The 12 days of Christmas Blog Challenge - day 3

Today's topic?

The Best/Most Meaningful Gift You've Ever Received

Oh my gosh, this is hard.  "Santa" always did (and still does!) the most amazing job of finding gifts that they he knew Wade and I would love.

Maybe the best approach is a top 5?  Although, I'm sure I will still leave some things out!

5. Christmas 1990 - 95? - Anything and everything American Girl 

I was obsessed.  I probably circled everything in the catalog for Santa to bring.  Mind you, this was back in the day when there were only 3 American Girls:  Kirstin, Samantha, and Molly.

Molly was my first American Girl.  She is very, um, well loved.

I have saved all of my dolls (and the boxes and boxes of their belongings) in the hopes that I will have a daughter one day that can play with them.

4.  Christmas '89? '90? - Gameboy

Oh, soooo many memories!  Wade and I spent so many hours on car trips playing Tetris against each other.  Remember that you had the cord, but then you had to turn them on at the same time, too?  I wish I still had my Gameboy.

3. Christmas 2009 - Wusthof Knives

For someone as obsessed with cooking as I am, this was an awesome gift.  Five new knives.  So sharp and slice so cleanly.  Ahhhh.  They rock.

2.  Christmas 2008 - Willow Tree Nativity Scene

I had been admiring this throughout our last minute Christmas shopping.  I was shocked to find it under the tree Christmas morning!  It has been fun to start collecting things to decorate "my" home.

1.  Christmas 2000 - Baby Grand Piano

You might be thinking this takes the top spot just out of sheer size, but you would be wrong.  I took my first piano lesson when I was 4 years old and continued through high school.  Needless to say, the piano have always been a huge part of my life!  I used to go to lovingly admire other people's baby grands and the grand piano at church, and my parents used to tell me that, if I kept it up (playing, that is), I could probably have one some day.  Fast forward to December 2000:  Mom started acting strange one afternoon on Christmas break, telling me she wanted to "go ahead and take the tree down." (The pretty one in the front room, not the handmade ornament, colored light one.)  I don't even remember the absurd reason why.  I helped her clean up the living room, rearrange the furniture, etc just as the white truck pulled up from Amro Music!  Of course, as obsessed as I was, I caught on immediately.  The piano came with a big red bow.  You know, like the kind some kids get on their car on their 16th birthday.

Best. Present. Ever.  

Over the past 7 years of college and dental school it is safe to say that my skills have regressed.  I still play every time I go home and get a chance and am really looking forward to the day that I have my own home so the piano can come to Memphis with me! (soon.  hopefully very, very soon.) 

What strikes me the most about this list is that every present is special to me because the giver really put thought into it and knew it would be meaningful.  (Okay, I'm not saying a Gameboy is "meaningful", but hours of fun with your brother sure is!!)  I try to do this when I buy gifts, but admit that I often fail in finding that "perfect" thing.  I guess every gift can't be perfect, but over the years, a few are certain to be remembered!