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What gift left you speechless?

(54 Posts)
grannyactivist Wed 12-Dec-12 21:48:44

This evening I was wrapping gifts when I got a phone call from my Chinese 'son' asking for help with a small matter. After discussing this problem he then broached the matter of Christmas presents; I was rendered speechless when he told me that he's bought me a gift for Christmas that he thought I ought to know about in case another family member is planning to buy me an i-Pad!! I literally couldn't speak for about 20 seconds. He's bought me an i-Pad for Christmas. grin [jump up and down emoticon] shock

What gift - good or otherwise - has left you speechless?

numberplease Wed 12-Dec-12 22:03:37

What a generous and thoughtful young man! The present that rendered me speechless was a few years ago, our eldest son gave me an inflatable husband, and hubby an inflatable wife!! They`re still in their boxes on top of the wardrobe.

merlotgran Wed 12-Dec-12 22:20:37

My mother giving me some sexy underwear many years ago when she got it into her head that DH was losing interest in our marriage. shock His face was a picture when I unwrapped it. shock blush

Anne58 Wed 12-Dec-12 23:16:05

Mr P excelled himself two years ago. I'm sure you can only imagine my delight as I sat up in bed on Christmas morning and eagerly ripped the paper off a beautifully wrapped toilet seat.

Hunt Wed 12-Dec-12 23:19:12

some of my young relations clubbed together and bought me my kindle. As we don't go in for lavish presents you can imagine this left me speechles and very thrilled.

Nelliemoser Wed 12-Dec-12 23:23:52

phoenix that sounds like my OHs imaginative approach to presents.

FlicketyB Thu 13-Dec-12 08:25:10

A petticoat, in a funny shade of violet (not fashionable, even in the 1950's), which when I looked at it closer, was secondhand. This was given to me by a very elegant friend of my mother's when I was in my teens. She was not impoverished and in the late 1950s, new petticoats were readily available and not on coupons

Barrow Thu 13-Dec-12 09:05:28

The best was from my DH, he asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I jokingly said anything with diamonds. On Christmas day I was presented with a small oblong parcel, on opening it I found it was a pack of playing cards but when I opened the pack inside was a lovely diamond brooch.

The worst has to be the home perm kit my parents gave me for Christmas when I was around 13!

dorsetpennt Thu 13-Dec-12 09:27:17

My daughter, in her concern for my arthritic aches and pains and my loathing of cold weather, bought me a 'slanket' one year. On unwrapping it the whole family was speechless and my DIL had to turn her head away as she was dying to laugh.
My great aunt was very wealthy and very tight fisted and was known to give away 2nd hand gifts. One year she sent my grandmother a tortoiseshell comb in a little gold case with the initial 'G' in rhinestones on the outside. My grandmother's initial was 'E'.
My favourite presents are booktokens so I'm really boring. smile

Mamie Thu 13-Dec-12 09:37:03

I remember being awake most of one night with excitement when I was about seven, because I could see a huge parcel for me.
It was a new blanket for my bed. sad

Marelli Thu 13-Dec-12 10:51:13

A box of tissues was part of my present last year from my elderly sister-in-law confused and the other part was Dove handcream. I'd asked for a tissue when visiting her and commented on the good quality of it (mainly just for something to say, as I always seem to have to say something...), I think the tissues are £1...hmm

vampirequeen Thu 13-Dec-12 11:18:17

A bottle of Martini, Port and red wine from my alcoholic ex. I don't drink alcohol but he enjoyed them.

harrigran Thu 13-Dec-12 11:24:16

The gift that left me speechless was a necklace designed by DD for my 60th birthday. A white gold pendant in the shape of an XL with diamonds to represent my children and a pink sapphire to represent the one GC I had at the time.

wisewoman Thu 13-Dec-12 11:27:32

One year my husband bought me wheel trims - yes, wheel trims - for my car. He was surprised I was less than thrilled!

JessM Thu 13-Dec-12 11:36:05

I am going to keep my counsel of personal gifts. But DIL, when pregnant for the first time, with a girl, due end of Feb, was somewhat surprised to receive, amongst several xmas presents for the foetus - a pink bikini.

gillybob Thu 13-Dec-12 11:53:44

Probably the sandwich toaster I got from my parents for my 21st ! grin

Bags Thu 13-Dec-12 12:55:37

A cake, beautifully decorated with piped icing, from a postgrad geophysics student. It was left on my desk when I went for a coffee break. It wasn't even my birthday.

Butty Thu 13-Dec-12 13:12:46

A wooden box from a client I worked with for three years, given on our last session together. Inside a folded up piece of paper with a child-like coloured rainbow. I was speechless, bent my head and cried.

shysal Thu 13-Dec-12 13:39:52

A bright orange wheelbarrow for Mother's Day. I was a bit miffed at the time, but it had lots of use.

soop Thu 13-Dec-12 13:42:05

The gift that my son gave me on his 12th birthday. We were out shopping, his birthday money burning a hole in his pocket, when he asked me if he could go to another floor of the large department store [alone]. When he returned, having spent almost all of his gift, he gave me a bottle of my favourite perfume - Opium. I was bowled over by his generosity of spirit. Such a sweet memory. smile

Leyshir Thu 13-Dec-12 14:18:25

My sister once gave me a lovely big wrapped up box for Christmas, I was floored and totally disappointed when I opened it and found a pillow for my bed!!!!!!

kittylester Thu 13-Dec-12 14:34:23

My sister in law bought me an electric potato peeler thing from Oxfam. confused

Knowsley Thu 13-Dec-12 15:30:51

When the children were young, I always asked my wife to open my present first. I used to give my wife a present such as a spud peeler or equally mundane item for domestic cleaning. She was none too pleased until she opened the gifts from the children which seemed to be the more expensive items for which she'd dropped hints over the previous months.

joannapiano Thu 13-Dec-12 15:36:56

One Christmas my mum in law went to a market and bought my husband, son and 3 nephews fluorescent orange towelling dressing gowns.When she had gone they all put them on and stood in a line. We were speechless alright! grin

Riverwalk Thu 13-Dec-12 15:38:31

Shysal a bright orange wheelbarrow sounds like a lovely gift! smile