Thursday, December 18, 2008

What's the Best Gift You've Ever Received?

(Disclaimer: I will probably offend someone reading this by neglecting to mention their awesome gift giveryness. I apologize in advance.)

In case you haven't heard, the holidays are upon us. Rather than provide you with gift giving ideas, I thought I'd share some of the best gifts I've ever received from my friends (because my friends are really effing great and maybe some of their awesome ideas will inspire you to greatness, or something). Here now, in no particular order, are the greatest gifts I've received in the mail from friends (have I added enough qualifiers yet?) over the years:

* Books - This year for my birthday Garney gifted me with King Dork, a book he thought I'd enjoy (I just finished it and I highly recommend it to all). The gift was totally unexpected, which is always fun. A book may be my favorite gift ever because it says, "Hey. I read this and thought of you" and someone thinking about me is the greatest gift of all...for the both of us.

* DVD/Socks/Guinness Coasters - I spent a chilly weekend in Boulder with my old friend Mike a few years ago. Upon my return home, he sent me Guinness coasters from the bar we went to (coasters which proclaimed "Guinness: Only 120 calories!"), socks to keep my feet cozy (because, being from Cali, I neglected to pack socks, never expecting to be snowed in an extra day) and a DVD of the Woody Allen film Play it Again, Sam (because we'd talked about how much I like Casablanca). It was one of the most thoughtful (and romantic) gifts ever. I totally should have dated that guy.

* Homemade Quote Collections - While in high school, some friends and I kept a journal of sorts where we wrote incredibly self-deprecating blurbs that all began "You know you're pathetic when...." When my friend Jason went off to college, we continued to sign our emails with these "patheticisms." For my birthday that year, he created a new book of sorts, full of all the crazy and witty things we'd said over email. It was incredibly surprising (being the jerk I am, I just deleted the emails after I replied) and totally rad.

Contrary to popular belief (mainly due to things I've written), I'm not incredibly materialistic. I'll take a thoughtful/memorable gift or card over diamonds and a Mercedes any day.

So, enough about me and my incredible friends. What's the best gift anyone has ever given you?

5 comments:

SouthernBelle said...

Two weeks after I started dating (now-)Husband, it was my 21st birthday.
He sat me down and solemnly said "Before I give you your presents, you must understand that I hate the color pink, and I hate cute things."
I then proceeded to unwrap several adorable gifts including a plush Hello Kitty doll and some Hello Kitty stickers.
Best gift ever? Something the giver hates but which they buy you anyway, knowing that it will make you squeal with delight.

d said...

My ex once gave me a tempurpedic mattress and some vicodin. I was so into him, for obvious reasons.

Liz said...

My parents still rock the party for the stuffed animal Fievel when I was 5, and the iPod when I was 24.

danielle970 said...

Valentine's Day 2008: I get roses in the mail with a sweet card. I call to thank him and he says, "Well the roses aren't it." He then goes on to tell me that he's booked a ski weekend for us IN COLORADO.

Best. Gift. Ever.

paperback reader said...

I don't think I've ever gotten or given anything the least bit memorable. Except one year, for Valentine's Day, I made a girl a "we suck as a couple" mix full of breakup songs, which she didn't find funny at all. I bet she remembers that.