Question of the Week

What are your favorite Christmas gifts?

Chick Susie  This is an easy one. In September of 1987 my grandmother died. You know how every adult has their favorite child -- yes, my brother John, the oldest, and sister Sally, the youngest, were always my Dad's favorites; you could just tell. Larry, the middle child, was Mom's favorite. Tom, I don't know about -- he was everyone's favorite. Well, I was Nana's favorite. Every Christmas (once I turned 16), I would have the privilege of driving her down to Florida right after the holiday. She would fly me back home. Every spring break, again, I would fly down and drive her back. She was so cool. We would stop and tour the Jack Daniels Distillery -- just because. She took me on my first cruise. She drove with me all the way to the Everglades because I had never been there and she even gave me $100 when I stopped biting my fingernails. Anyway, after Nana died that very next Christmas, there was a package "from Nana" under the tree. It has continued so for all of these years as my Mom gives each one of us a piece of Nana every Christmas. It is always a Hummel figurine; she collected them and must have had millions because even last Christmas I still got a remembrance of my beloved Grandmother under the tree.

Chick Megan  The best Christmas gift I ever received was a couple of years ago. Lexy was sick with a staph infection. It was so bad that by the time we reached the ER they couldn't get any vitals. We ended up staying in the hospital for a few days, but just before Christmas Eve she got to come home. THAT was an amazing gift. This year I get my mom and dad for Christmas; that's a close second. As far as store-bought gifts, I dunno; I've liked them all, but it's the sentimental ones I prefer. That same Christmas that Lexy was sick, my mom and dad didn't decorate their home because they came to Maine to see us. The night Lexy got out of the hospital, Kevin and I went and bought a Christmas tree for my parents' house. We decorated it and had it all lit up when they got home. My mom has always been very into decorating and making everything very special for us as kids... it broke her heart not to have done anything that year. I will NEVER forget the look on her face when she saw that tree!!

Chick Julie  My dad started buying stocks for his grandchildren each xmas and either adding to them or starting a new company. It's really a great idea and he only has 5, so that makes it easier on the pocketbook too. At first the kids didn't appreciate them but now at 22 my son thinks its pretty neat to have his own stock portfolio. Another favorite for the grandchildren from my parents is a Hummel figurine. My son has 21 now and at first I didn't think he cared if they kept giving him one, but last year he was excited to receive his 21st so I guess even kids can surprise us.

Chick Kristin  My favorite gifts to give are gifts that others wouldn't generally buy for themselves. For example, my husband and I bought my parents a sound system/receiver so that they could listen to music while downstairs using the treadmill or upstairs doing dishes. They would never have bought that for themselves because of the time it would take to install the system.

My favorite gift to receive is a donation to any charity made in my name. My husband donated money to a national epilepsy charity last year, which truly touched all of my family, because my father is epileptic.

But my favorite "gift" overall is just being with my family over the holidays. I would take that any day over a present.

Chick Jana  I remember a ton of gifts from when I was a child, but as I get older it gets more difficult, so I'm guessing they're not that important to me. I really like the sentimental gifts more. I do remember a beautiful necklace I received last year and I always receive some sweet cards that Mac writes up from the kids. I love those. One day I think of something I need and the next day I forget it. The one thing I need today is a nice tea pot. So if you have any tea drinkers on your list, get them a nice tea pot with some assorted teas, they'll love it!

Chick Karin  Diamonds. Okay okay... not the most practical. My favorite gifts are the pottery vases that the kids make me at school. Those and diamonds... nothing better.

Chick Lynn  I actually don't like the "gift" part of Christmas for me. I love seeing the faces on children, and I still love seeing the faces of my own children (now 24 and 22) on Christmas morning while they open their stockings. Just sitting around the fireplace with my family and friends, drinking coffee and feeling the warmth and love is enough for me. One Christmas,  about 8 years ago, we brought a wounded duck into our home. He waddled around our sunroom and we fed him; within two days he was better. The kids loved that. We also started taking the kids on vacations, leaving on the 25th and going thru the New Year. The only gifts that they received were their stockings when we were on the plane. They were filled with swim suits, sunscreen and candy. All five of them still say to us, "remember when we went there and did that." They never say, "remember when you bought me that."

Baking cookies with my God-daughter on Saturday. I can't wait! Doesn't Faith Hill sing, "It's the simple things that count"?

Chick Cheryl  My favorite gifts are the ones I buy for people early in the year. I hate having to buy a last minute gift that somehow just doesn't seem appropriate. If I shop early, I feel like I get much better bargains in addition to a gift that is so personal I know the recipient will love it. The hard part for me is waiting until the end of the year to give it to the person! A fun idea is to go to a bargain book store (we have a $5 one), purchase a book to set the theme and then shop for little extras to go with the theme. I just did that for my girlfriend who lives on a ranch near Santa Barbara. She always says her mountains remind her of Italy. I found a book called "Picnics in Tuscany" and created an entire gift around that including a picnic basket with decorative votive candles and April Cornell napkins. She'll love it!