What is THE most amazing present you have ever been given ?

I forgot the ring dh gave me right after the birth of dd2, a lovely emerald and diamond. I’d never had an engagement ring. I’d have rather liked one but there were only 6 months between proposal and doing the deed, and he was working abroad for nearly all of them, besides which I know he thought that ‘getting engaged’ was seriously uncool. ?

The most exciting present I ever had as a child, was 2 goldfish in a bowl from my cousins - my first ever pets! and I soon bought them a small tank instead of the bowl.

My ex and I were talking about TV programmes we liked as children.
I said that I was never a big fan of Sooty, but I loved Sweep, and always wished I could go on the programme and win one.
I was far too timid, and my mum would never have allowed it, anyway.

I came in one day to a little parcel, and inside it was an original, old Sweep puppet.

I also spent all of the day after he had gone home finding little hand made cards, all numbered in the right order, each time I did my usual things.
On the toilet, on the kettle, in the fridge, in the bread bin.
All beautifully written with clever little poems. I found them right up until I pulled the cover back to climb into bed.

Over 40 years ago I was expecting my first baby. It was OH’s birthday and we were having dinner with my sister (whose birthday was the day before) and her fiancé, whose birthday was the day before that. There was much exchanging of gifts. I needed the loo and when I got back there was a parcel on my plate. OH had bought me a beautiful silver charm in the shape of a cot. We were all moved!

I had coveted a particular handbag for years. DH always said ‘get one, if you want one’ but I felt it too expensive and downright frivolous. Many of you will know that he died a few days before my 70th birthday, so I was completely overwhelmed when my DDs presented me with the handbag of my dreams - very sad though that DH wasn’t around to witness my delight.

Chestnut

Sparklefizz

Chestnut

It must be my 13th birthday when I got a record player. Heaven! And also the first two Beatles LPs to play 24 hours a day and drive everyone nuts.

Then a couple of years later a tape recorder so we could record pop music really badly from the TV or radio. And record ourselves singing too! Such innocent days.

Chestnut I had a red Dansette exactly the same as yours!

Before anyone accuses me of lying I have to admit I got the picture from the internet, but it was exactly the same as mine (and yours)!

And mine, too!

These are wonderful ?

DH aka my husband

One Christmas I was very very depressed an TH bought me an eternity ring and it was exactly the right size and the perfect Sapphire half hoop. I love it.

Wonderful stories, full of love (with apologies to BeEmerald!)
Mine was my first Mothering Sunday as a mother. Some sad & difficult things had happened in our family, unconnected with our baby but I was feeling a bit low and anxious. My DH worked long & difficult hours, and despite our wonderful baby it wasn't the happiest time.
DH, who was away, sent me a beautiful bunch of flowers. We could ill afford them, and part of me thought them wasteful. But they looked so beautiful, and as I stood arranging them, a rainbow came out, and suddenly the world began to feel a bit better. Those 'wasteful' flowers gave me strength to get my world back on its axis, and I have never forgotten them.

Reading all these fills me warmth, wonderful, just wonderful, such happy, warm memories. Xx

Lovely,lovely stories..?

My first iPad. The 3 children got me an iPad for Xmas, when it first came out. I think it was the iPad2. I’ve never been so excited. I’ve had a couple more since then but I’ve got the original one, even though the screen is cracked (I was dozing, it fell off my hand, on to the hard floor) I turn it on first thing in the morning. And it’s the last thing I turn off before going to sleep.

When I was six or seven I woke up in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve and my bedroom was gently bathed in the lights of a dolls house that had real electric lighting. I knew he'd been but drifted off. In the morning it was still there and it hadn't been a dream!

I really felt such wonder. It was so beautiful.

I've said it before but I had my best ever present when I was six. We used to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my grandparents and when we came home on Christmas evening I was taken into our living room. Under our christmas tree was the most incredible dapple grey rocking horse! My father had made it for me (Heaven knows where he found the time) and at that age it was the size of a real pony to me. I've never had anything so absolutely perfect since and I rode it for years.

My son bought me a beach hut, I was so happy!

and his selection were totally unexpected.

Undoubtedly my engagement ring. Both the proposal Archie

What lovely stories. ?

Mine was probably a totally unexpected bouquet of flowers from dh - I was nonplussed, since it wasn’t my birthday or Valentine’s Day and he’s never brought me flowers on random days.

He said it was exactly 50 years to the day since we’d met.
I was dumbfounded that he knew, and must have made a note of it. Although I still remember the occasion very well, I couldn’t even have said what month it was!
So talk about ? and ?.

my DH is very sentimental. He followed the traditional anniversary gifts, and of course for 10 years it's tin. He was teasing that I would get a tin of peaches, but he engraved a poem onto a piece of tin and in a frame. I did receive some jewelery as well, but honestly I can hardly remember what it was.

Over the years I have had so many thoughtful gifts from children and DH. Almost none of them really valuable to anyone but me.

And hearing of your mother's recipe, Serendipity, it reminds me that I took one of my MIL's recipe cards to the framers, where they took a digital copy, and had it framed for my two SIL's , daughter and myself. Something to remember her by.

Serendipity22 what a very special present. You'll always remember that. It made me think of my Mums 80th Birthday, she was an identical twin and we had a party for them both. We had a cake made with photos of them both as babies, it was just from one of the supermarkets. Not a great photo but it was a lovely cake.

Sparklefizz

Chestnut

It must be my 13th birthday when I got a record player. Heaven! And also the first two Beatles LPs to play 24 hours a day and drive everyone nuts.

Then a couple of years later a tape recorder so we could record pop music really badly from the TV or radio. And record ourselves singing too! Such innocent days.

Chestnut I had a red Dansette exactly the same as yours!

Before anyone accuses me of lying I have to admit I got the picture from the internet, but it was exactly the same as mine (and yours)!

When I was twelve my father bought me a massive old Imperial typewriter as I wanted to be a journalist. He’d bought it from a local pawn shop making payments on it. Alas I never made it as a journalist but I absolutely loved that typewriter. Wish I still had it as I think they’re worth a fortune nowadays, relics of the past a bit like me ! The other amazing present I had was off a person I thought was my best friend, she gave me a set of His and Hers towels three days before my now ex husband admitted they were having an affair.

Well a present to myself a few years ago, an iPhone 6+. The best item I’ve ever treated myself with! Goes everywhere with me, couldn’t do without it!

Chestnut

It must be my 13th birthday when I got a record player. Heaven! And also the first two Beatles LPs to play 24 hours a day and drive everyone nuts.

Then a couple of years later a tape recorder so we could record pop music really badly from the TV or radio. And record ourselves singing too! Such innocent days.

Chestnut I had a red Dansette exactly the same as yours!