thanks Steve

My mother gave me a wonderful gift last year. ...almost EXACTLY a year ago...12/03/05.

She paid just over $300 for front row tickets for Hubby and I to see the Spanish Riding School of Vienna's Lippizan Stallions perform in Atlanta. This tour was commemorating the 60th Anniversary of General Patton's rescue of the horses from the Riding School during WWII. The SRSV had not been to America in 20 years, or so. Certainly not in the past 15.

It was a very special evening for me. The horses were beautiful and the announcer imparted a lot of history between arena performances. I also met General Patton's grandson, who was the Celebrity Guest that evening. We were seated next to the Celebrity Box seats.

What BEAUTIFUL horses! I certainly appreciated the gift, though someone not horse-crazy would probably not understand.

See. I think those are the best gifts. Generic gifts are ok and I will never turn one down. But the very best gifts are often the ones that are perfect because the giver knows you so well.

Those are some very fine puppies. And the dog is cute, too.

The best gift I ever got from Life/The Universe/Everything was my son back from the verge of death or lifelong paralysis. The best gift in the traditional sense was my Martin HD 28 from Selene some years ago. I totally did not expect it.

When Judah and I were 18 and newly living together, we had very little money. As far as I was concerned, he was in agreement that as we had literally no money at that point, I wasn't going to be getting a present. He managed without my knowing to get hold of a fiver and went to a shop that was selling giant heartshaped, helium balloons. Valentines day balloons with 'I Love You' on them. My birthday is 23rd Feb, so he was able to buy one of the balloons for four pounds:P

Surprised the hell out of me, waking up to a giant 'I love you' balloon, tied to the foot of the bed.

Best present I ever had.

mmmmm..... I once woke up to a happy surprise along those lines.... no balloon's involved though...

perv :P

jealous.....

cardigan envy :P

I think it's the buttons.

nope, the pockets....definately the pockets. Unless its a pocketless cardie, in which case it's probably the buttons.

Maybe it's what's in the pockets? (or what might be)

ooooh.....I'll have to mull on that..