this year and feeds them miniscule amounts of food when he does) bought them a PS4, plus about 10 other things each.
I was feeling rather sorry for myself on Christmas morning so I said "Sorry I couldn't get you anything really exciting like Dad did. I hope you like the things I did get". DS2 gave me a massive hug and said "are you joking? My alarm clock is the best thing ever! And anyway, a PS4 doesn't make up for the fact he's a shit Dad"
I didn't need any presents after that!

A pair of wooden angel wings that I fell in love with months ago. Not my usual sort of thing but they spoke to me. Dh said he had called in the shop and they had been sold and anyway had been expensive. Looked online all too bling. Yesterday he gave them to me (I cried!) admitting he had bumped up the price so I would not ask about them and spoil the surprise. He is 67 and I often say how infuriating he is! but I was so thrilled.

Ooooh good thread! I honestly feel so fortunate and loved this Christmas. My lovely parents have been exceptionally generous in their gift giving this year. They know I’m always a bit broke and asked me for an idea for one “big” present that I’d like from them and I had a few ideas but couldn’t totally decide cos I was so stressed at the time, and told them just not to bother for now and I’ll think about it in January if they are happy just to get me something after Christmas; they then surprised me with all three of my ideas and I’m just blown away by their generosity, especially as my presents to them are very basic and low cost like just a book for my dad for example. I think the best of their gifts is a set of beautiful hammered copper pans I wanted for my kitchen but couldn’t afford myself.

I also got a beautiful little silvery tin thing of rose Turkish Delights from Fortnum and Mason 😋 as well as some gorgeous Bambu socks that someone on here gave me the idea for, from my sibling/sibling in law Secret Santa.

I am also thanking my lucky stars that I came up to Scotland to support my sister who was having a C-section, literally the day before they decided to lock everything down there for Christmas. Grateful to be up here with my sister and not stuck on my own for Christmas (I’m a single parent). Obviously having the new baby around for Christmas is also amazing. And I’m really happy that my 13 year old DS has been completely mature and understanding and not in the slightest bit spoiled or whiny about the fact that his main “Santa” (ok obviously he knows it’s me and not Santa but we like to pretend with each other that he’s oblivious and I don’t know that he knows 😂) presents are stuck at Dover in all the chaos.

Theformerporpentinascamander, from one single parent to another I totally understand how much that means! What a DS you have! Xx

@december2020 Congratulations on the birth of your son!

I received a cross stitch kit of a William Morris pattern - absolutely gorgeous - have to finish the one I'm on first. I've gotten into crochet and cross stitch in a big way during lockdown on my days off...

The best gift for me though, was seeing my 15 year old DD laughing her head off as she is so chuffed to bits with her new Oodie. It was ludicrously overpriced and I had to order it in October, but worth every penny for me personally!

My best material present was a pair of earrings which my son (13mo) refused to hand over and cried every time I tried to take them.

The best present of all is he started walking independently on Christmas Eve and absolutely nailed it yesterday. He was so happy and proud it has made my Christmas.

I got quite a few gifts from my DH and my DParents, but guess what? My favourite is a beautiful Harry Potter (Dumbledore) bookmark from the stocking They are laughing at me saying I'm just like a cat - gets a big present and plays with the box

The present I’ve enjoyed the most so far is a £2 outdoor thermometer DH put in my stocking. It’s giving me so much joy checking the temperature every time I walk past it!

Most of my presents from DH were sent to my parents' house earlier in the month when we thought we'd be spending Christmas there! So I mainly got booze and chocolate. Did get some nice bits in my stocking - candles, posh make-up, an espresso maker for my office. It was all kind and thoughtful stuff. And I have several presents waiting for me to open whenever we're allowed to visit family again!

Loved all my presents this year, all related to my hobbies: a food PH meter and food chopper (for preserving) and a waterproof mp3 player so I can listen to audio books while swimming.

DH & I dont buy each other presents but give DCs good ideas as to what to buy for each other.

@GnomeDePlume my waterproof MP3 player was one of my favourite gifts last year, our pool has been closed since March, I miss swimming so much.

Best present this year was new make up and cleanser as I’ve been scraping the dregs of mine during lockdown. Best bit was going to my DSis who made us Christmas Dinner.

Best present: a book from teen DS. It’s a book I wanted (and did drop hints about), I’m really pleased to realise that he does listen and notice what I say. (He has auditory processing disorder which makes this a massive issue in our world.)
Best non-materialistic present: day 9 of self isolation with no symptoms.

I got a lot of lovely things this year but my best was a set of Laura Mercier body soufflés that I've wanted forever! I'm guessing they're what heaven smells like!

My friend in Scotland sent me a massive box of my favourite haggis crisps, I love them and can't buy them here. Another friend gave me a woolly hat with a rainbow on, I love it!

A lovely weighted blanket from my lovely DH, sat here with a cuppa enjoying it now!

DH got me a little tiny printer to print photos from my phone and an album to put them in. It’s a lovely gift because I keep my photos on Facebook currently and I’ve always worried that if Facebook died I’d lose loads of photos from when the DC were tiny. Very excited about building up my album now!

My best present was the amazing weather! It meant that a garden visit from my parents didn't feel like a totally ridiculous thing to do. Standing in the winter sunshine with a cuppa was actually rather lovely

My favourite material present was Grace Dent's new book.
My other favourite thing was the weather here yesterday. Freezing cold but bright and sunny so it was lovely to go for a walk with DP before our lovely lunch.

I got some really lovely presents this year but the ones that I really love are a couple dh picked out for me. He got me a lovely Tibetan singing bowl and he also managed to get me a first edition Enid Blyton book. I love puffins ever since I read about them, as a kid, when the famous 5 went to puffin island. Earlier this year I spotted a painting of a puffin and we went over to have a look. I asked the price and it was £1650. Dh then said he would paint me a puffin which he did. Pic attached. So getting me the book was another thoughtful act. He got me some much more expensive items that i had asked for but tbh I wish I hadn't asked for them and just let him pick his own bits for me as they are the ones that meant so much more.



This was my first Christmas separated from my STBEX so I was worried about making it special for my children and I couldn’t really afford to get my parents anything so we agreed to not exchange gifts this year.

Both of my children had a wonderful day and my best none material gift was my boy refusing to even open his stocking until his little sister woke up, and them giving each other the biggest hug when she did wake up.

My mum bought me a lovely Elemis set and a Onepiece original onesie. I’ve wanted one for so long! My dad and his partner bought me chocolates, wine and a gift card so I can go and buy some nice bits for my new home.

I feel very lucky today.

@MysweetAudrina your photo didn’t attach and I’d love to see the painting!

@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander

I'm a single parent and as I'm currently too unwell to work am permanently skint. As a result I didn't buy DCs (16 and 14) much for Christmas. Their Dad (who pays no CM, has hardly seen them this year and feeds them miniscule amounts of food when he does) bought them a PS4, plus about 10 other things each. I was feeling rather sorry for myself on Christmas morning so I said "Sorry I couldn't get you anything really exciting like Dad did. I hope you like the things I did get". DS2 gave me a massive hug and said "are you joking? My alarm clock is the best thing ever! And anyway, a PS4 doesn't make up for the fact he's a shit Dad" I didn't need any presents after that!

Ah that's good to hear.

I think the scales always fall from the children's eyes eventually

As an avid bookworm, I was very happy to get a good stack of books that I can add to my lockdown reading pile. Also some gorgeous Emma Bridgewater pottery from DH.

My favourite was from my dd, it was a homemade painting/stitched picture of our guinea pigs, it is gorgeous and really thoughtful and she has put loads of time and effort into it even though she’s been ill (she’s 16 btw). I will admit I cried when I opened it.

My favourite gift was a Swiss Army knife from DH, I have wanted one for ages. Plan to keep it in the changing bag along with the first aid kit for all the scrapes DS gets into

Favourite moment seeing DS play with his gift from Santa. He sprang an item on us last minute and it took hours of online research to find something appropriate. He opened it and his eyes lit up. Magical