Best gift ever given?

[lurkyloo]

There's a lot of pressure at Christmas and birthdays to come up with something--anything--to give your loved ones to express how special they are to you. But sometimes you get creative and come up with something he/she didn't even realize they wanted until opening your gift--sometimes even a little later! What are some of the gifts you've given where you really hit the mark?

I'll start: MIL and a selection of her siblings spend a LOT of time talking to each other on the phone. Usually we put together gift baskets for said siblings at Christmas; this year we found a good deal ($25 each) on webcams and set them all up with videophone accounts. The initial reaction was a little varied, but now they're all addicted--we tried to call MIL on the webcam last weekend, and couldn't because she was already talking to Aunt X!

EDIT: To clarify (and keep it money-related) I'm not talking about over-the top Lexus in the driveway type gifts, but good deals that don't break the bank yet are perfect for the recipient.

[Apple]

My best gifts seem to have been pretty utilitarian, diapers when my son was little, homemade goodies, and probably #1, a new clutch for my old pickup. It probably only cost my sister and her husband about $40 (he installed it) but it saved me hundreds of dollars on labor.

[rubyslippers]

The best gifts I've ever given were personally made. One year I spent a lot of time making my mom a book of memories from her family, friends, neighbors and classmates. This wasn't easy as it was done before PC's but it was worth it to see her expression and tears of joy. Another good gift I gave was a calendar I created with photos of my family on the days corresponding to their birthdays and anniversaries. The other good gift I've given was a blanket made from a photo of my deceased brother. My dad cried buckets over that but loves looking at it.

The most romantic gift my DH ever gave to me was a big, red, shiny apple the day I first started my job.

[lurkyloo]

rubyslippers: very sweet, especially the blanket! (Let me guess, you're a teacher?)

I'd forgotten the home-made approach: some years we've made a photo calendar of our very photogenic golden retriever. That usually goes over pretty well.

[Deleted]

This year I did really well and none were expensive gifts. My assistant got me a new pair of gloves in the style I like. She knew I had just lost mine. My real estate guy gave me a great basket with all kinds of stuff I could serve and regift easily for those I didn't think to get a little something for. My parents got me a couple of pairs of boots, from Avon of all places, that have turned out to be ridiculously comfortable. And my best friend gave me a wonderful bath towel with my name embroidered on it. Oh! And our $20 gift game at work I ended up with a nice set of candle holders, kinda like 5 wine glasses of different heights. Not a lemon in the bunch!

[motherto2]

One of the best gifts I gave was a new microwave to my parents. The one they had was over 20 years (probably closer to 30 years) old. You could probably heat something in the oven better and faster than that microwave My mom really resists change, and since my stepdad couldn't get her to budge, I took it upon myself to buy them a new one. After a few times of using it, she absolutely loved it! My stepdad loved it as soon as they opened the box

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I think one of my favorite wedding presents we received was a wooden flag pole and some decorative flags. We still have the flagpole and flags!

[Sharon]

After my grandma had reached the point where she no longer drove out of town I would take her on day trips to places she no longer could go. We would go to the beach or perhaps the zoo. We both enjoyed the time we spent together.

I would made a set of coupons and give them to her for her birthday.

[sccdf]

Everyone is different. I love reading. I'm a nerd. I love the Wall Street Journal, but it costs a couple of hundred a year. My husband used airline frequent flyer points from a work trip and started a subscription for me. It isn't fancy but I enjoy it six days a week.

[Peace77]

One of the best gifts I've ever received was a small kitchen knife with its own holder. The holder is also a sharpener. It was a wedding gift eons ago.

Its always sharp. When it's in the holder it can be taken places such as camping or traveling in the car without worrying about something or someone getting cut unintentionally.

Another great gift was a terry cloth bathrobe. I would never have asked for one but it was sure nice to put on after a bath/shower.

[writer88]

The best gift I've ever given was the book "Life Lessons". It is a wonderful little book about life and living written by the woman (Elisabeth Kubler Ross) who made a reputation researching death and dying. I read it the first time as my DH was dying from cancer, and I must have read it a hundred times since then.

[rubyslippers]

lurkyloo, yes I'm a teacher but don't judge me by my posts because I'm not too swift with my laptop's keyboard and make too many mistakes on it. The blanket turned out beautifully and I got it done at Walmart a few years ago. I'd like to have another blanket made some time but don't want another death in the family to do it. Your calendar of your dog would make a lovely gift.

[desertmover]

One of the best gifts I have given was homemade out of a thumbtack, twine, and a rubber sink stopper. I thumbtacked the twine to the ceiling of the garage and tied the sink stopper in the location that would let my DM know when to stop when she pulled into the garage because the sink stopper hit her windshield. Very frugal but was what she needed.

Mover

[bobbysgirl]

DESERT LOL I use the attic cord to know it's time to stop.

[bobbysgirl]

Since I can't remember past close to yesterday, I remember seeing tears in DD3's eyes when I presented her with a photo book I made online of all our munchkins. I made it for her baby boy as a Christmas present this year.

[rubyslippers]

Desert Mover: I just passed on your tip to DH. He's always getting at me to not pull up so far in the garage. He said I'll soon be hitting the wheelbarrel.

[honeybunny66]

My husband bought me a dome hair dryer our first Christmas together. 22 years later and that hair dryer is still going strong. My children talk about it each time that I use it but I remind them that it's older than them and hasn't given up on me yet.

[NastyWoman]

In 2009 I bought an art book "Masters of Illusion" for DS1 from Amazon as a present (I was going to visit hin in S'pore). When it arrived I looked through it and promptly went on line and bought 4 more - 1 for me and 3 as Xmas presents. They were a home run. And --- the books were on sale when I bought the add'l ones, so those Xmas presents ended up only costing me $12/ea. Yea me, best presents ever and cheap to boot :-)

[westerngal]

My DH has always been very generous at Christmas time and has given me some very nice gifts. One year after we had all opened our gifts and were just sitting around talking, he took the trash out and came back in with a brand new saddle! Now that might not be an exciting thing to anyone else, but I was absolutely so surprised and overcome, I started to cry! I really needed a new one . He is a sweetheart!

[tcu2003]

DH made rocking horses for his 18-month old niece and my 180month old niece this past Christmas - my favorite gift ever to give! They were a little pricey as he decided to use Walnut for the wood, but the rocking horses were beautiful! Both girls loved them, and I love that they'll now have a family heirloom to share with their kids some day.

[Opti]

I once gave a BF a gift of homemade cookies in a box I decorated. I was surprised by his reaction. His mother had never baked him homemade cookies when he was growing up so he kept them as a reminder someone loved him enough to bake him cookies.

[texaspn]

My 87 year old father likes a Snapfish calendar I made with family pictures on it.