What's the best gift you've ever received?
Was it clothes? An iPod? Special perfume? The hottest toy?
If truth be told, most of us could probably not recall even half of the gifts we received last year for Christmas. I know I can't.
But isn't that what we're going for every year...the perfect gift?! Consumers spent approx. $457 billion on Christmas last year according to the National Retail Federation. That is about $907 per family.
Think about that for a moment. You may have spent nearly $1,000 last year just to find that one gift that will be remembered forever.
For most of us, the gifts we remember and cherish most weren't the ones with the highest price tag; they were the handmade ornaments that were still sticky with our kid's gluey fingerprints or the poignant note in a card or someone giving their own time or resources to bring us dinner or to mow our yard.
For example, one year we were talking with some friends about what we would grab if the house was on fire. One of the items most of them mentioned was their wedding videos. I simply commented that ours was a mess and there were many other things I'd grab first. So for our next anniversary, Jim had a colleague of mine professionally edit our video. I was blown away by his thoughtfulness.
Another time, I was getting together with a group of my friends for a meeting on my birthday. They all came to the meeting with cards and dark chocolate. I went home with enough dark chocolate treats to last me a few months. I was humbled they even remembered my birthday and by the kind words they wrote in their cards.
Last year for Mother's Day, Sparkle painted me a birdhouse. It's paint splattered but I've proudly displayed it ever since because I know how much love went into the making of it.
Leave a comment and let me know what is one of the gifts you've received that you cherish most.
Posts
4 comments:
ok, my favorite present was about $70, but it was the thoughtfulness behind it and not the price tag that blew me away!
The Husband saw me longingly admire a beautiful print of a mother/daughter at the Christian bookstore with a verse from Isaiah 40 on it. It was very expensive for us at the time, but he had snuck over there a day when they had a huge sale and got it for half price. When I went back to the store I was heartbroken to see it was gone!
I was thrilled Christmas morning to open it and it blesses me to this day every time I look at it! There have been days when looking at that artwork with the words "....He gently leads those who have young,,,," had been the encouragement I needed to face the day!
I will agree with you and say that the encouraging cards and the "I love my mom" plaques are the nearest and dearest to my heart!
Christmas 1994. I came home from my first year at college. My father had bought me a beautiful dress. I had never seen it before in a store or catalog. I hadn't earmarked a page so that he could just order it. I had never even asked for a dress for Christmas.
It was gorgeous. It was all black, floor length, and the neckline and the cap sleeves were sheer. It fit me like a glove. He said he saw it in a store window and thought I would look great in it. And I did, too.
It wasn't the dress that was special, although it was gorgeous. It was special because my father had never before picked something out by himself for me - my mom always bought our gifts. It was such a treasure.
Now, I sure wish I was still a size 4 or I wouldn't have had to get rid of it.
Two years ago, with a friend of mine, I went to the make-up counter to get my first bottle of foundation since my kids were born. My friend insisted that I just get a make-over. I did. In the end she bought me everything that went on my face from cleanser to eyeliner. I can't describe the love and value I felt
It changed how I felt about myself. Since she invested in me, I have found it worth while to invest in myself. It has been life changing in many ways.
Wow, all three of you made me tear up! How precious those stories are.
My favorite gift is the year The Boss "got me" a Compassion child. We had had a really tight couple of years financially and that "extra" was the hardest for me to give up. So when he knew we could handle the financial obligation again, he went behind my back and got me the cutest little girl from Haiti he could have ever dreamed up. Knowing that he was willing to sacrifice like that for the long haul to bless my heart for orphans and needy kids was such a balm to my spirit. And the message it sent to my boys still echoes in all our hearts!
Great, now I'm tearing up again :)
Post a Comment