It’s that time of year again. Time to shop for the ones we love and – who am I kidding? – ourselves a little bit, too. Every December I like to compile a list of my favorite things from that years. Since I was pregnant for 9+ months of 2015, it only made sense to include some pregnancy related items to this year’s list. Enjoy!
(Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom for a chance to win an awesome Holiday Prize Pack from Brooks!)
Disney Puzzles
My parents and I really got into puzzles over the summer. While I was pregnant, a puzzle was a nice distraction to keep my mind occupied on something that wasn’t baby related and it allowed me to zone out and relax for a couple of hours a day. If you’re looking for a solo activity that gives you some time to breathe, I highly recommend putting a puzzle together.
Thomas Kincaid has a Disney inspired puzzle series that I love. I purchased the Beauty and the Beast puzzle at Magic Kingdom over the summer and put it together in less than 24 hours. Then I promptly ordered the Cinderella and Little Mermaid versions off of Amazon. They’re great semi-difficult puzzles that highlight my favorite movies from my childhood.
I know adult coloring books have become “the” thing this year. Just like a puzzle, it’s a great solo activity that allows you to zone out and concentrate on something that isn’t related to XYZ. Since having the baby, I haven’t been able to do a puzzle like when I was pregnant so I switched to the adult coloring books, which are great to relax with after the baby has gone to bed for the night.
I bought a floating charm necklace for my sister and mother-in-law last Christmas and loved it so much that I bought one for myself a couple of months later. I love how they can be personalized for the individual and you can continue to add on/ subtract as life changes.
As an extra bonus, you can find fun & unique charms on Etsy. That’s where I found my Mickey Ears and FSU charm.
This one is pregnancy related. I bought the Doppler when I was 10 weeks pregnant and continued to use it right up until I gave birth. Since I had previously had an MMC, being able to hear the heart beat anytime I wanted helped put my mind at ease. It was also nice to have when I started panicking when the baby would have a slow day and not be moving around as much.
Yep, another pregnancy related one. I purchased the Snoogle at 16 weeks and slept with it every day after. I had a hard time getting comfortable without being able to sleep on my belly, so the Snoogle really helped. I 100% recommend this for any expecting moms.
I was able to sleep on my stomach again almost as soon as we came home from the hospital and promptly discarded the Snoogle in the closet. Less than a week later the Snoogle was back on the bed. Apparently my husband would sleep with it whenever I was traveling and fell in love. Now HE sleeps with is every night. So Snoogles also work for husbands.
The Joyride Pants & Hoodie are made with a DriLayer sheep-ish wool blend that naturally wicks moisture, inhibits odors, and regulates body temperature. The pieces resemble super comfy lounge wear that you can also run in. Unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to put the run portion to the test thanks to the unseasonably warm winter we’ve been having (seriously, where’s my cold temps?), but I can attest to the lounge aspect. The JoyRide pants have an super stretchy wide waistband that was able to transition easily from my late pregnancy to post-partum period. They were great for the early newborn days when I wasn’t leaving the house and living in sweats. Who am I kidding? I’m still living in sweats.
Brooks Holiday Prize Pack Giveaway
In the spirit of the holidays, who’s ready to win some prizes?!?
Thanks to my friends at Brooks I have a Bolt Reflective Headband (which is awesome for nighttime or early morning runs, by the way), Joyride Mittens, and a pair of Brooks shoes (winner’s choice!) to one lucky winner.
Use the Rafflecopter below to enter to win. A winner will be chosen next Wednesday, December 16th. Good luck!
{ 424 comments… read them below or add one }
When I first started dating (my now) husband, I tracked down a children’s christmas story that he had been told as a child by his dad. Now that we are expecting our first baby in February, I can’t wait for him to read it to her.
A personalized/engraved necklace for my mom – thank you!
One year I make a collage of our favorite experiences from the year past… Now I continue to add to it… and add a bigger frame! It’s a FUN thing to look at on New Year’s Eve!!
A few years ago, I booked a getaway to Mexico for my husband and I. I taped our faces to the bodies of the 2 people on the front of the brochure and wrapped it up as my way of telling him. He loved it!
Lisa @ Life as Lisa Knows It recently posted..Our Weekend
I love puzzles! One is actually on my list to get at Disney this weekend. It’s a great, easy souvenir! One year I gave a college friend Scrabble and he was seriously so excited. I still remember the look on his face!
Sam @ See Sam Run recently posted..Friday 5: Florida Wish List
I tracked down family photos and got a picture book printed for my dad.
I can’t think of the *best* gift I’ve ever given but I love when I think of something that captures a person so uniquely and is something I know they would love. It usually happens NOT around Christmas so I tend to just save things all year long for the perfect opportunity to gift it!
becca recently posted..Weekly Workout Recap: 11/16-11/22
a trip is always the best gift!
A trip to Vegas!
A chocolate tour 😉
I gave my husband a trip!
Last year I gave my parents a photo book from our big family trip to Greece. It was the trip of a lifetime, and we’d been holding off printing our photos to make the book – the build up was perfect and everyone cried. My dad is very sentimental – it was a beautiful moment.
The gift I ever gave someone was telling my husband we were pregnant!
My husband is a big Duke fan and I got him tickets to one of their home games and he got to sit with the Cameron Crazies.
I gave my dad a world’s best grandpa mug with a picture of my kids on it and it really moved him to tears so I count that one up there as one of the best!
It was really just clever/adorable, but I gave my friend a door mat (which she keeps in her kitchen) that says “You’re like, really pretty” (from Mean Girls). She says it’s her favorite gift ever.
A few years ago I gave my husband a piece of art that he had been coveting for years. It was expensive but well worth the look on his face when he opened it!
I gave my son a Red Sox Big Papi doll. No he runs around the hosue yelling, “Papi!, Papi!” It’s hysterical!
I’m really excited to give my husband his gift this year. I got him a print of the Chicago Marathon course that’s imprinted with his name and time. It was his goal race this year and he worked really hard so I think the print will be a nice commemorative gift!
Jen D recently posted..Friday Five 12/3: Holiday Wish List
Gave my dad a Patriots corn hole set last year. LOVES it!
The best gift I ever gave was tracking down a 5 gal used bourbon barrel for aging home brewed beer. Plus I get to enjoy the spoils of it myself! 🙂 Fingers crossed to get selected, I need some new running shoes for winter training!
My family means everything to me and I always try to find ways to show them my love. One year I secretly collected a ton of family pictures and had a company use them to create a family picture with them, mosaic style. From afar it looks like one family picture, but when you get closer you can see that it is made up of hundreds of family pictures.
a trip to mexico!
Love the puzzles!!
The best gift I gave was announcing to our family that we were expecting our daughter!
My husband is a huge Dallas Cowboys fan and last year I surprised him with tickets to see a game!
I gave my parents baby bibs to tell them they were going to be grandparents!
Last year, as our gifts to each other, my family spent the week of Christmas at Animal Kingdom Lodge in Disney. It was the best Christmas ever!
Leslie recently posted..2015 Charlotte SouthPark 8k Turkey Trot
I made shutterfly calendars last year! Such a great gift for parents
My now husband proposed to me on Christmas Eve so that is top or the list. (A Panini press/grill/waffle maker is a close second though)
I’m giving my brother’s cat obsessed girlfriend a custom watercolor of her cat this year…I’m more excited about giving it to her than I am about anything I could possibly get!
We take trips rather than give gifts and it is the best!
I think the best gift I’ve ever given was more of an experience — I had a whole day planned for my friend (breakfast at a cute coffee shop, shopping at her favorite shop, a massage, lunch) and just told her to keep the day free. Then, I paid for everything and left clues at each location for her to follow to the next one. Pretty fun to set up!
I am in love with Brooks gear for running. I agree, it has been unseasonably warm here too this year and I’m oddly excited for it to drop down to get in some cold runs!
The best gift I gave was a photo book to my husband of the process of building our house. We did most of the work ourselves, so he was really glad to have all those pictures of each stage in one place!
I gave my BFF Tickets to taylor swift!
Lots of coloring books are going in my family stockings this year: gardens, forests, Harry Potter, even zombies. Ha!
When i first started dating my boyfriend, I went on a trip to Europe and brought him back a Belgian beer that he had been talking about pretty much since the day we met that’s nearly impossible to find. I think that’s why he keeps me around 😉
Totally agree about the Doppler. Eased so much anxiety for me!
I think my husband would agree that giving him a son was a pretty awesome gift. 🙂
I gave my parents a weekend at the hotel they spent their wedding night for their 35th anniversary 🙂
For my mom’s 65th birthday last year, my sister and I took her on a weekend trip just the three of us.
We planned a surprise trip to Sweden for my mom’s 60th birthday. It was tough keeping it a secret, but the shock on her face and happy tears were totally worth it!
I surprised my sister for Christmas and took her to Disney world. She has always loved it so we went in our late 20’s!
I got my mom an original work of art from a local artist who wasn’t big yet. I snagged the piece for a great price (friend discount!), my mom loved the piece, and her work continues to grow in value!
I love giving gifts, so I don’t know if I have a best gift! I like to do thoughtful ones and just gifted a friend who got married this year an ornament that had her wedding invite inside!
Kim recently posted..Running Survey
The gift of RUNNING SHOES 🙂
chocolate delivery for 6 months!!!!
Glenneth recently posted..Things To Consider When Joining a Gym
I just gave my friend a Keurig for her 40th birthday. She seemed to love it!
One year we bought my mother-in-law tickets to visit us in Colorado. She had a rough year and just filed for bankruptcy, so it was great for her to be able to have a vacation.
The best gift I have ever given was a handmade scrapbook!
A tent so we could go camping!
I gave my husband a new laptop during the last year of grad school. That laptop saved his life!
I miss puzzles but we have young cats and it’s just out of the question now.
Lisa recently posted..2015 Year End Reading Plans
I’ve gotten in the habit of using the notepad on my phone and jotting down gift ideas when a friend of family member says they want something in passing. This makes for a lot of, “OMG how did you know I wanted this!!!” moments. Recently, i bought my mom and ice cream maker for her birthday because she mentioned at a family BBQ over the summer how it would be fun to own one. She was so excited and surprised when she opened her gift, her reaction made it so worth it. It wasn’t an expensive investment, and now we have homemade ice cream at every family gathering!
I gave my parents a weekend away for their anniversary and they loved it!
I think the best gift I have given was telling my husband we were pregnant in 2013 and telling him again this year!
I love brooks! It’s the only shoe I ever run in!!
Last year my husband and i gave my parents and sister tickets to visit us here in Miami ( my family is from Colombia)… i love the holidays and i love spending it with family so it was definitely a full house and fun :).
A special necklace for my mother in law — inscribed with a biblical verse that is very special to both of us.
A trip to Disneyland a few years ago with my fiancé. Best time ever!
A trip to NYC!
I commissioned a piece of art for my parents of their kids. Its beautiful black and white charcoal portrait!
My father always told us this story about how badly he had wanted a ship in a bottle when he was younger, but never got one — so a couple of years ago, I bought him one asa gift. Never seen him so happy!
My husband and I adopted a puppy a few weeks ago and it’s definitely the best (early) Christmas present ever! I would love to win — I need some new shoes for my half marathon training.
A brand new flatscreen TV for my dad when those were the next big thing!
I gave my mom an iPad. She felt “hip” and cool.
My sister and I always chip in and buy an “experience” gift for my parents. Last year we got them a romantic sleigh ride and dinner. They loved it!
My boyfriend is super into his alma mater, so for his birthday last year, I had a set of cufflinks made of a map of the area with a dot on the campus. He wears them whenever he gets the chance, and never misses an opportunity to show his school friends!
I gave my husband an electric smoker for his birthday one year. It was the best gift ever because now he smokes delicious meat in it that I get to eat but I am not involved in the process at all!
A scarf I made for my mom.
I made personalized tile photo frames on Christmas. You mod podge photos and scrapbook paper onto small tiles and they turn out like permanent picture frames! Inexpensive, thoughtful, and personal.
I gave my SIL a necklace with my niece and nephew’s name on it, she wears it every day 🙂
Thanks for linking that charm necklace – might be a great gift for a friend. And that Brooks hoodie looks amazing – might have to get that for myself!
I think the best gift I have given will be this year’s gift to my mom – tickets to see Bruce Springsteen in January!
Not sure what the best gift was, but last year’s “let’s make beer together” gift for my parents was a winner. As was the portable gas heater for them, which was very useful when the power went out (my parents have electric heat).
I gave my husband a road bike one time. He was over the moon!
Our family loves doing puzzles as well! It’s one of the great memories I have of my Grandpa. He looooved doing puzzles and we would all spend hours helping him finish them!
That hoodie looks so comfy! I might need to grab one!
The best gift I’ve ever given was a special trip for my mom!
The best gift I’ve given was to my step-dad who hunts a ton every year. I gave him a basket of all the essentials that you don’t think to buy or ever have on hand when hunting. Everything had a purpose!
The best gift I gave was a girls trip to NYC to my best friend (and me)!
Photo conversion service (printed pics to digital)!
I gave my parents matching shirts that looked like baseball jerseys for their 40th anniversary
one said together (as the name) and the number below that was 19 and the other said since (as the name) and 72 as the number. They wore them on anniversary cruise and it was a hit!
The best gifts are personal and usually involve experiences like concerts, trips, dinners, etc.
My sister has started running so now we pay for a race registration for each other!
My mom was devastated when her favorite soap opera went off the air several years ago. I tracked down someone on the internet that was willing to make a copy of the final episode onto a DVD (this was before DVR). I then designed a case for it and included her favorite pictures and moments from the show. I might not have been the best or most expensive gift, but it did make her cry on Xmas morning…so I consider that a WIN!
Homemade gifts have been the best gifts I have given to others!
Brie @ Lean, Clean, & Brie recently posted..Currently: December
I gave my dad an entry to a father’s day road race and ran it with him
Experiences make the best gifts ??
My husband is pretty happy that he got Fallout 4 for his birthday 😉 But truly, our babies were a pretty great gift to him since he was ready for kids waaay before I was. Thanks for the giveaway!
I gave my boyfriend a car for last Christmas (no I’m not Miss Pennybags, I inherited it and it was still like new). I’ll never be able to top that!
I’m a fan of the adult coloring books too. I spend too much time on my phone and it’s a nice distraction.
Sloan @ Life Food and Beer recently posted..Photo A Day- July, August, and September
Best gift I ever gave was matching sox for my son and husband. They wear them once and week and send me a picture of their feet every time!
engagement ring
Best gift I ever gave someone was a special edition vinyl album of a band they loved. Gift giving is the best!
Best gift has to be when I planned a vacation for my hubby. Once it was all planned I told him about it! It was a very needed vacation for both of us!
1 year my mom made me a quilt from a bunch of old meaningful t-shirts I had and I still love it!
I got my boyfriend an American flag that I had flown over the Capital in DC in honor of his birthday last year.
Brooks makes my favorite shoes! I could use another pair, I’ve started training for my first marathon!
My fiancé and I like to give experiences, so this year we’re going away for a long weekend to a cozy b&b. looks like we won’t have snow, but it will be fun to snuggle up and drink wine by the fireplace!
My mom has been asking me for years (yes, years) for a grandbaby. I am an only child, so this “gift” was completely in my hands. Last January I found out I was pregnant and my mom had just sold her business and officially retired. As a retirement gift, I wrapped up some baby books and onsie, and surprised her with the news. I’ve never seen her so happy! One of the best days ever and we were able to capture the moment on video. 🙂
Kristen @ Glitter and Dust recently posted..Feeling Defeated
I love doing puzzles and have gotten my entire family hooked. I didn’t know about the Disney series, but now I need that Little Mermaid one asap! Thanks so much for doing this giveaway 🙂
I took my husband sky diving for his birthday once! It was a total surprise, so he found out about it and 10 minutes later we were in the plane
Definitely giving my husband a positive pregnancy test as a late Christmas present two years ago 🙂
Living in the Midwest, I could certainly put that cold weather gear to good use.
I ALWAYS do puzzles in the winter! Just started my first one. My 6 year helps all winter too. But, we have to watch and make sure we don’t drop a piece or our young dog eats them….yes – she eats puzzle pieces!!!!
This is dorky, but when we were sophomores in high school I made my now husband a personalized card game with all our friends’ faces in it. Embarrassing to share. But it was a HUGE hit. To be 15 again….
I gave my parents a cruise!
Puzzles and coloring…the best!!!
So silly now, but the best gift I ever gave (or the one I loved giving the most) was a penguin I made at build-a-bear with my dad to give to my mom. Haha! She LOVES penguins and as a kid, I thought it was the BEST idea for a gift 😉
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted..Friday Finisher 12/11/15
I gave my mom a necklace a few years ago that she loves and still wears weekly!
I made my dad a collage of photos of the two of us with “daddy’s little girl” in the center
Before my sister went to college, I made her a blanket with all of her old high school sports tshirts. It was a huge, fluffy blanket which took me FOREVER, but she loved it and was so surprised. Worth it!
Those Brooks sweatpants look so comfy!
I like giving tickets or planning events for gift ideas- it’s always fun to have an experience with someone!
My step father was in the air force and loves WW2 planes. So I made a pattern for a P26 peashooter plane and crocheted him that blanket.
I gave myself the gift a freedom last year, and walked away from a relationship that I was no longer invested in. it was hard, but incredibly worth it.
We gave my mom a 1 hour photo session with my entire family. She loved it!
I gave my hubby a fitbit.
I made a book for a friend with pictures of us together and reasons that we loved her. She was having a hard time and it really cheered her up!
I’m a horrible gift giver – I think a beer tour on bikes to my husband
I think the best gift I’ve ever given someone was last year I surprised my husband with a 2 day getaway right after Christmas. He was shocked and we had the BEST time!
You put that puzzle together in 24 hours?? We bought it in October (while in Disney for a family vacation) and we STILL haven’t finished it. It’s the first family puzzle we’ve ever done. I’m afraid we’ll never finish it! (Also, I had to buy another one online because our dog chewed one of the pieces and our goal is to frame it when we’re done. If that ever happens.)
I’m not sure of the best gift I ever gave. We gave my FIL a personalized bottle of ketchup a couple of years ago…he loved it 🙂
The best gift I ever gave was a photo book to my dad.
I planned a surprise ski trip for my husband and I one year. I wrapped up a map of the mountain & runs. He was so excited and it was nice to enjoy the experience together!!
The best gift would be the birth of my son…we had him right before Christmas a few years ago
and he made the holiday’s extra special!
I gave a boyfriend a trip to where ever he wanted in the US. He chose Seattle.
My husband and I suffered a miscarriage in November, it was also our first pregnancy. The miscarriage has taught me a lot about life and has brought me and my partner a lot closer. We will start TTC in January and hope to get the fetal doppler to put all my worries at ease when I am pregnant with my rainbow baby.
I gave my husband a custom Lego figure of himself, complete with a tiny laptop with “coding” on the screen and an Auburn University hoodie I made with nail stickers. He loved it!
While maybe not a gift that I alone “gave” my wife, we always try to book major trips around our birthdays. Last year we went to France the month before hers, so maybe that counts?
i love brooks running shoes. the only shoes i’ll run in.
Giving my grandma a photography session with all her grandkids was so much fun and she loved it!
I made a photo book of our year’s travels to give to my husband for Christmas a few years ago. It was very special and we love looking back through our adventures!
A scrapbook of favorite memories from the past year!
I love making yearly photo books of our son to give to our parents, they love them and collect them.
Last year for Christmas we booked a trip with my parents to Italy. They had always talked about wanting to go back (it’s their homeland), but wouldn’t plan the trip themselves, so this past May we went on a 2 week trip with them and it was the most incredible experience.
I got my boyfriend a record player that he loves!
I’ve been into puzzles lately too!
I made a year in review calendar for my family that included family pictures from throughout the year.
My boyfriend is an avid chef and baker – last Christmas he got a KitchenAid mixer!
I got my dad a LegacyBox this year, and I think he’s going to love it!
Best gift I gave was probably giving my little sister her first pair of UGGs when she was in 7th grade- she acted like I had given her gold and called it the best gift ever <3
Dieititan Jess recently posted..Thinking Out Loud Thursday: Getting back to my old self
I gave my parents a gift card for a date night & it was so special for them 🙂 They rarely make time to still go out on dates, and actually have asked for the same gift again!
Love that Hoodie!
Love those sweats!
My family likes to give simple, handmade gifts for the holidays. I love the tradition! It’s a great way to focus on unplugging from the world and spending time together as a family.
my grandma died a couple of years ago and i just found a cross stitch that she finished but never framed. I’m having it framed and giving it to my mom for Christmas. She’ll love it!
I gave my mom an ipod pre-loaded with her favorite music. She’s not that tech-savvy so giving her just the ipod would not have been a gift 😉
I gave my husband a trip to Tampa (we live in Boston) for the weekend!
I gave my Dad actual seats from Tiger Stadium in Detroit that were salvaged when it was torn down. He’s been a tigers baseball fan his whole life.
I am all about personal gifts. A well thought out gift with intention and meaning are my go-to. This usually includes something being engraved!
you can never get/give too many pajama sets!
The best gift I have given anyone is a family trip to the New Orleans resort at Christmas. We were able to explore all the fun Christmas events at the Disney resorts. We still talk about the trip, especially when we hang the Christmas ornament that was purchase to signify the family trip.
Surprising my hubby with a gift of notes from his friends & family members for a special birthday!
Rachel @ Lou Lou Belle recently posted..Life after Miscarriage
On our wedding day I gave my husband a scrapbook of our dating years, he seemed to love that!
Someone gave me a hand-painted canvas of the Seattle skyline with my name written in the stars. I really appreciated the personal touch.
I have the hoodie but hadn’t seen the pants!
Definitely my daughter! She was born the day before Christmas 🙂
When we had just started dating I surprised my now husband with football tickets-I told him to dress warmly and gave them to him on the way.
A 6-pack mix of my husband’s favorite amber ale’s.
I gave my mom a gold pendant one year that had a favorite picture of herself with her mom & sister etched into it.
I surprised my friend with surprising her with her 2 college BFF’s to come and visit into town. She was completely surprised (and is the hardest person to surprise). I covered her work shifts and she got to enjoy their company for the weekend.
New Orleans Saints Tickets was the best gift.
It was been mild n Chicago but that cold weather gear would still work here now 🙂
Thanks for the opportunity! My favorite gifts I’ve given involved my friends photos of objects around our hometown that were the shape of letters. I then spelled out family members names and words such as FAMILY. I was able to pick out different backgrounds for each person so it was thoughtful and personalized!
I gave my husband a framed picture that my daughter drew.
It was for our first wedding anniversary, and I got him a California registered day in honor of our wedding day. So the entire day was ours so everything we did was memorable because it was our day. But I have to say that his gift was the best, because he wrote the lyrics for a song and had it professionally sung. It was a priceless gift as it portrayed our lives together.
Tough question–experiential gifts are my favorite to give (tickets or trips). Thanks for the giveaway!
many years ago, I made my (then boyfriend, now husband) a homemade calendar for Christmas! I was so proud of it and still have it. 🙂
My partner and I took our moms to Universal for Harry Potter World and Grinchmas a few years ago, they had the best time!
Thanks for the giveaway! I love Brooks gear. Best gift was a basketball hoop when I was four. It stayed in the box until we moved to a place with a big driveway when I was 10!
I made the in-laws a photo book of a trip we all took together and they loved it.
Personalized picture frame that I had made — it was a huge hit!
A painting <3
The first thing that comes to mind is a painting that my husband (boyfriend at the time) really wanted. I got it framed and matted and he was speechless.
I think the best gift I’ve given was for our 10th dating anniversary. I promised a ‘secret’ date each month that year and then had a blast finding new restaurants, concerts, or just hikes that we could go on together. It was fun looking forward to each one!
Courtney! recently posted..Iceland: 3 Day Weekend Perfection!
A photo book of my son’s first few months
I used to hand make ornaments for my family each year. Many of them still make tree appearances today.
We got married in the fall and used most of the wedding gifts for our honeymoon. We had a bit leftover and just spoiled everyone that year with presents that were more expensive than we normally would have been able to afford and it was so fun!
Kashi D recently posted..2015 Marine Corps Marathon Race Report
I think the best gifts are activity-based gifts, so I loved giving my now-husband a day in NYC to see his favorite hockey team play, do some sightseeing, and hit up a few classic date night spots. It was a fun day!
The best gift I’ve ever given someone was a framed portion of map that my husband used to get us from Yosemite a campground called “Dinkey Creek” where my husband proposed to me. He was really surprised that I had kept it.
I gave my (36 year old) bf a remote control helicopter a few years ago that he plays with to this day!
Very cool! My dad has dementia and he enjoys adult coloring books, too! It’s such a great gift idea for many people for many different reasons!
This Christmas I got my boyfriend a ski trip, he loves to ski and since we both moved to Georgia there aren’t many places to ski that close to here. Although I had to give it to him early because of scheduling conflicts, it was so great to hear the excitement for the trip from him.
Hilary recently posted..Smores Latte: Almondmilk Cashewmilk Blend
They joyride hoodie and sweats look so cozy!
The year we got the kids their ipad minis. We wrapped them in huge boxes to keep the surprise going for longer!
I got my husbands wedding ring engraved. He’s getting it for Christmas this year. Surprise!
The best gift I’ve given my husband is tickets to his favorite band. They don’t tour much and he tried to get tickets and the show was sold out. Little did he know that I had already purchased some 🙂
Thoughtful gift-giving and making friends and family feel special is one of my favorite parts of the holidays!
The best gift i have given would have to be one of the many Sweaters i give to my mom. Its not fancy but i love to see her face as she opens it#
In the 90s, pre-google & amazon (at least as far as I knew) – I tracked down a CD my brother had wanted that we saw on TV. It was a local artist and not available in stores. While he is mortified about it now, he totally cried. Love!!
Just delivered our first baby yesterday, so that’s my husbands gift this year! Mine too 🙂
I created mouse pads this year for my mom and mother-in-law with their grandpuppy’s face on them. That way they can see her cute face when they work during the week!
The best gift I gave someone was last year when I gave my boyfriend a flat screen TV. He was so surprised!
I’d love the gloves and reflective headband for my cold, dark morning runs during this Boston marathon training.
The best gift I’ve ever given someone… telling my parents they would be grandparents this coming March!
Holly recently posted..DAILY DRAW [08.19.15] – Speck Orca Drawing
I got my boyfriend tickets to Book of Mormon a couple years ago, which was pretty great (and exciting for me, since I got to go see the show too!)
I think my favorite gift I’ve ever given was to my husband for his birthday last year – I gave him a Fitbit – not very romantic, and at first, he questioned it a bit, too. But it really got him interested in fitness, which extended into an interest in eating more healthily, and since last April, he has lost 30 pounds and was able to go off his cholesterol meds!
Any gift that makes my gift recipient say “oh boy!”, that is the best feeling 🙂
Concert tickets! And one year I had a photo book made that included pictures from the previous year.
Photos of a friend’s new baby.
bulls jersey to my husband!
i try to give my mom something sentimental every year – pictures, something homemade, etc.
Ornaments that my kids made given to grandparents
The best gift I ever gave someone was probably when my sister and I got my mom tickets to the Dancing with the Stars tour. We coordinated with my dad, who gifted her with a weekend at the resort where the show was taking place. It was a fun getaway for her, she loved the show!
Rebecca recently posted..Roasted Vegetable and Black Bean Tacos
Best gift I ever gave someone was a salad shooter for my dad. He was pissed…I thought he would like it.
Gave my Dad a gift card to a brewery a few years back – that escalated to a whole day of brewery hopping. It was a gift for both us that brought us closer!
I can’t wait until my 3 year old is ready for some challenging puzzles. The Disney puzzles are beautiful.
I gave my mom a photo blanket a few years back with some oldies but goodies from our childhood and also included a super cute throwback picture of my dad and mom when they first started dating. She always guesses what we are giving her each year and this was a definite surprise!
I love giving gifts of experiences – trips, shows, outdoor activities!
I gave my daughter a trip to Disney World. It was the best surprise gift!
I adopted our family pet Swarley as a gift for my husband. He’s brought us so much joy ever since!
The best gift I’ve ever given was a trip to see my boyfriend’s favorite musician- we made a long weekend out of it include a nice hotel stay, the concert and dinner!
A photo calendar was the most well revived gift I’ve ever given. Each month we relive a new memory …it’s amazing!
I gave a Kitchenaid Mixer to my parents.. They enjoy cooking and baking.
I’ve given Josh a couple of really cool gifts that I knew he’d enjoy. For Father’s day 1 year I gave him a Ruth’s Chris GC and a GC to drive an exotic car (two of his loves meat and cars). This year for Father’s day I got him tickets to see an a capella group!
for last year’s christmas, I made a quilt for my sister! it was my first quilt, but it turned out really great.
I gave my dad a scrapbook I had made of a trip to asia he took me on the summer before. He loved it!
I’ve been using brooks for the past 10 years!
I got my mother a years worth of housecleaning services, and she loved it!
We got my parents ticket to a show in Vegas !
Kristen recently posted..Happy Birthday Emmett!
Experience gifts, like a trip to NOLA and NFL tix
I gave the gift of time. Quality time is priceless.
The best gift I’ve ever given was my daughter. My husband and parents thank me everyday for bringing her into their lives!
The best gift I have ever gotten was when my husband gave me my dog. My dog is the light of my life, and no gift could ever come close to when I got my little sweetheart!
The best gift I’ve ever given someone is surprising them on Christmas by coming up and spending the holidays with them 🙂 I also brought cookies!
a great scrap book for my dad
Cellared rare beer.
A surprise gift is the best gift!@ thank you for the giveaway!
Surprising them with myself!
I said yes!
Concert ticket to celebrate my niece’s graduation, she cried when she realized what I had given her!
A surprise trip!
Amy @ What Jew Wanna Eat recently posted..Latke Pizza
My Ugg slippers!
My parents were just telling me one of their favorite things I’d ever given them is a template scrapbook for their Alaska trip. They were so far behind on scrapbooking (like, YEARS), so I helped them in the process! 🙂
Megan recently posted..Friday Favorites #7
I think the best gift I ever gave was a GoPro camera to my son, who loves being outside and exploring. The excitement was priceless. It’s given us plenty of “excuses” to get outside and hike, fish, and bike ride, so we can capture moments as we go. I like seeing the videos from “his” perspective- he’s only 8, so everything is at his level.
I gave my now husband SCUBA lessons as a gift and he said it was one of the best gifts he’s gotten. It also benefits me since I now have a SCUBA buddy. He is absolutely in love with SCUBA and we just went on our honeymoon and went diving in the Great Barrier Reef. It was an experience of a lifetime and so much better than I thought possible.
A new meat thermometer for my dad. The gift may sound simple but dinners at my dads are always special and he loves to cook!
I saved up and bought a stand mixer for my mom one Christmas. She was so happy ad loved it!
My sister and I surprised my parents with a puppy one year… They loved her and have now gotten a second!
A wreath made out of cotton burrs!
A friend and I went to an A’s playoff game and they gave out rally towels at the game. My friend loved his and then lost it during one of his moves so for his birthday, I gave him mine. He still says it was the best gift ever!
I sent my parents on a cruise to celebrate my mom’s retirement. It was their first cruise 🙂
I make baskets with small favorites (snacks, gear, nutrition, goofy stuff) for my triathlon friends. It’s stuff they all use regularly, as well as extras. It’s a small gesture to show them I care about their hobbies.
I gave my goddaughter her first american girl doll when she was very little. She was absolutely floored and I loved seeing her cradle the doll with the biggest smile on her face!
Three years ago my Husband and I were in a good place financially and gave a struggling family who are friends an anonymous money gift to pay at least a couple months mortgage and have a nice Christmas for their family. It feels good to do something without anyone knowing.
I am absolutely not the best gift giver at all, but one of my favorite “gifts” was the time I went to surprise my brother after being at bootcamp all summer for his birthday. He was surprised and took off running towards me- it was a really happy moment.
Caroline @ The Little Things recently posted..The Reason for The Quietness
I gave my husband new ski gear, and he was so excited. Best gift to give!
Best gift I gave was a book of photos from our summer vacation! It was one of our first family vacations and remains one of the most memorable and happy times!
I bought my dad tickets to see Bruce Springsteen – his favorite- in concert maybe 10 years or so ago. He still talks about that concert 🙂
I gifted my brothers tickets to visit !
a special photo album for my dad for his birthday with pictures of us over the years! he loved it!
personalized calendar
I’m a terrible gift giver, though I do try hard! The best gift I gave someone was a bed and breakfast gift card for them to use for a getaway.
I gave a friend a pair of killer sparkly heels that I knew she had been coveting but didn’t feel like she would wear enough.
I love reading through all of the end of year top 10 lists. Thanks for sharing!
My husband is so hard to buy for! this year he picked out exactly what he wanted which was much easier for me and he gets what he wants!
I’m not very good at giving gifts but I would say that our best gift to one another was when my husband and I rescued our pup!!!
a photo scrapbook 🙂
I’m not a master gift-giver, so for me a success is coming up with a good idea far enough in advance… And then actually following through! That being said, I got my brother some spices and kitchen things when he first started getting into cooking in college!
A lab puppy to the kids
A telescope!
I got both of my sisters matching roman numeral three bracelets for the three of us 🙂
I like to give candid photos of the person or something/someone dear to them.
Shay @ Whine Less, Breathe More recently posted..Gearing Up For Christmas
I coordinated a gift for my grandmother which was a brick placed at Busch Stadium memorializing my grandfather who was an avid STL Cardinals fan!
That’s a really hard question! Some of the homemade gifts I’ve helped my daughter make for her grandparents probably top the list, since there’s not much better than a cute sign of love from a small child.
We took a photo of our manager and had a company turn it into a caricature. The background was his office..it was really cool!
As happy as I was to have a snoogle, I’m so glad to have our bed back now that our little guy is here!
I might have to include a puzzle or coloring book into my gifts this year. The best gift I gave someone was a box with a few of their favorite things. It also I had a plate that I customized for her. She loved everything she got.
A surprise trip to Scotland!
The best gift was an inception mug, like the one jimmy fallon has with Justin timberlake
I bought my husband a gaming chair. I do not care for how it looks in the living room, but he loves it and uses it every day.
My ex used to LOVE Roald Dahl so I tracked down a complete collection of his stories for my boyfriend to hold on to for his kids some day.
A shadow box for my friend’s wedding. I was maid of honor, so I included her bouquet and little bits and pictures from throughout the day. She loved it!
My sister and I pitched in to buy my parent’s a stay at one of their favorite bed and breakfasts one Christmas. It made us so happy to see their eyes light up!
Great giveaway! I am a Brooks girl!
The best gift I’ve ever given would have to be The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I gave it to my dad on Father’s Day.
Pregnancy announcement 2 years ago
A few years ago I gave my Mom a breadmaker because she had casually expressed interest in mine. She wasn’t expecting one, but she loves it and frequently bakes delicious bread.
i like to give my dad a book every year with a handwritten message in it. he loves it.
I gave my niece a gift certificate to take a cooking class. I had to call around to multiples places because she is more advanced than the average 13 year old, but most places wouldn’t take her unless she was 16.
We digitalized all our family home movies for my parents – they loved it.
We digitalized all our family home movies for my parents – they loved it.
Christmas in Disney world with my two little ones!!
I surprised my husband with a new bass one year and he was thrilled!
I’m due in a couple of weeks with our first kid so I’m going to say that is the best gift I can give my husband!
I gave my husband a cruise to the Bahamas for Christmas one year!
The best gift?
Maybe that homemade muffin I baked and decorated 🙂
Linda @ The Fitty recently posted..How Much Are You Spending On Coffee? + 18K RUN + {WIAW #16}
I gave my husband a baby (she was born in March, but I’m counting this as all of his gifts this year!)
I got my sisters framed photos of us as little kids.
sounds kinda lame, but I gave a toaster oven to my parents. they say it was the best gift ever!
Personalized gifts are my favorites to give. I have given a puzzle with a photo on it and that was a huge hit. And since you like puzzles, that might be an option for someone looking for a gift for you.
Pam recently posted..Who cares about the healthy holiday trend? Not this girl!
Hmm it’s hard to think of all the gifts I’ve given over the years. One that sticks out is my sister’s birthday from a few years ago… We had this ongoing inside joke and for her birthday I named a star after it. There is a site where you can name a star and get a certificate. Probably not legit, but the look on her face when she read it was priceless
I love to give experiences; so I think my favorite gift I’ve ever given was a private penguin experience to my husband to LOVES penguins.
My husband and I gave ourselves a trip to Germany last year!
The best gift I ever gave someone was a dappled dachshund puppy.
One year I put together a photo book for my sister with pictures of her girls spanning six years. It was time intensive but well with it!
The best gifts I have ever given were the items on the wish lists of our adopted angels.
An inception mug inspired by Justin timberlake and Jimmy fallon
Hm I gave myniece a puzzle last night and hat kept us busy all night!
The best gift I’ve ever given is digitizing my family’s old photos and home videos!
The best gift I ever gave someone was a scrap book I made for my dad after we’d become close in my twenties. Our family had separated at that point, and it was a special way to tie in the good parts. Grateful for those memories and that they didn’t get thrown out.
My boyfriend and I bought a house soooo I think that’s a pretty great Christmas gift ?
We take trips!
The best gift I’ve ever given was computers to my two younger brothers. They weren’t expecting it, and the surprise on their faces was priceless.
This year I am surprising my boyfriend with a meat smoker. I’m kinda excited about it, because it is nothing I would want, but it is a total guy gift for him.
Best gift I’ve ever given? An iPod to my mom back when she was carrying an entire sleeve of CDs on the train with her every day. She didn’t even know what it was. It was awesome.
A puppy for my kids 🙂
Oh man, I don’t know! Probably a whole day adventure for my mom! Movies, shopping and dinner! 🙂
I am not sure, maybe basketball tickets.
A collage of sentimental pictures.. my mom loved it!
What a neat necklace! I wish they had that doppler when I had my babies 12 and 15 years ago! Geez, soon we’ll be doing our own ultrasounds at home too!
The photo books I make each Christmas
I surprised my family at our annual Christmas gathering by flying in from PA ( to MA.)
My parents bought a new house a couple of years ago and for some reason the toilets are all really small (so weird!). My siblings and I just bought my dad an “adult size” toilet for the master bathroom. The gift for the guy who has everything! 😉
I gave my boyfriend a PS4 because that is what he wanted!
I love giving photos from recent events! Print off a few, frame them and people love them!
Our kids!
I think a present I’m giving this year will go over really well…weekend beach getaway trip!
My absolute favorite gift that I have given was a handmade crochet blanket I made for my grandma.
My brother and I got our mom a diamond bracelet.
Wine labels for my Dad’s homemade wine.
My best gift was a knit dinosaur baby toy. Other people in my life (who don’t even have children) wanted one for themselves!
Last year I gave my husband a positive pregnancy test…and this year we are celebrating with our 3 month old son!
I would love some new shoes for Christmas!
My mom passed away when I was young, she never got to finish her baby album of my little brother. So I finished it a few years ago and gave it to him. He absolutely loved it. ?
A remote starter for my moms car. We live in Ohio.
Helping my husband transfer home videos on VHS to digital for family
I’d love to say carrying my husbands child for 5 months so far would be it, but I would say actually making a conscious change to how I react on a consistent basis is the best gift I’ve ever given someone.
Spa gift cards for my mom. She works so hard, she deserves to relax and be pampered!
I think anytime I give something to my niece or nephew a gift and they run immediately to me because they love it so much! My goal every Christmas!
Concert tickets!
For my husbands 30th birthday I surprised him with a trip to Michigan breweries. To double the surprise his best friend was waiting at the first spot!
My husband says the best gift I’ve given him is the soda stream. He just loves it!
giving my dad a wine of the month club membership!
I gave my dad two tickets for “quality time,” which he could redeem for me to drive down and spend time together!
I just made my sister-in-law a photo book with all their Disney photos from their big family trip last year! They don’t have a computer and so they’ve only seen them, they don’t have any prints or anything. She’s going to flip out! I’m so excited!
Lauren recently posted..Feline Friday: Outdoor Edition
The best gift I ever gave was a handmade quilt to my daughter.
a surprise trip to disney world!
My fiancé and I have been long distance so our gifts are always trips to see each other
Universal Studio park tickets to my sons so we can all go together this Christmas while we are visiting.
I bought my sister a necklace that she wears everyday.
When I was a teenager, I saved up and bought my mom a pewter pitcher. Over 20 years later it is still one of her favorite things!
The personalized necklace I got my mom- all of her kids & grandkids represented ??
A few years ago I got my husband tickets to a Phillies game at Wrigley Field – he grew up 30 minutes east of Philly and loves being able to go to new ball parks, so it checked two boxes off his list. 🙂
The best gift I’ve ever given someone was 26 things for my significant others 26th birthday. All little things that reminded me of him and our relationship. It was a big hit and he really loved it 🙂
I got my sister a pair of pajamas that involved an inside joke of ours- she still
Talks about how much she loves them! I’ve never seen anyone so excited about pajamas!
I love to give thoughtful homemade gifts.
I gave my sister a Lat&Lo necklace with the coordinates of where my niece was born. She still wears it every day!
I gave my nephew a kindle with books we could both read and talk about.
for my boyfriend’s Italy obsessed parents, I adopted them an olive tree in Italy. They went and visited and received olive oil from the tree.
Best gift I have ever given someone? It would have to be a momento my boyfriend with all of our ticket stubs from when we were dating with photos and flight tickets from our adventures!
I gave my mom a tablet so she can start helping me wedding plan!
I love puzzles! We have been working on the Thomas Kincade Wizard of Oz puzzle – it is soooo tough!
As for best Christmas present!?! Probably when I bought my hubby an ipad for him. We had said no gifts but I just had to as I knew it would help him in all that he does (work and play). The smile on his face and the tears in his eyes were priceless! Well worth it…..Sometimes rules are meant to be broken 🙂
I’m giving my parents a calendar of their first grandbaby this year!
I gave my parents a week vacation!
I gave the baby’s great grandma a shutterfly book with all the baby’s pictures since birth. She is a tough cookie and this book brought tears to her eyes.
I like to give experiences like ticketa to see music.
I love puzzles and totally agree with how relaxing they are.
I had my really good friend at works name as a secret Santa and as a joke and to throw her off I gave her a heated gravy boat, she ended up loving it and uses it all the time for parties.
I threw my husband a huge surprise party at a brewery for his birthday. Not a Christmas gift but by far the best gift I’ve given.
I’d probably have to say, that the biggest gift, is probably the guitar I bought for my sister for this Christmas. 🙂
Emily recently posted..When I Discovered My Happy Weight
I need those sweatpants in my life. ?
I think it was probably the iPad Mini I gave my son last Christmas
I must say the snoogle was a pregnancy favorite of mine too! The best gift I have ever received was my bracelets with my daughters’ initials on them from my sister after they were born. I wear them everyday!
Katie recently posted..Plyometrics
Collage blankets with pictures of each of the grandmas with all of their children and grandchildren!
I have an origami owl necklace and love it. I never thought to look on etsy for charms
Years ago my husband mentioned if the All-Star baseball game came to town he’d like to go to the celebrity softball game. Well it came to Cincinnati this past summer and I surprised him with tickets. My track record of gifts isn’t the best so I was so happy to surprise him with the tickets!
Allie recently posted..Queen Bee half marathon
My favorite gift is the one I’m giving my husband this year…a pair of jaybird Bluetooth headphones! I’m really excited because he’s just gotten into working out again and I think he will love them!
My husband and I gave each other a cruise for Christmas (over Christmas) one year. It was such a sweet way to celebrate just the two of us before we had a family!
Our first Christmas together I got my fiancé a wood carved ornament with our initials on it. It was a symbol of believing we had many Christmases to come together and we love hanging it every year !
I gave my husband 12 envelopes for each month of the year. Inside they had a special date that we could do together. We had a blast doing it all year!
I love to give personalized or homemade gifts to people for Christmas!
The best present I have ever given was a small metal Christmas ornament that was engraved with the phrase “Our first Christmas as Mr. & Mrs.” with the year that I gave my husband for our first Christmas as a married couple. I look forward to it going up on the tree every year.
I’m excited to surprise my husband with a night away! We have a 2 year old and baby on the way, so it’ll be a great treat!
The best gift I have given is a weekend get away already planned!
I would love a new pair of shoes for marathon training this spring!
For our 15th anniversary I got my husband a Koa Wood Wedding band and the next year, he got me one. Now we wear those rings more than our original rings.
I actually help surprise my sister with a wedding for Christmas!
Probably when I’ve bought my sister or friends a race entry, and then run the race together. 🙂
I threw my husband a surprise party for his 30th birthday. It was themed Beers Around the World because we like to travel. That was in March and we finally finished all the beer in the fall!
Awesome giveaway! Photo calendars! They last all year long and remind the person of fun memories from the years before.
A Kindle for my husband who loves to read but has way too many physical books!
I have to say the best gift ever this year is our little one! <3
Krissy @ Shiawase Life recently posted..Welcome to the World, Baby! (Part 2)
Oh gosh years ago when I was in high school my best friend would always rave about this pasta salad my mom made. It really wasn’t anything special, just some pasta, veggies and bottled dressing, but she loved it! So one year I made her a DIY pasta salad basket so she could make it herself. She still takes about it years and years later!
I love puzzles!
The best gift I have ever given was a professional family photo shoot went my daughter was 11 weeks old. My mom had wanted photos forever and I was happy to be able to make it happen. They are also some of the last photos we have of my Dad.
Heather recently posted..Celebrating St. Nicholas Day
A avalanche beacon for my husband when he is out ski-dooing 🙂
This is actually kind of hard because I’m not a big gift giver. Last year for my then boyfriend’s birthday, he really wanted to go jet skiing so I paid for the rental.
New golf clubs!
I surprised my boyfriend with a trip to Vegas, a day before we left. I had secretly coordinated the time off with his work, and had his family send him stuff he could use in Vegas. It was such a fun surprise, and was a great trip!
I got my parents a cooking class to do together and they had a blast!
Best gift i gave was girls weekend to disney with mymom
Cookies!
The best gift I ever gave someone was when I had my daughter on my dad’s birthday! I doubt I’ll ever be able to top that one 🙂
I got DH a Martin guitar for our first anniversary.
I got my husband an iPad the year the iPads came out and they were all the rage, he was so excited!
Last year I got my parents classes at Sur La Table and they LOVED it. They had more fun than I could have imagined. I love experience gifts because you’re giving someone a memory, time to have fun, bond with someone else–so much more special than something you can pick up in a store.
Running shoes are the best gift!
I gave my boyfriend personalized cufflinks that he wears all the time!
The best gift I ever got someone was a gift for one of my ex-boyfriends. I bought a star and named it after us and also a telescope to look at it with. I wish I had saved that idea for my husband! 🙂
I bake a lot so I would say some of my baking good have been really appreciated.
So this was actually pretty easy and simple, but I think the best gift was last year when we got to give all our parents/grandfather printed and framed photos from our wedding.
Margaret recently posted..NROLFW Phase 6 Week 1
Well, I gave life to 5 children so I think that is a pretty big gift however if we’re talking material things here I think my daughter was pretty happy with a pair of diamond earrings I gave her last year.
Instead of gifts, my family plans a fun event together.
A daughter for Christmas – his first and only daughter in a family of boys
Many years ago they tore up out our high school gym floor to put in a new one. One of my brothers played basketball for Campbell High so I grabbed a piece off of the scrap pile and had it framed in our schoo colors, added a small plaque, and a buccaneer sticker (from the football helmets). One-of-a-kind gift – he was blown away.
Probably Elton John tickets for my mom — they were front row and I wrapped them up in a million different boxes with each box holding a clue
Eva recently posted..Review: Rendezvous in Point Reyes (West Coast Holiday #3) by Elisabeth Barrett
Every year I make a calendar for my mom with pictures from the past year!
Im not sure of the best gift i have given. But I am sure when we present our kids with Muppet sing along tickets with Jim Henson’s Daughter, they will be excited!
Tickets to a fun concert
For my mom’s sixtieth birthday, I planned a surprise party for her and told her I had to work and couldn’t make it home for her actual bday. She was so surprised and it felt great.
The best gift I’ve given someone was a night out to a show and dinner for my dad. It was such a good night and we saw one of our favorite musicals, The Phantom of the Opera.
A jar of reasons why I love them
My favorite present would be the watch I gave my husband for Father’s Day when we were expecting our son. It was engraved with his initials which would also be the baby’s and on the inside it said ‘when a child is born, so is a Daddy’.
The best gift I have gotten someone would have to be a gift card to a restaurant. The recipients had just moved to a new city so I looked up a restaurant with great reviews and got them a gift card large enough for them to enjoy themselves.
I love to give my husband vintage records for his record player!
The best gift be given was coming home early to surprise my parents when I had been unable to come home until last minute. The looks on their faces were priceless. I’ll never forget that moment.
The best gift was a afternoon sailboat cruise on an upcoming vacation.
Tickets to favorite show that was only in town one night.
What’s the best gift you have ever given someone?
I bought my husband a 70″ LED Smart TV a couple of years ago. 🙂
Sounds silly, but my boyfriend was mad that women’s sneakers always seem to come in much brigher/cooler colors than guys sneakers. Well a couple years ago they came out with those neon green glow in the dark New Balance sneakers for men so I got him those and he was super excited!
That’s a tough question! Not sure what the best gift I have given is. I love to give my husband things for us to do together as gifts. Last year, I gave him a vinyl with tickets to see that group together attached to the vinyl.
Made diabetic friendly jam for my grandpa a few years ago. He loved that I made it by hand.
Probably when we gave my parents a trip to Hawaii for Christmas!
I gave my grandparents a cruise. They loved it.
Best gift I ever gave was to my daughter, she had asked for surfboard and we told her no way because it was too expensive. Before we “opened gifts” we told her we wanted to go down for a walk on the beach before the family came to do gifts so on Christmas morning we pulled pulled up to her surfboard with a huge ribbon on it and a new winter wetsuit (placed there about 3 minutes before we got there). We watched and she surfed 4 hours that morning. It was my best Christmas too getting to watch her do what she loved all morning. 🙂
The best gift I ever gave was a blanket I had crocheted! Took forever but the recipients loved it!
I gave my kids a dog when they were little. They thanked me for years afterwards.