Memorable gifts
 

I was thinking about Christmas presents today, as you do, and got to thinking about some of the more memorable gifts I've received over the years.

When I was fourteen I moved back to my home country (Australia) and my friends gave me two memorable gifts. One was from a friend named Karl who presented me with a Zippo lighter, complete with wick, fuel and flint supply. About six months before that we'd been hanging out at the mall and seeing the Zippos we'd like, and he remembered the exact one I said I wanted six months before and bought it for me. He also gave me a goodbye card that he'd made himself sayind he would miss me. For a fourteen year old guy, obsessed with skating and guns and war, that was pretty special to me. Another friend felt bad that she hadn't bought me anything, so she took the string/rope/cord from around the waist of her sweater (used to tighten it) and gave it to me as a goodbye gift. I still have both of those gifts, and they're both just as special to me :)

And the two oddest presents I've received was a Simply Red CD from my uncle when I was seventeen. He was way off but gave me the receipt with it since he admitted he had no clue. He's an awesome guy though. And one Christmas my uncle, aunt and cousins all gave me a keyring that said "Internet porn! Perfecting the art of one-handed typing!" That was awkward, in front of everyone. I don't know why that gift was chosen for me but I wish it wasn't.

What's the best, strangest, most memorable gift you've ever received? And how do you react when you get something ridiculous, when it clearly wasn't chosen for its irony?

(I searched around for a thread like this and was surprised it hadn't shown up, I think...)

The absolute best present I have ever recieved was a "Schwinn" bicycle when I was 8-years-old. My aunt bought it for me with earnings from her first job, and I don't know who was prouder - her, for being able to buy it, or me, for owning it. It was metalic blue, and (to date myself) had high rise handle bars, a sissy bar and a banana seat. Man was I cool!

More recently, this same aunt gave my wife and I a hand operated food-processor. It probably cost her less than $20, but we have used it a lot in the two years we've had it. Every time I use it, I think, "Man, what a practical gift." And I think of her, and I think of that bike. Now that I write this I think I will tell her, so we can get a laugh at the memories.

My sisters gave my wife and I a bread-maker for our wedding a few years back and we wore it through constant use. We did not buy bread for two years and my wife still thanks them every now and then.

I will have to admit, while I've received a few memorable gifts over the years, I have better memories of the ones I've given.

My dad would always sit down around 7pm and have a drink and eat some chips & dip while watching TV, playing a game, reading, etc. I started keeping a list of his favorite things to eat and put together a big box of all of his favorites including a very good (and expensive) bottle of brandy (his drink of choice). Now, my dad was never one to show a whole lot of emotion or excitement but when he opened this box, his eyes got really wide and he dug through it like he was 6 years old. That was one gift he never stopped talking about, until he died last year.

The best gift that I've ever been given is a leather Bears jacket. My grandmother got that for me a few years ago, and now I try to find any excuse I can to wear it.

The most awkward gift I've ever been given was a box of condoms, from my aunt, with three of my younger cousins (ages 7-12) in the room.

Last year my wife and my son made me an oilskin tool kit for my Vespa's glove box.

It wasn't expensive, it wasn't much but it was totally my son's idea and he did most of the contruction himself. It was something I really needed and that fact that the two of them made it for me was just the coolest.

It was the best present ever... from the best kid.

I'm going to have to tell him so, when I get home tonight.

That reminds me of my dad's birthday a few years ago. Instead of bringing out a cake, my sister brought him a bowl of raw chocolate chip cookie dough, with candles stuck in it. I've never seen him laugh so hard.

Volkl skis are one of my most memorable gifts.

I hope I've given more memorable gifts than I've recieved.. the most memorable one I gave was to my sister. Mother of 4 kids under the age of 10 at the time, and very busy with kid stuff, so needless to say her house kinda looked like downtown beruit on any given day. I thought I'd be a nice sister, and give her a few months of a cleaning service. She was so insulted... How dare I say she was a slob -- then she went on about how since I didn't have kids I could never possibly understand.... Oh whatever...

You do see why she'd think that though, don't you... not to say that wasn't a very cool gift.

I'd adopt you as my sister but then that would make the implicit attraction I have for you just a bit too naughty :D

That was a very nice gift...

I've received loads of memorable gifts. I once got a boomerang from a girl friend of mine because I couldn't afford to go to Australia. A good sized stone gargoyle that hangs around my computer and scares away evil spirits ;) An old fashioned globe I received from a girlfriend who wanted to see the world with me, even though we didn't have the money.

As for horrible gifts, my uncle (he married into the family) is a real sleazeball, thinks he's funny, makes real lame or dirty jokes to shock you, buys shit from Sharper Image and other novelty stores, kind of shit head. He thought it would be hilarious to buy my cousin, who just broke up with her betrothed, a gift to replace the man of the house. On Christmas day, in front of the family and their children, my cousin opened up her gift. A personal "massager." That's what it said on the box anyway, but it was bright pink and fleshy textured and everyone in the room knew what it really was. Of course, the shit head uncle is snorting his ass off pleased at his joke and marvelling at the greatness that is he. It was uncomfortable for everyone, but particularly embarassing for my cousin and we all felt really bad about it.

Talk about karma, a few weeks later at his New Year's bash, the shit head uncle got drunk, fell off a short stone wall that he was trying to walk and seriously fucked up his knee.

the most memorable gifts are the ones that I don't ask for, or think i need, but then end up using all the time. Like little kitchen gagets or a new CD.

Best gift I've ever received was my first bass. It was a blue Ibanez 4 string, can't remember the actual model, but it was a piece of crap. But, it got me into music, and for that I couldn't be more thankful.

One present that stands out in my mind, one that I received as a kid, was an Incredible Hulk camera. A big boxy green camera.
I don't remember if I even took any pictures, but I sure loved that camera.