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Facade's avatar

What was the best simple gift you have received?

Asked by Facade (22937points) September 21st, 2009

When people normally think of gifts to give the ones they love, oftentimes, their minds go to the expensive and shiny. But sometimes, most times, the simple things are much more memorable and leave more of an impact on the receiver.

So, what was the best you may mention more than one if you like simple gift, someone has given you? What made it special?

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30 Answers

Facade's avatar

I’ll answer my own question A year ago, I mentioned to my beau that I had always wanted to try a Coke in the glass bottle. When he visited this weekend, he brought one with him. I love it and him :)

Zen's avatar

The other day, my niece, 4, thanked me for something I had given her with a rock she had painted. I treasure it.

Dr_C's avatar

When i was still doing pro-bono work… a pediatric patient that would come in al the time just to say hello and because i gave him candy and would talk/hang out drew me a picture of the two of us in front of the clinic. It said “thanks for being my only friend i love you”.
(kid with a learning disability and behavioral issues).
Almost made me cry. Framed on my desk.

knitfroggy's avatar

My mom gave me a bag of like clips, ones that will close up chips or ones that had magnets on the back to hang stuff on the fridge. I really loved that bag of clips. I’d seen it at the store before and never thought to buy them. I use them all the time.
Wish I had a good story like @Dr_C or @Zen

Jude's avatar

A sketch that my girl did for me (of me). Means a lot to me.

And something said to me a few days ago by someone special:

“Despite your stunning good looks, you are far more beautiful in the ways you don’t realize than in the one’s you do. You have that certain magic that follows you around and charms everyone with whom you come in contact. I think that you should relax and appreciate yourself more. You bring something special to the lives of everyone you know. And I know that I used more than ten words, but I don’t care.”

onesecondregrets's avatar

My friend Eugene just gave me a ring he found that says hope all around the band. Prior to that, my cousin took a quarter, a South Carolina one and drilled a hole in it to make a necklace out of it. My dad lived in South Carolina before he passed.

filmfann's avatar

My son drew a picture of me on the back of a clip-board to use at work.
I didn’t take it to work because I treasure it too much.

peedub's avatar

A week before my date with the LSAT, my friend sent me an enormous box of the best, just-out-of-the-water wild salmon from the famous Pike Place market in Seattle. I was in California, so she had to overnight the seafood, which was packed in a special cooler box filled with ice packs.
She wanted me to have all the ‘brain food’ I needed for the strenuous exam. It was the bestest surprise ever.

whatthefluther's avatar

On several occasions I have been told that something I said or a small gift I had given someone, had made their day or turned a bad day into a good one for them. Just knowing that, is a wonderful, priceless gift to me. See ya….Gary/wtf

Darwin's avatar

A college boyfriend gave me an electric blanket and later a set of jumper cables. They definitely outlasted him in my life and both were at times something for which to be truly grateful.

Another college boyfriend brought me a rock from Africa just because I asked for one. It is a lovely Selenite rose from the Sahara Desert of Algeria. He also brought me a piece of China from the duty-free shop at Heathrow because he felt I needed something more than just a rock, but I love the rock and still have it.

nikipedia's avatar

I had a boyfriend buy me a Gin Blossoms CD that he saw at a used CD store once. I loved it because not only did he remember my lousy taste in music, he loved me enough to encourage it because it made me happy.

ItalianPrincess1217's avatar

A music box. One with a ballerina that twirls when I open it. I have always been in love with them but time and time again I was unable to find any. My boyfriend knew how much I wanted one and for valentines day last year he found a music box and put a diamond necklace in it. The necklace was beautiful but the box meant so much more.

Beta_Orionis's avatar

In Fall of 2008, my husband worked at a Starbucks in our neighborhood. Sometimes I’d hang out while he worked, but sometimes that was a closing shift. For liability reasons, I couldn’t hang out inside after they closed the store to the public, so I’d sit right outside. I’d sit cross legged, back against a wall, and read a book or something, until about 1:15 when they’d finish up and we could walk home together. At this hour, in this particular neighborhood, no one’s usually out and there’s virtually no car traffic.

One chilly late Fall evening, while I read, an older man came by. He walked right up to me without hesitation, at a friendly pace, and without saying anything, giving only a simple gesture and a genuine smile as his explanation, he handed me a most beautiful and fragrant pale pink rose. I answered his gesture with a questioning look, and attempted to vocalize such surprise, but he waved it away ever so gently, retreated, and disappeared into the night.

I couldn’t help but smile to myself for the rest of the night, wonder what his story was, and ponder why anyone would do something so curious and wonderful. I don’t think I’ll forget that for a very long time.

.
.
Also, slightly tangential, one of my acquaintances told us a story about how his friend chose to utilized her official police tone and intercom announcement noises.

She would chose a restaurant with more than a few homeless people out front.
Then she would call the restaurant and explain that the police department had officers incognito, dressed as homeless people, set up outside of the restaurants.
This really does seem like a strange and potentially cruel think to do, I know.
While not all of the restaurants bought her story, the ones that did often reacted by preparing a generous, warm platter of food and bringing it to the people out front.

I thought that was a fantastic practice. Helped restore my faith in humanity a little bit.

aprilsimnel's avatar

A homemade knit cap with a little pom-pom on it and matching mittens from one of my friends.

Likeradar's avatar

A roomie in college gave me the Jewel Christmas CD.

The commercial for it was on TV one night, and I casually mentioned I wanted it. We laughed, because I’m Jewish.
A while later, I realized I was going to be home alone on Christmas. Even though I don’t celebrate Christmas, the idea of being alone for it was sad.
When I got home to an empty apartment on Christmas, the CD was on my bed with a note that said “Maybe this will help you feel less alone.”

The roomie and I had a huge falling out a few years later, but I’ll always remember that as being incredibly thoughtful.

marinelife's avatar

My husband gave me an ammonite fossil. He painted a water color story book with the story of me and the fossil. It is my all time favorite gift.

annielorena's avatar

This year between Valentines day and my birthday my boyfriend didn’t get to work very much, so on each I didn’t expect a present. He gave me a home made sticker shaped like a heart with our initials in it for valentines day. On my birthday he gave me a picture of us in a simple black frame. They still make me smile when I look at them.

shego's avatar

I went to summer camp, one year, and I was scared and alone, so the counsler lady, had given me a teddy bear. I cherish it. After 14 yrs, I still have it, and it keeps me company when I feel lonely

Facade's avatar

@shego I love your work on Kim Possible :)

kellylet's avatar

My boyfriend gave me a Christmas tree last year. I live 3000 miles from my family and it was going to be my first year without a Christmas celebration (I was totally bummed about it.) So my fabulous and Jewish boyfriend got me a tree- He picked it out, set up the stand, lights and ornaments. It was so cute, he put ornaments on but didn’t get hooks. He just pushed them into the tree. He had no idea since it was his first ever Christmas tree. It was so special and romantic. We both really enjoyed it.

poofandmook's avatar

when my boyfriend visited me for two weeks in August, we had talked about him transferring schools and coming here to live with me. Though we both wanted that, he didn’t feel right about it; he has a brother with mild Asperger’s (sp?) who would have a hard time, and his parents support him while he’s in school and would have an issue with him living with me, and we both agree that nothing is more important than him finishing school on time so we can be together as soon as possible when he graduates. Anyway, right before we left for the airport, I gave him a key to my house and I told him that it was to remind him that where ever I am, he is home. He cried… that’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten.

Cupcake's avatar

As an only parent, I didn’t usually get gifts (like for Mother’s Day or my birthday, etc), but one year my son wrapped up his favorite Disney videotape (The Aristocats) and wrote in big letter in green marker on a white sheet of paper “Happy mothers day have a grate day” and it’s one of my very favorite things.

I gave him the movie back and he said “but mom, it’s my favorite movie and I want you to have it”. So I told him I would keep it on the shelf with his other movies so that he could still watch it.

tedibear's avatar

Two years ago was what I refer to as “The Christmas of Warm.” My husband got me a lovely fleece blanket and shearling lined slippers. There were also books, which are always a hit. The funny thing is, he said to me about a week later that he felt like he hadn’t gotten me anything “good” that year. Meaning that he hadn’t spent much. I told him the truth, that these were among my favorite gifts from him. Not to be too materialistic, but the iPod is still my favorite! A bonus is that the fleece blanket also attracts the cats. They sit with whoever has the blanket!

CMaz's avatar

My son drew me a picture.

jonsblond's avatar

When money was tight (was? still is!) for our family last year my husband bought me several $1 puzzles and some chocolate from the dollar store for my birthday. I know he wanted to do more for me but he couldn’t. I teared up because I thought that I wouldn’t get anything at all. I have such a great husband!

hungryhungryhortence's avatar

A friend of mine gave me a portable flash drive to go on a keychain, I take it just about everywhere to have access/add pictures.

irocktheworld's avatar

Candy and flowers…
My friend made me a friendship braclete in Kindergarden and I still keep it here with me even though it doesn’t fit anymore..I think it’s very valuable.

DominicX's avatar

I always use this example, but it’s the best example I have: before my boyfriend was my boyfriend and before I even knew he was gay, he bought me a classical music CD for my 17th birthday. I just thought it was unusual and so nice of him to do that. The CD, 25 Symphony Favorites, happened to be one I already had and had had for a while. But I pretended that I didn’t already have it because it was just so cute of him to get it for me and I’ll never ever forget that. :)

wildpotato's avatar

A small balsa-wood pig from Alaska my brother gave me. It fits perfectly in my hand, and I love it.

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