Happy Thursday! It’s time for another edition of Girl Chat,
and today we are going to be discussing the greatest gifts we’ve ever
received.
There are many different
ways you could go with this post – the greatest gifts I’ve ever received are
obviously Brian and the babies, but today I’m going to discuss the greatest
Christmas gifts I’ve ever received since it is, in fact, the Christmas
season. I’m also narrowing it down to
the best Santa gifts I’ve ever received, because goodness gracious I have
received some pretty great things in my lifetime from many different people and
if I mentioned them all this post could go on forever.
When thinking back to my
favorite Christmas gifts as a child, several things came to mind so I couldn’t
narrow it down to just one. Instead I’m
going to focus on five different ones that I’ve received over the years. And if you look very closely in each of these
pictures, you can see each of the gifts!
Also, get ready for some seriously awkward pictures of me.
Christmas 1990
When I was eight years old
and in third grade I had the very best teacher of all time. She was so beloved to me as well as many
others and I’m actually still in touch with her on Facebook to this day! She was so wonderful that she inspired me to
want to be a teacher, too. I held on to this
dream for many years, but during my teenage years I realized that I probably
didn’t have the patience for it, and therefore, that’s why I never pursued
it. But anyway, that year all I wanted
was school supplies and teacher supplies for Christmas. And Santa delivered! He brought books, a stapler, a hole-punch, a
Sanrio Surprises pencil box filled with pencils and erasers, and my very first
“computer.” And by computer, I mean a
little battery operated one… not a computer by today’s standards, obviously. ;o)
Along with the school and
teacher supplies, Santa also brought a hot pink and turquoise luggage carryon
and a three-pack of Lipsmackers chapstick in Watermelon, Strawberry, and Orange
I know it may sound weird
that school supplies were one of my favorite gifts ever, but those of you who
know me personally understand why I was so excited. I still get excited about paper goods and
office supplies to this day. Like
seriously, they make me giddy!
#SomeThingsNeverChange
Christmas 1993
When I was eleven years old
all of my friends had TVs in their bedrooms and I begged and begged all year to
have one in my room. My parents told me
all year long that I would absolutely not be having a TV in my room ever, so I
had pretty much just accepted the fact that it would never happen. Well, what do you know on Christmas morning
there was a 13 inch TV on the couch just for me! I.
Was. Shocked. I don’t think I’ve ever been so surprised and
excited in my entire life!
Oh, and also, you see that
alarm clock next to the TV? That was
also a gift from Santa that year and guess where it is now? Sitting on my current bedside table! I have used it every single morning since I
was eleven years old. I will never use
my phone alarm as long as that old alarm clock holds out. I freaking love it still, 24 years
later. Talk about getting your money’s
worth!
Also, can we talk about how
tiny my littlest brother was?! I used to
carry him everywhere on my hip like he was my own baby. It’s still hard to believe that he is bigger
than me now.
Christmas 2000
Another favorite gift of all
time was my hope chest that my parents got for me when I was 18. My boyfriend at the time had an older sister
and she had a hope chest in her bedroom filled with wedding magazines and other
stuff for the future, and the second I saw hers I knew I wanted one, too!
I filled mine with lots of
wonderful things over the next couple of years while I still lived with my
parents, and it was awesome to have all of that stuff ready to go when I
finally moved out on my own! It was also
chock-full of wedding magazines and ideas so when the time came to plan our
wedding in 2007 I pretty much already knew exactly what I wanted. Hope chest = the original Pinterest. Haha.
That chest still sits in our
master bedroom to this day, but it has served its purpose as a hope chest and
it is now a window seat/laundry holder when I’m too lazy to put the clean
clothes away. Lol.
Christmas 2001
When I was 19 “Santa”
brought some things for me to put in my hope chest for my future house, and he
also brought a wicker clothes basket and matching waste basket. I LOVED those wicker baskets! In fact, I loved them so much, that I used
them until I had Olivia and they are now in her room. :o)
Christmas 2009
On December 17, 2008 my
childhood dog had to be put down and I was a wreck. He had been with us since 1995, and he was my
constant companion from the age of 13 until I was 26. He died one week before Christmas Day and it
pretty much ruined my whole Christmas that year. I was so sad that Christmas that I didn’t
even take any pictures… that goes to show you just how little Christmas spirit
I had that year. One year later, for Christmas
2009, my parents gave me a blanket that they had made with a picture of Bill
and me on it. My mom said since I could
no longer snuggle with Bill in person, that I could still snuggle with him via
this blanket. :o) It was one of the most thoughtful gifts
anyone could have ever given to me. And
guess what? I’m currently wrapped up in
that very blanket as I type this post. It
has a permanent spot draped over the back of my office chair and I use it
almost every day.
So there you have it! My very favorite childhood gifts of all
time!
And don’t forget to follow your hosts!
what great gifts and the memories behind them make them that much more special!
ReplyDeleteWhat awesome gifts!!! I love that you wanted school supplies and got them, plus the flavored chapstick :) How sweet is that blanket?! Love all the old pics!
ReplyDeleteThat picture of your brother at the beginning of the post looks SO MUCH LIKE JACOB!! Wow!! I about did a triple take! Haha! This was a fun post to read through. :) Fun to see pics of you growing up too!
ReplyDeleteI love how you remember so well the gifts that meant a lot to you!
ReplyDeleteThis was super fun to read! How cool about that alarm clock and oh-my-gosh, I would've looooved a tv in my bedroom! You're so lucky! And that Mama of yours making you that blanket of you and Bill. That is the kind of Mama I want to be. So, so sweet. Oh and I get ya' with the school supplies, my favorite thing to play when I was little was "school" and I was always the kid asking for school work during the summer!
ReplyDeleteI love the stories behind all these gifts!!! School supplies would have been an awesome present in my mind, too! And that blanket is so thoughtful!
ReplyDeleteThese are just soooo sweet. I love the blanket. I love the school supplies ones. I was obsessed with flavored chapstick as well!
ReplyDeleteI love the throwback photos! The 80's and 90's were not stylish times, lol! Office supplies were always my fave at that age too. What a sweet gift of the blanket!
ReplyDeleteLoved reading this with the throwback photos.!! Thats so cool you keep in touch with your former teacher..a great gift that is.. I am a teacher, so that warmed my heart!
ReplyDeleteValerie
She was just incredible and I'm so fortunate to still be in touch with her!
DeleteThese stories are so sweet:) I've been reading them and trying to think of my favorites and it's so hard...too many good ones throughout the years!
ReplyDeleteLaura
Black Coffee Beautiful
Thank you! And yes, it was definitely hard to narrow it down!
DeleteWhen I was 8 I wanted to be a teacher too! All I asked for was teacher supplies for Christmas! My dad made me a podium and I felt like I'd won the lottery. I also got the same Highlights sticker box my teacher had, and an actual teacher planner book. I was in HEAVEN!
ReplyDeleteI love that you took it back to your childhood and have those amazing pictures for it!! That is awesome that you are still in touch with your teacher. It's so good to know there are those out there that make such an impact.
ReplyDelete