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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Best present you have received in past?

46 replies

Deminism · 02/10/2018 23:06

Inspired by the what would you like for christmas thread, I thought there might be more inspiration for people in hearing about past presents you have loved - not just loved because it meant they had thought of you but loved because you have used or kept it. So actually my best gift was a v fluffy v warm Rosie Huntingdon dressing gown from M&S that I got three or four years ago and is now a daily staple for me in winter. They still do it - I so recommend it.

OP posts:
Livness12 · 14/10/2018 21:52

A laser star projector. My brother had one first and I was enthralled but thought the novelty would wear off. My dad got me one the year after, and 3 years on I still use it nightly to sleep to, it's the most relaxing, calming thing at night (especially for someone with awful sleep problems!)

WhyDoesItAlways · 14/10/2018 22:01

DP bought me an anova sous vide cooker last Christmas. I know it's another kitchen device but it has been used regularly since (including tonight) to cook the best steaks and chicken I have ever had.

It will be used to cook the beef for Christmas dinner this year.

SimplyPut · 14/10/2018 22:23

Jo Malone bath oil and body lotion from PIL who noticed I wear that perfume.

A beautiful vintage ring I had swooned over at Easter in the shambles, York. I was truly overwhelmed.

SputnikBear · 14/10/2018 22:26

Alessi nativity set. DH bought me the starter set and buys a new character to add to it every year.

Stylish matching breakfast mug/plate/bowl.

Duchess necklace by Merci Maman, with charms to represent DH and DC.

Horn porridge spoon. Once you’ve tried it you’ll never go back to a metal spoon.

tigercub50 · 14/10/2018 22:29

Not Christmas but one of my best presents ever was when I came back from a holiday at my Grandparents’ to find that DF had put electric lights in my dollshouse. I was thrilled! Can still picture the miniature lightbulbs & switches.
Recently, one of my best Christmas pressies was a Birds of Prey Experience. I did it a couple of weeks ago & loved every second 🙂

ToastyFingers · 15/10/2018 15:38

A heated throw blanket. I use it pretty much every day october-march.

PainUni · 15/10/2018 15:42

A breadmaker

Jemimapuddleduk · 15/10/2018 15:49

Kindle
Estée Lauder beauty box
Hand made stuff off the kids

keepingbees · 15/10/2018 15:59

A wooden box of posh drawing and charcoal pencils. To be honest it's the only decent present my DH has got me or put any thought into.

Destinysdaughter · 15/10/2018 16:01

A soda stream, love it!

BuggeringNora · 15/10/2018 16:13

A pony, (real one), when I was 12. If someone handed me a million pounds in cash right now I wouldn't feel a tenth of the joy that gift brought me. I kept him for the rest of his life too - he died when I was 35. Still miss him madly.

DontCallMeCharlotte · 16/10/2018 12:08

When we ran a 24/7 business together and time off was rare and precious, DH bought me a year's worth of pedicures. It's still my favourite and most thoughtful present.

As a child it was a Silver Cross dolls' pram. I got it when I was about five and it literally had to be wrenched from my hands to give to a niece when I was about 12 (not that I was still using it then, I just treasured it very very much). I'm still bitter over 40 years on!

Oldraver · 16/10/2018 19:37

OH always buys me a jokey kind of practical present...last year it was a mattock (a small pickaxe)

It's absolutely brilliant and has made the world of difference to gardening in Cotwold stone soil

Ragwort · 16/10/2018 19:44

I agree that a cleaner was also one of my best presents, I'd had my first and last child and my mum paid for a cleaner for six months. Brilliant present.

But I just love practical presents, another great one was a dustbin Grin, at the time we only put out black sacks so do have a proper dustbin to put the sacks in was great!

Rarfy · 16/10/2018 19:48

My dad always picks up a little present for me every year. He goes to a lot of shopping places with work. My mam usually works from what i want so what my dad adds is always a little extra which i treasure because he picked it himself. I've had some funny ones over the years,a lolac scented rag doll, a leather celtic style necklace not my type at all, a video recorded thing i would never use. All funny presents. It's a running joke between my mam and I and i always get excited about it in the run up to Christmas.

On Christmas day when unwrapping my pile i usually get a knowing look off my mam when i get to my dads present so i get all giddy about what random weird thing it will be. One year it was a kindle! Huge surprise because of price. I'd never mentioned i'd wanted one but i love reading and it was a great surprise.

Other great and funny surprises have been a cordless scredriver and last year he pulled an extra present from behind the tree after i had finished with my usual pile. It was pretty big and lovingly wrapped. Ot was a stepladder! I had moved out three years before and never ever got one so was always up and down on chairs to do diy. Them step ladders have come in bloody handy. Great present haha!

Drummingisfun · 16/10/2018 21:05

Gosh this is hard. It actually made me realise that my DH is not very good at presents. He bought me a lovely fountain pen, but he bought it because he like fountain pens. I have never liked writing with one.

My best present ever was probably my Dad buying me a motorbike for my 17th birthday.

As an adult, a piece of jewellery that my mum gave me. It had belonged to my great grandmother, it's not worth a lot but my mum knew that I would wear it and love it as my great grandmother had.

Smokeahontas · 17/10/2018 00:18

About ten years ago my mum got me a mini hot water bottle from M&S. It was the best one I ever owned. You could fill it at 10pm and it would still be toasty the next morning. It started to leak last year and I was gutted. Have bought two or three others since, and two hours max is the longest they stay warm.

PhilODox · 18/10/2018 08:24

I like things that I can't justify the cost of buying for myself- clarins hand cream, cashmere socks etc, that way they're used all the time, and much appreciated.

DH never buys anything like that... another unused fountain pen owner here

Inthetropics · 18/10/2018 12:56

I love when i get things that i actually need as gifts. So my favorite ones are:

  • shoes i need from a brand i like
  • new tires for my car
  • good quality bag
  • nice underwear (not the fancy stuff but very good quality basics)
  • fixing something that needs fixing and making my life easier is one of my favorite gifts! Bonus points if it helps me save money. My dad does this and it's great!
  • manicure/pedicure vouchers
  • a fancy bed for my dog (such a great gift and few people think of gifting this kind of stuff...)
  • a month's worth of frozen meals (i live alone and hate cooming so this was great)
  • money (i'm not very romantic, am i?)
Inthetropics · 18/10/2018 13:02
  • hate cooking
mmgirish · 18/10/2018 14:40

SputnikBear - thanks for the horn spoon idea. I'm going to buy one for my MIL who eats porridge everyday.

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