Favourite presents

My son bought us ( Husband and me) a joint birthday present of a trip to Prague. We stayed in an amazing hotel with two buildings. Our room was in the second one, and to get to it you had to go through the first one to call a lift which became a capsule which transported you over a snowy field to the second part. We had 3 days in the beautiful snowy city in February. When it was my birthday the management laid on a bottle of champagne in our room and let off fireworks in the garden outside our window. The breakfasts were the most varied and sumptuous ever!!! Magical... Unfortunately due to having 3 children in the next few years he could never again give us that sort of present... but the grandchildren were presents enough for us!

Bijou

The present I will never forget is the beautiful wooden box of Reeves water colour paints that my father bought for me on my tenth birthday (1933). The price label was still on the underside. A guinea. A great deal of money in those days. I treasured and used that box for many years until I went into the WAAF and my mother threw it away.

That reminds me that my mum had a dog when she was a teenager. She went into the war as a driver and had arranged with someone that if her parents couldn't (her mother rather than her father as she ruled the roost!) cope with the dog, they would take it on until the war was over. Her Mum got rid of the dog without even bothering to tell Mum. She, my grandmother was a bit of a tartar.
Why would your Mum get rid of something that you obviously treasured so much?

I was given a magazine subscription for my favourite magazine which is brilliant as I have been unable to go out and buy one.
I would love the flowers one - my son does the grocery shopping and refuses to buy a bunch of flowers because he says he can't see the point "because they just die!"
One other surprise gift he bought me was for tickets to see Westlife one year - it was for Mothers Day and I opened my card and the ticket was there - even arranged for one of my nieces to come with me as well as arranging transport to and from the venue! We got to the venue and were thrilled to find we were 8 rows from the front! In consequent years , my niece came with me another couple of times,along with her sisterand her friend, then I went with a group of friends and after that on my own, including an overnight hotel stay!

A sewing machine. My father got it for me when I was 11. The entire family complained - an expensive waste of money on a child. I still have it. It was the best present ever, other than that nothing is memorable except the meanness of my husband
He always gave me 'Household' presents - nothing actually for me personally, just household stuff that would have to have been purchased anyway.

Froglady : Why would your Mum get rid of something that you obviously treasured

In my case, she gave away my Hornby train set. She always regarded as a boy's toy and unsuitable. She kept the damn doll house that I had never played with as a doll house though.

Those flowers look lovely, dragonfly46, what a great gift.

I've given magazine subscriptions to my (adult) DS, & DD.
both of which have been their own choices. So they always seem to enjoy them.

I've had quite an assortment of gifts given to me over the years, ..!! (some had more thought behind them than others)..!!
My sister & I treat each other to a lunch out, for our birthdays, (what can we do this year? she is "shielding", & will be 80, so had hoped to do something a bit special). Not until August, so fingers crossed.

These days, we have so much "stuff", we prefer meals out, (& anything we don't have to dust)!!

Best childhood present was my bike for Christmas when I was 8. It was bright green (still my favourite colour) and I went miles on it (well it felt like miles then) with my best friend. Amazingly, we were allowed to cycle home in the dark after tea with each other, although respective parent telephoned the other parent to say she'd left, and then the other parent rang back giving confirmation of safe arrival. Country life was different then!

Dragonfly may I ask what company supplies your lovely flowers please ?

A brown Burmese kitten, given me by my mother when I was fourteen and we had just lost the two old cats I had grown up with.

She grew into a marvellous cat. I had her for sixteen years.

I had two favourite childhood presents: a lovely doll given to me by my father when I was four; and a wooden box of watercolour paints from my brother when I was 10. I played with the doll till it started to fall apart and used the paints for many years. When I married I left them at my mother's house together with some other possessions. I later discovered she had thrown them out. She knew I treasured them. It was sheer spitefulness because she didn't like my father or brother.

My favourite adult present is the bottle of Chanel No.5 which my husband buys me every year either for birthday or Christmas. Every time I wear it (which is most days) it reminds me of so many happy times in my life.

Madwoman11 they are Bloom and Wild letterbox flowers. I love them because they are as they say a little wild and unusual.

My daughter gives me a calendar every year with photos of the grandchildren on each month. A present that lasts all year.

My birthday is in April and my birthday in lock down was most memorable- DD and GC stood in the front garden singing to me and left lovingly made gifts and drawings on the step
SIL delivered a large gin and tonic with my supper in a hot box in the evening
Had suitably distanced visit from my youngest brother leaving a huge bag of treats / seeds, face pack, crisps, olives, gin and posh tonic!

My favourite present if all time was given to me in 1975 by my boyfriend at the time. He knew I loved the old fashioned sit up and beg bicycles and he found one in a junk shop and carefully did it up for me. Adding new tyres, basket and lights.
He wheeled it in on Christmas morning and I've never been more thrilled with anything.
I cycled to work on it every day for years and my boss allowed me to put it in the office basement so it wouldn't get stolen.
Many people remarked on it and an insurance chap said I should insure it.
I still have it now but can't ride it anymore, it's very hard work as it has no gears and is very high off the ground but I still love it.
The boyfriend only lasted about three years as he was just too charming to stay faithful to one person but we remained friends until he sadly died very young.
So, my bike is also a reminder of exciting times with him.

Having my son and daughter and their families turn up in ibiza, where I was on holiday for my 50th birthday. That was a brilliant present, and I don't know how they kept it a secret for almost a year.

My best present was my kindle for my birthday 2 years ago from my 2 sisters and my niece.

I recent times my 2 best presents have been from DD1. She knows my DH and I love going out for coffee so bought us a small Nespresso machine for Christmas. Since lockdown we have used it everyday. She could never have foreseen how welcome it would be! Then on my birthday in May she gave me a beautiful leather cross body bag which again is perfect for my lockdown life. I use it all the time from going out for a walk to quick trips to shops. I take it everywhere instead of the large bag I used to lug round all the time.

When I went away for the weekend I returned to find a second hand car on the drive. My husband and son got it as a surprise then washed it and made it look really special. I will never forget the look of joy on their faces when I first saw it

My 60th was a bit of a wash out as I was ill so the following year DH organised a 60+1 birthday and took me to London for a weekend including a tour of the Houses of Parliament and the Cabinet War Rooms. Something I've always wanted to do. We had a lunch at one of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants and saw Matilda at the theatre. My best ever present.

My best ever present was for Christmas when I was 14 - the triple live album by Emerson, Lake and Palmer. I wanted it so much but knew it cost £10 and didn't think my mum could afford it. I was so happy!

My daughter sent me a mini i pad some years ago and I thought what am I supposed to do with it? Now I couldn’t manage without it,
But I also love a plastic pooh and eeyore ornament my son gave me when he was young. It is stuck with blutack on the dashboard of my car.

My best ever present was a bread maker 10 years ago from my daughter. It’s still going strong, I wouldn’t be without it! My grandchildren love the soft fresh bread!

Dragonfly thank you

Puzzler61 the hot air balloon flight was a surprise, though a very welcome one. It was just frustrating having the flight cancelled so many times but it's just the luck of the draw. There were people on our flight at the first attempt and another couple who'd been cancelled 14 times!

The xbox my son bought for me last Christmas. I cried when i opened it because he also bought me games for it which i loved years ago, it was lovely he rememberd. My grandchildren were so shocked that nana had an xbox and played games because im so old (im 58) apparently they now think im cool ?