Best gifts ever

Think of the best gift you've ever received.  Maybe it was for Christmas.  Or for your birthday.  Or maybe it was great because it was a gift for no reason at all. 

And I bet the best gift was something of low or no monetary value. 

You may have gotten something really cool that was expensive.  My Nook is awesome!  And it wasn't cheap.  But it's not the best gift I've ever gotten.  (Sorry honey....)  It was a fabulous one, don't get me wrong!! 

I'd like to share with you some of the best gifts I've ever received.  (and I'm going to try to do so without crying at my desk...  because I'm a sap like that....)

• My "blankie".  Most people would call it their "baby blanket".  It was cotton, yellow with circus animals on one side with a blue backing.  It had yellow yarn ties every so often.  I carried it with me everywhere.  I only stopped using it at night because it mysteriously disappeared when we moved from our temporary apartment in SC to our house in 1991.  I don't think my parents did anything with it.  They knew how attached I was to it.  I think a kid in the neighborhood stole it.  Creep.  I believe mom said the lady who made it for me was in the hospital the same time my family was in the hospital for our car wreck in 1977.  I never knew you but thank you.  I loved it. (I believe she knitted my Christmas stocking for me as well.  It even has my given name on it, not my nickname.)
• Jelly Belly, my stuffed Raccoon from Aunt Dotty and Uncle Sam.  They gave it to me for Christmas, I think.  I was probably 5 or 6.  It was "the" stuffed animal of my childhood.  I could be found at any time with Jelly Belly and my blankie.  I still have him.  
• My "sick blanket" from Aunt Maxine.    It's actually a twin sized comforter that she made me when I was little.  But I moved to a bigger bed when I was about 9 so I used it as a snuggle blanket.  As I got older it was a great blanket to snuggle with when I was sick.  Aunt Max died several years ago. In grad school I noticed the blanket had started to get wear holes in it so I took it and had them patched up. (it was one of the few things I took to CO with me)  I don't use it as much any more since she's not around.  But I think I'll pull it out.  She made it for me to use, right?  That's why I got it patched, right?
• A "no reason" care package sent to me freshman year from Aunt Dianne.  There's a story here.  It was after dinner and the post office was packed.  I got a package and was so excited I couldn't wait to get back to my room to open it.  I tore into the package and something went flying out and up into the air in front of all these people in the post office.  When they landed I was horrified!  Aunt D had sent me several pairs of silky, lacey high cut panties from Victoria's Secret.  And they were lying all of the floor of the Clemson University post office in front of a bazillion students!!  Although always excited to get packages, after that I always waited to get them to my room first...
• And another great from Aunt D.  Just the other day I opened a package from her.  A fabulous box of CoCo Wheat!!!  In case you don't know what this is it's chocolate cream of wheat.  Apparently they only sell it in the mid-Ohio valley region.  I have never been able to find it anywhere else I've ever lived.  I grew up on this stuff.  Her kids grew up on this stuff.  We all love it!!  You gotta love her - she spent $5.70 on postage to send me something that probably cost $3 or less at the grocery store.  But that's the kind of gal Aunt D is!!!

Of course there are many more memorable gifts I received over the years.  I've probably already told you about some of these in previous posts but I didn't remember. 

What have been some of your best gifts ever??