What is a fun gift you’ve received? Who gave it to you and where do you keep it?
Julie: Forty years ago (how is that possible?) my mother gave me a bound recipe book where she wrote down some of her favorite recipes. She left me room to write down my own. At the time I loved it because I wanted the recipes. Now I love it because it represents so many memories, and I love seeing her handwriting while looking up Chicken Yum.
Liz: One of my good friends is from New Orleans, and when I would visit I always loved the food. For Christmas she would always send me a giant box of my favorites, like dirty rice, monkey bread, and the absolute best – chicory coffee. The best care packages!
Sherry: Julie, I think you need to share that Chicken Yum recipe! And those are great care packages, Liz! A few years ago my husband put a cheap Wonder Woman bracelet in my Christmas stocking. When I pulled it out he said, “You’re my wonder woman.” It was so sweet. I keep the bracelet on my desk.
Edith/Maddie: Just more proof Bob is a keeper, Sherry! One year one of my sons put a wind-up orange scorpion in my Christmas stocking. My astrological sun sign is Scorpio, and I love the toy. Various visiting children have had fun playing with it, too, and so far it still winds up and crawls across the floor. Scorpie holds pride of place with a few other items on one of my office bookcases.
Barb: I was a little stumped by this question, until last night when I was carefully wrapping three boxes of undies, one for each of my granddaughters. In our family, Santa always brings the children underpants. The tradition goes back to my youth. When my brother was little he was most ungracious about gifts of any type of clothing. He would fling the item over his head without a word and tear into the next package. My parents would scold him for being ungrateful, not thanking the gift-giver, etc. If this behavior continued, they threatened, one year he would get nothing but clothing, in fact, ONLY UNDERPANTS. Sure enough, one year we came down Christmas morning and the tree was festooned with underwear. There were other presents, but the undie tree made the necessary impression and we received undies every year thereafter. And thus it continues unto the third generation. The undies are in wrapped presents, though my oldest granddaughter (newly in on the Santa secret) did suggest draping them on the tree. I pointed out that this is her youngest cousin’s first year wearing underpants and she might be overwhelmed by it all. We are plotting about next year.
Jessie: I loved reading about all your gifts! They are so thoughtful and charming! Several years ago my husband combed through the internet and bought me all of the P.G. Wodehouse books he could find. Since he is one of my all-time favorite authors I was absolutely thrilled! I still read several each year, usually right after Christmas!
Sherry: I just had to come back and comment after reading through all these! What wonderful people we all have in our lives! And Barb that story is hysterical! I wish there were photos of the undie tree!
Readers: What is a fun gift you’ve received?