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Christmas is over and you have most likely already unwrapped all your presents and enjoyed them. Someone liked their gift, someone didn’t really like it, but the main value of Christmas gifts lies not so much in their price, but in the attention that the other person shows to you.
Although, of course, the history of humanity is familiar with various sorts of gifts. For example, the Statue of Liberty, which was formally presented to the United States by France in 1876 on the occasion of the centenary of the Declaration of Independence, did not arrive until ten years later. Just imagine waiting a whole decade for your desired gift! But in ancient Thailand, however, a present could even be a kind of punishment!
Yes, exactly. If the king was angry with one of his officials, he could give them... an elephant. It was impossible to refuse a royal gift, but the food for the huge animal turned out to be an incredibly costly business - so after some time the courtier became bankrupt. However, today we will talk about a completely different kind of gift.
In the AskReddit community almost every year, just at the end of December, a popular thread appears, with the author of the original post asking almost the same question: "What's the best Christmas present you've ever received?" Two of these threads have amassed over 7K upvotes and nearly 1.5K different comments listing almost every present the inventive and witty human mind can even think of.
Bored Panda has compiled for you a selection of the most popular, interesting and sometimes unexpected comments from these threads, so feel free to sit back and let's start unpacking this list... more precisely, scrolling to the very end of it and adding your own most precious Christmas presents in the comments. After all, as we already know, it's not the gift itself that matters, but the intention.
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#1
My family was abusive, and poor. Growing up I always kind of hated Christmas time, because it just sort of highlighted how s****y my own life was.
Well one year after I moved away to college, I was scheduled to work Christmas day, since I was a Resident Advisor. A student who had been evicted from housing for selling [illegal substances] came after me and attacked me. The school told me I should leave campus until the police caught the kid. I didn't have any where to go, so I called my best friend. Her and her dad drove all the way to my school on Christmas eve to get me.
When I woke up, I discovered that my friends mom had some how conjured up a a full stocking and a couple small gifts. It was the most amazing gift, because I had never had a good Christmas, and then her mom just went so above and beyond to make me feel loved.
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#2
When I was a kid, my Mom went into the hospital in November, dying there on Christmas Eve. She hadn't Christmas shopped, obviously, except for one small package I'd found weeks earlier in her dresser. It was wrapped and had my name on it. Christmas morning, I soberly opened the package. It was a simple ornament, a happy dog with a frisbee in its mouth. The frisbee read "Merry Christmas." It didn't look anything like my own frisbee-crazed dog, but it didn't matter. Cue the waterworks.
This isn't my best Christmas gift by any objective measure, but decades on, it's the one that still means the most.
#3
When I was really young, I thought I might want to be a scientist. My grandmother didn't really understand what scientists do and gave me a stethoscope. Some clinical scientists use stethoscopes but for the most part, not really useful. I pretended to like it and the stethoscope sat in my closet for years.
I'm graduating from med school now and have used the same stethoscope across all these years. It's my good luck charm.
#4
My brother was starting a new fitness routine, and told me he wanted to make a competition out of who could improve their body dimensions. I wasn’t planning on working out or anything but wanted to encourage him so said “screw it” and let him measure my upper body. Turns out it was for a custom made Captain America leather motorcycle jacket. I screamed like a little girl on Christmas morning
Edit: I should mention the helmet too. They took my ski helmet, painted it up nice (silver wings on the side) and seamlessly affixed the “A”. It was beautifully done and part of the surprise
#5
I don't even know if it's the "best" present but just one of those I'll never forget.
My dad and I have an extremely distant relationship. He was never an affectionate or emotional person. All birthdays, celebrations, events, etc went to my mom to organize. It was just simply not a task he was involved in. He didn't give gifts or engage in the theatrics of any of it and I can't blame him - he is an immigrant, lived a very hard life, and culturally speaking, this is just how it was for him. One Christmas, I was probably like 10 or 11, I noticed among all the other presents I had from my mom and other family, there was an actual present from my dad addressed to me. I opened it and it was like this child's picture book, not a baby book, but definitely aimed for about age 7-8 and way too young for me. It was just shocking to me that he would first of all, care about getting me a present at all and secondly, choose this child's book out of all the things he could gotten. I realized, at 10 years old, that my dad genuinely had no idea what to get me, but wanted to get me SOMETHING. He only knew that I loved to read and read books all day long, so he got me a book, even though he had no idea what level reading I was on.
Maybe that is not a very good story or makes him seem bad, but it will always stick with me. He is such a non-sentimental and stoic person, I can't imagine him going to a bookstore, choosing this very cutesy, colorful book with me in mind, and actually giving it to me as a gift, but he did. He wanted to give me something, in his awkward way, and tried his best.
#6
When I was 20, my dad was diagnosed with colon cancer right after my birthday in September, but it was very aggressive and he was eventually put on hospice in early December. He passed away the night before Christmas Eve, but he managed to write a Christmas card with help from my mom. The card had some cash in it (I don't remember how much), but he essentially wrote a long letter to me explaining how proud of me he was and how he'll always be looking over me. I pull that card out every Christmas for the past 7 years and anytime I need a little pick me up. Hands down, best Christmas gift ever.
Got Myself 4 Pandas 1 year ago
I lost my dad very suddenly almost 6yrs ago, there was zero time for him to do anything like this but I would absolutely have cherished something like this
#7
We are pretty poor and I’m disabled but my Daughter is obsessed with Hamilton the musical. She’s an amazing kid and really helps me a lot and never complains. I saved from the second I’d heard the show was coming to London. So Last Christmas year we bought tickets to see Hamilton in London for our Daughter. I honestly thought she was going to pass out she was so happy.
We saved like crazy for the hotel and flights as we are at the opposite side of the country. We made a mini holiday of the trip. She had never had a holiday either. It was one of the best experiences ever, I love the show but I couldn’t stop watching my Daughters face. Best seats in the house too, cost a fortune but definitely worth it.
It was my best Christmas present watching her face getting her best Christmas present.
Elizabeth Molloy 1 year ago
Such a wonderful thing to do! She will remember that for the rest of her life!
#8
When I turned 16, my first boyfriend stiched a pair of pants for me. He used colored thread to stitch a candle, a heart, a sun, the year, and more. Pretty f*****g cool embroidery. When you turned the jeans inside out, He had written love notes all over the inner fabric. Made me melt.
#9
A jar of Nutella.
I had quit a job I was going nowhere in, applying and interviewing like crazy while supporting my then-gf while she was getting through college. I had burned through most of my savings...I was throwing parties every weekend so I could take the empty beer bottles that friends left at home to the grocery store (there’s refundable fees where I live) and buy food with the little amount I would get...
I would barely eat breakfast, then feign interest in dinner so my gf could eat and succeed at school.
One night, we went to the restaurant with my parents and one of their friends, who thought I had lost some weight...
My dad slipped me some money before leaving, and when I called later that week, to borrow some more money for rent, he asked me if I was ok. I told him that things were tight, but that we managed. He told me « I don’t want you to sell your guitar... » I didn’t answer.
Parents called back a few days later, saying that they would stop by, since they would be in town. I was in for a surprise.
When I got the door, my mom was standing there with a box filled with groceries... « go help your dad » she said, « there’s more... »
They had brought us three big boxes full of food, including homemade meals...
While we were unpacking and putting stuff away, my mom took out a jar of Nutella from one of the boxes.
« Sometimes, all you need is a little bit more than the bare minimum »she said.
My eyes were wet...dad made me promise to never put my health in danger by being proud...
#10
When I was a little girl (5 or 6) I was obsessed with ballerinas. My dad got me tickets to a professional performance of the Nutcracker. It was just him and me. I still remember feeling so grown up when we had dinner beforehand in a grown up restaurant. The ballet was beautiful. It was just a wonderful day. I
Jan Rosier 1 year ago
The Nutcracker is a must-do for a father and his daughter if you have the chance. Did it with mine when she was about 13 or so. Best memory ever.
#11
Not witty or anything but my parents got me a dog when I was 9. I'm 22 now and she's 13. I had some tough times as a teenager and Molly really got me through.
#12
My mom passed from cancer this year, she had been stage 4 for 11 years and passed at 55 years old, so pretty young.
Last year Christmas was really emotional as things were taking a turn for the worse.
My mom made me a large shadow box with ticket stubs she had saved from every concert we went to since I was a kid (both big fans of music). Mr. Dressup, Pearl Jam, White Stripes etc. Not only had she saved these over the years, she went online and got post cards, buttons and patches from the specific tour dates we attended to go with the stubs.
The moment I unwrapped it, and realised what it was, I burst into tears and cried for a good while. It was a very heavy moment and one of the best gifts I've ever been given.
Sue Wade-Walters 1 year ago
She knew tough times were coming and wanted to give you the chance to reminisce about all the happy times you'd had together.
#13
A cookbook that my mom made. She handwrote out each recipe of my favorite dishes growing up. The day that I moved out of the house, she gifted this to me.
#14
I know you’re not supposed to give pets as gifts, but a few days before Christmas, when I was nine, my mum gave me a little kitten. She was the last one left and was small, skinny with runny eyes and runny nose. I adored her and for 12 years she was the light of my life.
Lord Mysticlaw 1 year ago
I hate that someone feels the need to start a lovely and heartwarming post like this with "I know you're not supposed to give pets as gifts". If done in a responsible way after careful consideration and planning and especially if the giver is a parent of the receiver, it is 100% possible to give a pet as a wonderful gift. Receiver gets a loving pet, pet gets a loving home, happiness all around. Giving pets as gifts is NOT ALWAYS BAD. (Rant over)
#15
My prosthetic leg.
I had a below the knee amputation the Saturday before thanksgiving this year. Infection in my blood got into the bone and almost took my life. Been on medical leave from work since. Today I saw the surgeon for a post surgery visit. Was told I’m ahead of schedule healing and recovery wise.
I won’t get my prosthetic for a while yet but being told I can start getting fitted for one is a pretty great early gift.
Miss Frankfurter 1 year ago
I’m so very happy for you. So many people take walking for granted.
#16
The Christmas before my father passed away he gave me a necklace, which was very unusual. He normally just gave me cash. The necklace was three hearts intertwined, and engraved on the back was, “My little girl yesterday, my friend today, my daughter forever.”
He knew how sick he was but he never told anyone, and he died the following August. The pattern of that necklace is my first and only tattoo (I got it done a week after he died.). I plan on giving the necklace to my own daughter someday.
#17
I was seven years old in ICU with pneumonia. It was horrible timing because Christmas was that week.
The nurses brought in a massive television with a Nintendo GameCube hooked up to it. The only game I played was Mario sunshine the entire time I was in the hospital.
I love that game so much! It was so colorful and just super exciting to play since I didn’t even know the game existed. It is still my favorite Mario game ever made but I’m biased.
Well I made it out of the hospital just a few days before Christmas and on Christmas Day we went to my aunties house. We started opening gifts and they got me my very own GameCube but it didn’t appear I had any games for it. They tricked me and hid the other gift they bought. It was Mario Sunshine.
I’ve never ever had tears of joy but when I opened these gifts I couldn’t help but cry. I was so surprised and so happy! I’ve still never experienced the same emotions I had in that day.
#18
When I was in the eighth grade my band teacher called my mom and told her that I was talented, and that if I wanted to continue to play, my current instrument would hold me back. At the time, I played my dad's trumpet, and it was 30 years old. That Christmas/birthday/the next Christmas my gift was my trumpet. I had to agree to play all the way through high school, and it was difficult for my parents to afford it- I believe it cost about $700-800. It cost enough that we timed the purchase for the same time we were going to a neighboring state that had no sales tax just to save the hundred bucks. I still remember the rain in the parking lot as I walked to the car, clutching the blue case to my chest. It was the most expensive thing I owned, or would own for a long time.
Band got me up in the morning, it made it so I went to school even when other kids sucked. It gave me something to work for, it gave me camaraderie and made me depend on others as others depended on me. It gave me pride, and showed me the correlation between hard work and reward. It kept me in college when I may have otherwise chickened out, given up and gone home. There is no rush like running onto a field with 30k people screaming in the stands, and music was the only thing that would ever give me that feeling.
I'm 33 now, and I don't play that much anymore- but that trumpet, a music stand and a book of exercises still sits next to my desk. I hope to allow my son to play it someday. The trumpet, band, music in general changed my life, it made me a better person and it made me who I am today.
I've posted this before, so if it looks familiar that's why. Also, since I posted this the first time I've joined my local community band and I'm playing again. It makes my heart happy.
Powerful Katrinka 1 year ago
Giving a child the opportunity to learn a musical instrument is a gift that lasts a lifetime. My uncle gave me a real Baldwin piano when I was eight, and changed my life.
#19
Christmas 2015.
In the September of that year my mum was taken to hospital with severe stomach pains. It was pancreatitis bought on by a rogue gall stone getting stuck in the pancreatic duct. She spent all night in agony & didn’t call an ambulance until 7am. She was ICU for a day or so, then HDU for around 3 weeks & then a normal ward for around a week. When she got back home I’d go round to help her out but she was really struggling to eat & couldn’t keep anything down. She was having tests done but nobody seemed to have a solution.
All the time when mum was ill what I wanted more than anything was just to see her back to normal. One thing was seeing her driving around in her little red car looking all lovely (she always takes pride in looking nice & I know how much it was getting to her in hospital) & most of all her eating a full meal.
So Christmas Day I’m over at my dads and look out the front window. Up pulls mums little red car & she gets out with her new coat on & her lipstick & make up & all. I was beyond happy! Then we sit down for dinner... she clears her plate! Then we have Christmas pudding & to top it off... she asks for seconds!
That was the best present I could ever have received!
#20
The wife and I built a little lake house a few years back. Did it all ourselves. She was a real trooper during the whole project and I was able to teach her a lot about construction. The Christmas after we got it done, she used all the progress pictures to make a book through that online thing Wal-Mart has. It was a really special present because of all of the commentary she put with the pictures. There are a lot of inside jokes and happy memories in that little book.
#21
When I was a teenager, my mom and I lived in SoCal while the rest of our family lived in Oregon. My mom had me flown up to spend Christmas Eve with her sister and Christmas Day with my dad. My mom wanted to come badly but she has a huge fear of flying.
I get to my aunts house on Christmas Eve and we’re doing our typical chit chat, hang out, snack and drink coffee while dinner is getting prepared. After checking on dinner, I come back from the kitchen to see my mom sitting on my aunt’s couch. I was stunned. Stopped dead in my tracks. Jaw on the floor. I was so happy. Christmas is her favorite holiday and we’d never spent one apart. She faced her fear of flying to spend Christmas Eve with us.
I’ll never forget that Christmas. She passed away a couple years later on December 22nd. It’s a wonderful memory to have of the holidays when this time of year can be kind of depressing.
#22
I was in high school. Ocarina of Time had come out in November, and I wanted it so badly for Christmas. I got up Christmas morning, opened my gifts and it wasn't there. Then my dad pointed out a small package he had hidden behind the tree under the tree skirt, in the back. Opened it, and there it was. Ocarina of Time. My dad had to go to 6-7 different stores when he was traveling on business to find that. Played it non-stop over break. Makes me love my dad more every time I think about it.
#23
I was probably 8 or 9 years old and I got this toy truck that would respond to voice commands. I played with that thing all the time because it was fun. It lit up, made noise and drove forward. Over time, it just stopped working, but my grandma wouldn't throw away any toys us kids had. After my grandma passed away in 2017, I was trying to keep busy and decided to clean up the toy box. I opened up the battery compartment and there was a note in my grandpa's hand writing saying "Mary-Lou, don't replace batteries, this thing is annoying. -Bill" I replaced the batteries and it still works. Knowing that my grandpa took the batteries out and there was nothing wrong with it made me smile. I miss my grandparents so much.
Cory Tollman 1 year ago
I had a couple of battery powered noise making toys when I was rather little. I played with them a little and then my parents put them away to re-gift to the people who got them for me when they had kids. One was a cool fireman's hat that had a revolving light with siren on top as well as a PA.
#24
We didn't have a lot of money growing up, and one year my mom bought my brother and I those round sleds from the dollar store. We went to my grandmas house with them, (she had a lot of land,) and she took us sledding on the hills behind her house for literally the ENTIRE day. So much sledding that one of the sleds got a hole in it. She finally convinced us to go inside, as i'm sure she was freezing, and made us hot chocolate. My brother and I bet her that she wouldn't wake up at 4 am the next morning and take us sledding while the sun rose.....she did. I love her so much.
#25
One year my nieces got me a Pillow Pet. As a dude in my mid 30's I'm not exactly the Pillow Pet demographic...
Two years earlier I had found Pillow Pets, and in a total win at Uncle-ing I was on the craze way before it got big. They loved them, everyone at their school loved them, big win.
So, a few years later when they found a Dragon Pillow Pet they insisted they get it for me. Their mother, my sister, was skeptical that I would want such a thing. I loved it, not because I need or want it, but because they wanted me to have it because they loved their own so much.
I know I've recieved bigger gifts and others that were given with the same kind of love, but this one sticks out.
Edit: and another fantastic gift, Reddit Gold. Thank you so much. I'm always on the lookout for the next big popular thing so I can get them involved, I missed the ugly doll thing but I've got a few other accomplishments keeping me in good credit. Happy Holidays!
Moonerdizzle 1 year ago
I love ducks and was gifted a duck pillow pet. It has been my favorite pillow ever. I had to patch him a few times and add stuffing to him once. But I love that pillow.
#26
I had major surgery my second year in college. I was hooked up with the nicest suite in the hospital due to my best friend's dad being a major figure there when all I really wanted was him to make sure I had a private room if one was available. My best friend was at school out of state and sent flowers, making sure that the florist didn't use anything pink (because I hated pink). Someone sent me a basket of my favorite snacks. My brother's boss, someone I had never met, stopped by with another coworker of his (another stranger) and gave me a plant. All of these were so thoughtful, but the absolute best gift came from the "funny guy" in our group of friends. He knew that I would not be able to eat real food, so he made me jello. A two gallon Tupperware tub of jello with a (sanitized by boiling and new) squeaking dog toy in the middle because it "looked too boring" otherwise and he was still trying to make up for accidentally scaring my dog the year before. The level of thought he put into that blew me away. The dog never got the toy, I kept it and still have it more than 15 years later.
#27
$5 when I was first settled in the US in 1982 working part time at the YMCA as a janitor for $3.35/hr. He was just a non-descriptive person who worked out regularly at the Y. The $5 was in a Christmas card with one line “I believe in you”. I am now having a comfortable middle class life with multiple houses all paid for and earning 6 figure income. Will never forget that $5 and “I believe in you” Christmas card. Thank you stranger for changing my life.
#28
I haven't had a holiday off since I was 17. One year, my family just decided to start celebrating holidays when we can actually make the time. So now we do Christmas in January, it stretches out the good holiday feelings, we all wait and buy our gifts on clearance after the holiday, and we actually get to see each other. It's been the best possible gift we could have given each other.
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 1 year ago
My roommate does his family Christmas in July! They all go camping! 😆
#29
My mom bought me my real estate course with the little money she had left, she taped 100s into a real estate book of houses listed, I cried. 3 years later and I now pay her mortgage each month and help her buy her life saving meds. Without that gift she probably wouldn’t be alive.
#30
My aunt once put aside an extra portion of food every time she made supper for her family (for a month) and then delivered it to me. I was a starving college student and that was a very appreciated gift!
What do you think ?
RAIZA 1 year ago
I was born with a heart defect and was told that I can't have a surgery and that I was already terminal at the age of 9. When I was 16 I was told I can have a surgery. So I did on November, a few weeks after my birthday, but the surgery had so much complications that I went into a comatose. Before Christmas, I woke up and I was able to go home. I'm still alive 10 years later, though I still have a heart defect, at least it's not terminal anymore.
Moonerdizzle 1 year ago
I have always wanted a pocket watch. I'm a welder/fabricator and not allowed to wear watches or jewelry at work. My wife surprised me with a absolutely beautiful pocket watch for my birthday. I love it so much that I'm afraid of damaging it. So it never goes to work with me and I rarely wear it out of the house. But when I do I just love checking the time on it and feeling the engraving with my fingers as I walk. The wife doesn't know it but sometime I just sit and hold the watch and run my fingers over the engraving and think about how lucky I have been
tabithapaquette98 1 year ago
I think your wife is lucky too! You sound like a wonderful husband!
Load More Replies... RAIZA 1 year ago
I was born with a heart defect and was told that I can't have a surgery and that I was already terminal at the age of 9. When I was 16 I was told I can have a surgery. So I did on November, a few weeks after my birthday, but the surgery had so much complications that I went into a comatose. Before Christmas, I woke up and I was able to go home. I'm still alive 10 years later, though I still have a heart defect, at least it's not terminal anymore.
Moonerdizzle 1 year ago
I have always wanted a pocket watch. I'm a welder/fabricator and not allowed to wear watches or jewelry at work. My wife surprised me with a absolutely beautiful pocket watch for my birthday. I love it so much that I'm afraid of damaging it. So it never goes to work with me and I rarely wear it out of the house. But when I do I just love checking the time on it and feeling the engraving with my fingers as I walk. The wife doesn't know it but sometime I just sit and hold the watch and run my fingers over the engraving and think about how lucky I have been
tabithapaquette98 1 year ago
I think your wife is lucky too! You sound like a wonderful husband!
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