What is the BEST Christmas present you've ever received?

[ArblemarchTFruitbat]

Inspired by the 'worst' present thread, would anyone like to share their happier present-unwrapping moments?

Mine would have to be the train set I received when I was four. Not electric but it was a really elaborate one with tracks that you could put together in an infinite number of ways, and came with little trains to push around. I loved trains (still do) and I was over the moon!

There's a picture of me playing with it wearing my 70s long party dress (which always made me feel like a princess even though I was a very plain child) and a silver paper crown and it sums up the joy of childhood Christmases for me.

£1000 cheque from my aunt, totally unexpected so it was a great surprise.

Teddy Ruxpin

From my childhood the ones that really stand out were the My Little Pony dream castle, a Lego horse stable and a lava lamp when I was a teen.

As an adult, my Fitbit. Also I’ve recently had a birthday and my DH got me a surprise present that I really love. I really love the book The boy, the fox, the mole and the horse and my husband had a quote from it made into wire art and it looks fabulous! I was quite touched by it!

@CoffeeChocolateWine

From my childhood the ones that really stand out were the My Little Pony dream castle, a Lego horse stable and a lava lamp when I was a teen.

As an adult, my Fitbit. Also I’ve recently had a birthday and my DH got me a surprise present that I really love. I really love the book The boy, the fox, the mole and the horse and my husband had a quote from it made into wire art and it looks fabulous! I was quite touched by it!

That was a really thoughtful gift, no wonder you were pleased.

@idontlikealdi receiving a big cheque like that must have been great - I can imagine the fun of deliberating what I would buy with it, free from the usual thoughts I have about any spare cash that it really should go into my savings because it was an out-of-the-blue windfall.

A gin making experience from DH.

As a child a lovely dolly called Sophie ,she was a little girl doll so a little bit shorter than me.Not a baby doll if you see what I mean .As an Adult some jewellery from DH. and a velvet jacket from DM .My Son got me a Soup maker and I was thrilled (Love Soup you see)!

My first ever (real) rabbit which my ex got me seven years ago. I'd wanted a house rabbit for so long, and he said "I'd been wondering what to get you" so he got me my Bertie.
Best present ever.

Bertie is adorable!

My Son got me a Soup maker and I was thrilled (Love Soup you see)!

Oh, yes - I love my soup maker!

My doll's house. Real lights and a stable. I used to put some of my hamster's straw in it!!
And it had loads of people with posable limbs..
When I left exh I forget it was in the shed and he burned it.
Twat.

My dgm worked in a well known shop in the toy department!! Felt very lucky as a dc. She used to let me go on to see her and I would try out all the doll's prams! I actually still remember trying out my first bike in the assigned corner where you were allowed to ride them! A folding one with great musical horn!

As a child Girls World, I bloody loved it. I spent hours doing her hair and make-up.
As an adult, a brand new car sitting on the drive wrapped with a massive bow.

@Pumpkinsonparade

My doll's house. Real lights and a stable. I used to put some of my hamster's straw in it!! And it had loads of people with posable limbs.. When I left exh I forget it was in the shed and he burned it. Twat.

I longed and longed for a proper wooden dolls' house - like the one in 'Tottie' with stairs, lights etc. I never got one - back in the 80s they were very expensive. They seem to have got relatively more affordable in recent years - I sometimes wish I could buy one and post it back in time to my 8 year old self.

A toy chocolate vending machine and a realistic baby doll can still remember the excitement !

Sega Megadrive!

@ArblemarchTFruitbat

Bertie is adorable!

My Son got me a Soup maker and I was thrilled (Love Soup you see)!

Oh, yes - I love my soup maker!

Thank you! Oh, he was lovely. I've had three 'friends' for him since, unfortunately lost him and the last one both on the same day in August this year. Can't cope with more, either financially or emotionally.

@lollipoprainbow

A toy chocolate vending machine and a realistic baby doll can still remember the excitement !

I always wanted one of those vending machines. Never got one and I'm still bitter about it.

I always wanted one of those vending machines. Never got one and I'm still bitter about it.

We had one - the novelty wore off quite quickly.

Katseyes I'm sorry for your loss .

I got a Floral Garden set - I suppose it was like a construction kit, with a pretend lawn, little bricks to put round flower beds and teeny, weeny roses to put on leaves, fences and crazy paving. The minute pieces were mostly plastic and obviously some would get lost up the vacuum cleaner. But it was mine and I loved it.

The one I remember most fondly was something my mother made. I really wanted a Wendy house, but we were totally brassic at that time and with 4 young kids money was tight, let alone at Xmas. However we had a large side table in the living room that was tall enough for kids to sit under, and my mum sewed a covering for it - like a very long fitted table cloth. It had 'windows' made of lace curtains, with their own curtains that could be tied back, and a hanging door that poppered closed. I loved that thing for years - it stayed on the table and created my own special space away from the other kids where i could daydream and read for hours.
I wish I knew what has happened to it, though the table it fitted is long gone anyway. I don't know how my mum coped in those tight years, but i actually have great memories of 'making do'.

@elliesmummy19 I still remember the excitement of finding it my parents wardrobe where they thought they had hidden the Christmas presents! It was wrapped up and I opened a bit of the paper and saw it. The novelty wore off though once all the chocolate had gone!! My dd would probably love one of these.

Oh prettyteapotsplease, I had one of those, & I loved it too! I'd completely forgotten about it till now, so thank you for reminding me - a lovely memory!

@elliesmummy19 same here.

Am 46 now and every year I debate trying to find one for myself!

One of my most memorable was quite a small thing, but I'd had my eye on an elaborate ballgown for my Sindy doll, which was quite expensive as these things go and my mum was having none of the extravagance.

My auntie and uncle bought it for me and I was so chuffed I think I actually cried .

It's only occurred to me whilst writing this that perhaps mum's reluctance was a ruse and she was in on it with auntie and uncle!

BMX bikes for Christmas 1982.

Me and my sister were repeatedly told we wouldn't be getting them as they were so expensive, but they were there Christmas morning complete with training wheels as we were so young. So exciting.

@ArblemarchTFruitbat

I think one of them is channelling the Bee Gees!

Definitely. I can't believe I just clicked on that. .

They must have been up all night writing those lyrics.

I think I put this on another, similar thread once under a different nn but here goes again.......when I was quite small (pre-school, iirc) my DPs presented me with a toy farm on Christmas day. I was completely thrilled with it. There were little animals, cows and maybe a few sheep, and my absolute favourite thing was a tree with bare branches. Everything fitted into a pegboard base.

Years later DM told me they were really hard up at the time and they'd made it all. The animals were just little toy figures bought cheaply from a shop, DF made the wooden fences and the 'tree' was a grapestalk they'd dried and painted green.

DM died last year (DF died several years before that) and thinking about it now just makes me well up.

@sashh

On a similar thread a few years ago someone said, "Dove soap", she was in a woman's refuge and had very little with her.

Since then I have sent small presents to my local refuge, usually make up, last year and this they have not been able to accept presents so I've made donations, but the poster who got the soap inspired me and if you are on this thread, thank you.

Anyway, my best present, I was 10 and got an electronics set. I loved it and built circuits for years.

Including an alarm to tell me if someone was coming up stairs and I needed to put the light out.

I do this. You can go online at donate.refuge.org.uk/page/51515/donate/1?locale=en-GB And select gifts from really basic stuff to perfume or a coat. I think it is great as it doesn’t just focus on what they NEED, but on a few more frivolous things they would like to make it feel special. If you can donate a gift please do