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.

A green goddess leotard leggings and leg warmers, a small tape player that came with little speakers you connect and thriller tape. I spent the next two years in the back garden in the layotard making up dances to Micheal songs with my cousin and my best friend who lived in our cul-de-sac. We all had matching leotards, thank you mum & dad that was definitely money well spent.

As a kid i loved getting a new bike. And selection boxes were brilliant.

As an adult. Dp proposed on christmas day. Best present ever.

When i was a kid
A double buggy for my dolls it was so bloody exciting it was a Winnie the poo one

And as an adult my Rolex 🙀

It’s a tie between the Girls World I got at 8 ( was dying for one!) and the remote control race car I got at 11. It was awesome!

This one

The first Christmas after my dad got promoted into a good job. I got a my little pony dream castle. I was so happy I cried. Later on, a Walkman and kylies first album on tape. As an adult, a fjallraven kanken bag that I'd never be able to afford myself

As a child of the 70’s I really loved Sindy and all the accessories but being one of 4 close in age including 2 sisters, there was not much money and certainly not enough for a full Sindy house, horse etc. So my dad made the house and 3 beds for our Sindys, painting them and my mum made the bedding. We were thrilled 😁 obviously a lot of care and effort went into them.

My second grandaughter was born 5 days before Christmas, and it was magical having a newborn on Christmas day that year. DD had an easy delivery but ended up in theatre with a massive bleed and was in high dependency for a few days before being discharged on Christmas Eve. It was such a happy day having them here safe and sound.

A grandson! Born on 21st December

Interestingly, to me anyway, the two most memorable presents weren’t wrapped. One was a dolls house which I woke up to on Christmas morning. The other was a toy yacht, slightly off topic because it was my fourth birthday. I went into my parents’ room and their it was.
It’s a nice subject for a thread.

A pair of fluffy socks from my workmate.

I'd told her I loved fluffy bed socks and she had been shopping and seen them, thought of me and got them for me as a gift.

It was such a thoughtful gift, given to me about 15 years ago now but it will always stick with me.

When I was younger I got a set of the babysitters club dolls and the spice girl dolls

A 'homemade' chemistry set when I was about 11. (My Dad had access to a hospital chemistry department). It had no instructions, so I gaily mixed things at random with the occasional explosion!

My favourite birthday present was when my DH memorised the whole of 'American Pie' and sang it to me over my birthday breakfast. He never sings normally, so I was deeply impressed.

I was 5 years old and my dad was away in the Navy. Mum and I travelled to London by train to spend Christmas with my grandparents. On Christmas morning I opened a present from my dad. It was the most realistic toy monkey I had ever seen. It had cream fur, felt hands and feet and a rubber face. It had a red collar and lead and squeaked if you pressed the tummy. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.

I remember being asked what I wanted to take to church that morning and wanting to take my monkey. Granny insisted I put it in a bag to stop me from making it squeak but I remember wanting to open the bag all the time to make sure monkey was still there!

I am 60 now and still have the monkey on display with my much more costly Steiff animals but none of them mean as much to me as the monkey.

@Grawlix that together with Saisong’s memories are just the loveliest things on the whole thread. My DM died earlier this year she was always skint when we were children. However she always tried to make Christmas magical for us. I think she used to stay up all night on Christmas Eve, sewing, painting and making bits and pieces as she had usually been at work all day.We continued to have lovely Christmas celebrations with her as adults. This first Christmas without her will be very hard.

Battle of the Planets cartoon character costume my mum made when I was about five or six.

G-Force!

@prettyteapotsplease
I had one of those! Given to me in the mid 1960's by an aunt. I used to buy additional stuff for it with my pocket money.
It was amazing! Do you remember the faux wrought iron gates and the tiny hosepipes?
My dad made me a big board with green felt stuck on it which enhanced the whole play experience...
In fact, I still have a small bag of it somewhere...

@Saisong

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'.

That is absolutely lovely. My eyes have gone a bit blurry! What a wonderful mum.

My grandmother's diamond engagement ring. Gran had died in November and Mum gave it to me that Christmas. I've worn it daily on my right hand for over 35 years now.

It's not a massive diamond, only a simply set quarter carat. But it represents a loving 70+ year marriage and a lifetime of wonderful memories of times with my grandparents.

I remember getting a Zaff creations baby doll, but I'm not 100% sure it was Christmas. My favourite presents have all been from my mum, a Mac girl about town lipstick with matching lip liner (I asked for the lipstick the liner was suggested by the lady on the counter). I loved that lipstick so much and I've even bought another since. A purple Misha Barton hand bag. It was gorgeous, my mum choose it herself too. And another was a plastic make up box, it had 3 compartments that you could change with sliding sides. I kept it for years, until I moved abroad 3 years ago, so maybe 20 years.

@MsFannySqueers it's hard, isn't it - sorry to hear you'll be without your mum this year. I love the memory from @Saisong too.
Loving parents do so much for us.

1992

Barbie fold n fun house.

I was 9.

Doll’s house when I was about 6 or 7. I played with it so much.

@cultkid I have the same one in my attic. I am sorting through bits and Bob's but had a little boy. Felt all nostalgic pulling it out and remembered the feeling on Christmas day opening it!

When I was about 11 in the 1970's my parents bought me a leather rugby ball for Christmas.
Dad was a C of E priest and we had very little spare cash, so this was a big cost for them.
Played with it for hours outside over the next few years