Giving In Spite Of The Awful

One year I got an orange from my aunt. She was bawling as she gave it to us. She usually had gifts bought by August, wrapped and everything. However that year, she just couldn't afford it. Definitely the most memorable, teaching me a great lesson. RIP Aunt Durena.

Slimjuggalo2002

Just Two Bros Out Buying A Dress

A dress.

It wasn't particularly expensive or super fancy, but I was out shopping with two guy friends and kinda paused by a window and said I thought it was really pretty. They then teamed up to conspire with my roommate to get my dress size, went out and bought it, and gave it to me for Christmas.

It still fits :)

UsedToBeOnFire

People Who Come Together, Stay Together

I had been laid off right before Thanksgiving and was still looking for a job through the holidays. We were scraping by but in no way were we going to be able to do anything for the holidays.

One day, while I was at home, I hear the doorbell ring. Figured it was the mailman. Take my time getting to the door. Open it and there was a massive pile of presents on the porch. Based on the gifts it was definitely several of our friends who put it together but they did it anonymously.

I can never ever repay them for that. I sat down and bawled my eyes out.

moridin82

Pierce The Consumerism

My abusive mother accidentally gave me the best gift I'd ever gotten.

First, my mother is a hoarder and a narcissist. She has declared bankruptcy several time due to debt from buying things for her hoard (shopping addict)

One year she had no money because of a bankruptcy, so she bought a ton of gifts but all were super cheap. And she bragged about the sale prices of each. I was looking at all this garbage and was just sad she couldn't enjoy the holiday without the appearance of a pile of gifts.

Anyway, in her hoard she had found the sheet music for a song my grandmother used to sing to me when I was going to sleep. I lost her when I was 16. To save money on a gift, she threw it in a cheap frame she had and wrapped it up.

When I opened it I teared up. It was the first time she had ever given me something so touching.

Sadly, when I wept she called me too sensitive and it was "just a junk gift" so there is that.

Still. I have it hanging on my wall (in a much better preservation frame) to this day.

Randygilesforpres

A Name To Stand With Time

When I was really young my uncle used to call me his "little cabbage". No idea where it came from, just always did. Well, he waited until the Christmas after I turned 10 and he gave me this tiny box that was wrapped really well. So I opened this thinking it would be a new toy but was instead greeted by, you guessed it, a tiny cabbage. He's even gone to the extent of drawing my face onto it. I was annoyed at the time but now I find it hilarious. Ps, this was 13 years ago now.

BonnieScotty

Neighbors Stepping Up

I used to LOOOOOVE christmas but everyone in my family, and my husbands family, are really anti-Christmas. They grump and moan and say 'Can we not do presents this year?' Some years I decorate a tree (by myself, naturally) and it feels really sad because I'm remembering all the awesome Christmasses I used to have, and I mourn the old me who used to love this time of year.

Well, my husband had just been really bah-humbuggy one year and I had vented to a friend. Our house is in a rural area and so she has a key for emergencies --- I'd been out all day and come home and opened the door to find a fully decorated christmas tree in our entry-way, complete with a pile of wrapped presents under it addressed to me, my husband and even our cat. It was just the best thing ever!

hellouterus

A Gift For The Future

I was in school for graphic design after spending my first 25 years of life not knowing what I wanted to do and having doubts that I could make it. So I opened this gift and it was a set of prismacolor markers. Now these are expensive professional markers, and I never mentioned anything about them. I freaked out saying "mom! Do you know what these are?!" My mom said "you're going to be a designer, you need the right tools!". Her support and unquestioning confidence helped paved the way for my success.

SnackRaptor

"Pajamas" = "Family"

My mother-in-law has a tradition of getting pajama sets for her daughters for Christmas. The Christmas before my husband and I got engaged, she also gave me a pajama set. It meant so much to me because it told me she considered me part of the family already.

My SO also gave me earrings that Christmas. They're lovely and he put a lot of thought into picking them out for me, but the really memorable part is that he got them from a local jeweler that is known for their engagement rings. Earring boxes look a lot like ring boxes, and I panicked a little because we weren't planning on getting engaged for another several months and I thought he was trying to propose.

HoboTheDinosaur

It's Never The "What," But The "Why" Of A Gift

I was in first year of college, poor as hell. I rented a room from a very nice family. At dinner, I told them how I can't afford a padlock till my next paycheck, therefore I can't use the locker at the gym.

Needless to say, for Christmas, they got me a really nice padlock and a gift card for a local grocery store just so I could stock up on food.

I still treat them like my own family 10 years later.

socalcrucial

You Can Give, Even When You Have Nothing

I teach at a severely low income school. Many of my students come from homeless shelters, experience drug addicted family members, incarcerated family members, etc. As it is the holiday season I know that my students won't have much but am trying to do little things here and there.

Today, I was the one brought to tears. One of my students came in with a huge gift box wrapped in beautiful paper. This student's parents don't know how to read, one is incarcerated for drugs, and they struggle with money. The student places the box on my desk and says, "I've been saving my money since August to get you the perfect Christmas gift. Thank you for teaching me."

Inside was a 1850 piece bullet journal kit complete with pens, markers, tapes, journal, etc. I had to excuse myself to go cry. This student has nothing but wanted to make sure I felt loved on Christmas.

KetoTeacher12