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.

Hopefully attached now.

It is attached and it’s beautiful!

A mug! Dh bought me a long lusted after piece of jewellery from The Great Frog and he ordered a mug at the same time as a small add on. I love it! Its such a cool design and a nice non fussy shape for optimum coffee drinking 😂

DD got me a beautiful sloth lanyard for my work pass. I am so thrilled because she bought it herself ( she is 12) and its such a lovely thought.

I bought myself a Velvetiser two years after first seeing it but never being able to justify the cost. I'm happy because I know the kids are hot chocolate fiends too and will. Love it.

I saved up my Tesco points and splurged on a bottle of champagne. I took it over to my mom's garden (all T3) where we enjoyed an hour
outside supping the Champagne and catching up.

My lovely big brother knitted a scarf for me in my favourite colour (a particular shade of green which apparently, was hard to find) and DH bought a tapestry throw for me which is currently on our bed but will eventually hang on the wall in the snug.

My mother did her usual trick of buying a peculiar unasked for gift for 9yo DS and he fell in love with it on sight. She does it every year; buys him the perfect gift and it's always totally random. I spent ages finding a discontinued lego set and that was forgotten when he opened his bright pink worm hot water bottle. He hasn't let go of it since he opened it.

I’m at an age where I’m very lucky to have everything I need and want so present buying for me is very difficult .
About a week before Christmas dh asked me again what I liked. I said I’d like an Opal necklace to replace the one I gave to my dd with the earrings as I can’t wear pierced earrings.

After looking around the jewellers he could find nothing suitable, so he went to a local jeweller who is a master craftsman and made my engagement cum wedding ring and took my late mums engagement ring and my late aunts Opal and diamond ring and fashioned it into a beautiful ring that was more to my taste.

So he surprised me yesterday with a simply stunning Opal and yellow gold pendant to match the ring.

I cried.

Had a lovely day with my dd and her family and my sil cooked up a feast.

I’m not about gifts really. I give out far more than I receive. I’m at that age and that’s how it should be, but that blew me away yesterday. It’s something I’ll always treasure.

It was lovely spending time with my grandchildren too..they are always sooo busy
We played silly games. Great fun

@ShowOfHands
I got a two feet long hot water bottle as well as some nice gin from dd
My legs always feel the cold , so as it’s got a faux fur cover on it, I had it over my knees.

A gorgeous set of V and A desert spoons, with Porcelain handles, and Alice in Wonderland on

1. My mum’s been in hospital with covid but she was home for Christmas, with her condition markedly improved on Christmas Day.
2. On Christmas Eve my 6 week old did his first definitely not wind proper smile.
3. My husband has yet again showed himself to be an absolute dream that everyone can rely on.

A smart alarm clock, can’t wait to lie in bed and control the heating from it!
A bottle of Chanel perfume- it’s beautiful

Just being us at home for Christmas dinner, we ordered it in, me and DH shared a bottle of Asti and then we all watched some movies together and the kids played with their new bits

@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!

Aw, that’s the best! As cheesy as it sounds, my children being happy in our company and not the usual surley teenagers Was the best gift for me!

A recipe book from a special to us restaurant near where we used to live with lots of pictures of the area. It was a complete surprise and made me tearful.

My 3 year old made me a bookmark. My husband doesnt like doing craft, especially paint, and doesn't think he is good at it. So the fact he spent a long time with her to make me a gift was lovely and really cute.

Second place is some molton brown shower gel because it's usually out of our price range, DH has shopped around and managed to get something really nice and expensive within budget so it's a double win

@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander Your son sounds brilliant, you must be a great mum

My favourites were an echo dot 3 and dh got the echo dot 4 both from one of our daughters.

Lovely thread OP. I had very few presents to open but my best one is an IOU - when everything’s properly open again, DH is paying for me to have a spa day at a lovely country hotel near us. One of the best moments was DD12’s face when she opened her Nintendo Switch. She doesn’t like surprises but loved that one!

A bar of soap - everyone laughed at my deep joy! - it is diptyque - so a real luxury (for me).

I got some lovely presents this year but my absolute favourite is a shopping bag.
I always buy shopping bags from museums and galleries when we go on holiday.
Obviously this year we haven't managed to get away so dp got me a shopping bag with a famous painting on to add to my collection.

This year I joined a lido so I could keep swimming during lockdown. I'm now getting used to winter swimming and loving it! Dh bought me a dryrobe (big, warm towelling robe) which keeps me warm after and is great for changing under when standing at the side of a river. I love it, actually was given it early so I could use it for a Christmas eve swim.
The best thing about the day itself was how my family refused to let tier 4 affect anything. We opened our presents together on zoom and later played games on zoom. It was fun.

I had. Key ring from my 7yo. I will treasure it forever

DH got me a historical map of the area I was born and grew up. I love maps and history so it was a perfect present

Congratulations on your new baby, OP!
My favourite gift is a travel watercolour set, which I was going to use today and do some plein air (outside) painting, but the weather's appalling so nope.

@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander oh that's so heartwarming! They sound like amazing kids!

I'm loving reading all these, especially all the best moments of Christmas that has made everyone so happy! It's so wonderful that even with the current times, Christmas hasn't been all bad.

It’s not a present but is Christmas themed. Three weekend ago my DF died and I was sorting through his things and found a miniature Christmas tree which I brought home. I’ve decorated it with lots of lights and decorations and think of him whenever I look at the tree.