12 days of Christmas Contest!
By Danny on Dec 7 Filed In Sweet Consumers, Sweet Contests 129 Comments
It’s almost that time of year again and we here at Sweet Leaf Tea are keeping a tradition alive! Each year [for 2 years now] we create our OWN 12 days of Christmas and share it with you guys! But we love to SWEETEN the deal, soooooo we throw in prizes to each day. After each new verse to the Christmas hymn we give you an opportunity to participate with comments to score you some pretty nifty gifts!
That’s 12 days to score a present for yourself. All you have to do is get in the holiday spirit and play along. So…………….
ON THIS FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME…
One Sweet Leaf GRANNY.
Have you ever gotten one of those special gifts from your Granny that just made you chuckle?
The best story will win an AWESOME giftbag. We’ll announce a winner each day so leave us a note in the comment section to kick it off. Check back tomorrow to see who won and enter to win another day.
Spongebob SquarePants cookie jar that talked…when I was in my 20′s.
My great aunt is basically the grandma we never had. She helped raise my dad and later helped raise me and my siblings. Unfortunately, she’s always had a bit of a hoarding issue, constantly acquiring massive piles of knickknacks for re-gifting. Every Christmas during our childhood she would send us each a pair of pajamas (usually some itchy poly blend) to wear Christmas eve, and then a bag of twelve small presents to be opened for each day of Christmas. These smaller gifts were always somewhat unappealing like crayon-shaped snow globes that ended up leaking all over the place, non-functional novelty pencils, and dozens of keychains (this was prior to any of us owning keys), but for kids any kind of present is delightful. As we got older, though, the gifts (though deeply appreciated) became hilariously useless. My two favorites came during high school. My brother, age 19 home from college and a 6’2″ athlete, received his annual Christmas eve pajamas: flannel Spiderman footies designed to fit a child no more than 80lbs. That same year (2005) I received a day planner dated from 1993. We all had a good laugh, but I’ll always be grateful to have such a generous, loving person looking out for me on Christmas.
My grandmother always gave me a check in the amount equal to my age until I hit 20… at which point I received a letter explaining that if I had saved up all of the money I’d received from her each year that I’d have $190 and with interest over the course of 19 years, I’d have well over $1,000. I was so bummed BUT a few days later I received that $20 check with another letter from her explaining that she was teaching me a life lesson and to lighten up a bit. Oh and she expected 2 thank you cards!
My wife’s grandmother gave me a bag of 5 clementine cuties and a tag that said “for the guy who has everything”. Needless to say it was pretty hilarious, and better that than something I won’t use!
If it wasn’t bad enough that granny got me a Ken doll (Barbie’s male friend)I also happened to be 10 years old!
An Easy Bake oven, circa 1970
Every year my Granny would give us a card with $1 in it… and as we got bigger we finally got $5!
The year I turned 21, my grandma got me a $50 gift card to the liquor store, and “The Three Wise Men,” a bottle of Jack Daniels, a bottle of Jim Beam, and a bottle of Jose Cuervo. Then she proceeded to take shots of each with me… Ohhh Granny…
A Pair of Black Jalapeno with Flames sleep Pajama Pants . They are my Favorites !
I asked for a pocket knife and I got a foot long bowie hunting knife
My Granny gave one grandchild a joke gift each year. It was finally my turn when I was 17 and I ended up with three value-sized cases of store brand mac and cheese!
…a Nintendo NES Zapper Light Gun! My grandmother had found this “present” that she had forgotten to give me 20 years earlier and wrapped it and gave it to me three years ago. When I opened it up, she said, “for that duck game you like to play all the time.”
Needless to say, it doesn’t connect to my Nintendo Wii, lol.
My grandparents like to travel ALOT. This being said, at Christmas, we almost always got some type of cheap tshirt from some tourist shop. They were almost always terrible. The worst happened in the mid 90′s. I was in 6th grade. At Christmas I opened up “the clothing box” and to my horror saw a hot pink sweat shirt with a deer in a field of wildflowers screen printed across the front. In a nice script, it had “Branson, MO.” at the top of the deer scene. It was hideous. I still get a good laugh when I think about that sweat shirt!
My grandmother is unfailingly polite when given a gift, no matter how horrible it is. Close to 10 years ago, my cousin and aunt found the most hideous ceramic flamingo vase in some store. There was nothing good about it. They decided to buy it and give it to my grandmother, just to see what nice thing she’d come up with.
She opened it, stared at it wide-eyed for a few seconds, and then said, “Well I have been looking for something just like this!”. We kept her going for a few minutes before someone finally told her it had been a joke. She was so relieved.
But the next year, the cousin who bought the vase opened a package of her own containing the same beautiful flamingo vase. It still gets passed from family member to family member each year. Unfortunately, last year I ended up with it. Have to find a way to sneak it into someone else’s pile this year…
My husbands grandmother gave me a Christmas plate and display stand. The kicker was, she gave me back the gift I bought her the year before!!! She had no idea she got it from me:) Everyone in the room had a funny look on their faces!! It was priceless. To this day, she doesn’t know she gave me back the gift I gave her!!
A stuffed pig wearing doll clothes. Handmade, nearly two feet tall with little wire-rimmed glasses. While I hated it on sight, it makes a darn good doorstop.
My g-ma gave me a very pretty bracelet, but as I took it out of the box a little note fell out saying “To Francis(my g-ma), Happy Birthday!”
The best Christmas gift I ever got from my Nana? The ultimate re-gift… She gave me the rose embroidered sweater that I purchased her the Christmas before! Ouch. I don’t think it was intentional, but now I make sure to buy her things I wouldn’t mind owning myself =]
Every year, all 20+ members of my dad’s side of the family get together on Christmas, and we take turn opening our gifts one at a time. Meemaw, a woman who has never met a stranger, has forced her rather shy grandchildren into some pretty embarrassing situations over the years. On vacation, she once made my 16 year old cousin get on the back of a motorcycle with a biker nicknamed “Santa” so she could take a picture while the rest of the biker gang watched. Another time, at a cousin’s basketball game, she commented on how ugly the other team’s coach was to the man next to her. After exclaiming that she couldn’t tell if the coach was a man or woman, the man told her that the coach was his wife.
Xmas the year I was 13 was my turn to be mortifyingly embarrassed by Meemaw. As if being an awkward pre-teen wasn’t hard enough. With all my family watching, I chose a present from Meemaw to unwrap that would surely hold something harmless. But Meemaw had outsmarted me. I chose a long, thin cylindrical tube-shaped present. And what was it? A training bra and granny-panty style underwear for a lady three times my size. This was not a gag gift, either.Meemaw still never understands that being chubby does not mean I can wear clothes the size fit for a small elephant.
She had hidden the unmentionables in a paper towel roll. Why? Who knows. Thanks for the scarring (but admittedly funny) Christmas.
Always a pack of tighty whites.
Every year my Gram gave me a $25 bond… it wasn’t so great at 6 or 7 but now at 27 it’s sooo SWEET to have so much cash earning interest!
Merry Xmas to all……..
I love the money granny gives me! I just go and buy more and more of that good ole Sweet Leaf tea from Ms. Sweet Leaf Granny!
It wasn’t so much one gift as the table full of cheap giveaways she and my grandfather had collected over the year from responding to mail solicitations. Strange kitchen implements that no one could figure out the function of or those brightly colored plastic container sets that looked like recycled margarine bowls. Or maybe it was some strange “collectible” coin commemorating a very obscure moment in history. All we knew to expect was at least one trip around the table to pick our gift.
My grandma gave my brother and I cans of Spaghettio’s for Christmas. Completely random, wrapped in Christmas paper, cans of Spaghettio’s. We never talked about it and I asked my mom years later why in the world she did that and mom said “Because she knew you didn’t want clothes!”
Because you would never give kids TOYS or anything. Apparently clothes and spaghettio’s were the only options.
For Christmas last year, my Oma gave me this basket with oddly low lotions and body washes.. They were kinda dusty looking and I felt bad so I just said thank you and acted really happy. My sister came over and asked what that stuff was doing there. I told her it was my gift from Oma. She freaked out and told me that was her gift from her and her boyfriend to my Oma 6 years ago when she was in high school. It was expired dollar store lotion and bodywash. Regifting to an all new level.
My granny was a Vicksaholic. When we were young and sick she would pull out the Vicks rub and slathering our backs,chests,necks and under the noses too. One year for Christmas when I was older I was sick with the flu, she left a box at my door on Christmas Eve all wrapped up. Inside was three big jars of Vicks rub and about six tubes of the nasal inhalers with a box of tissues. I never laughed so hard when I opened the box.
My granny would give us things that we loved to eat…i got a jar of pickles and my sister got a package of cheese!
Last year my grandmother gave my girlfriend and I the Kitchenaid stand mixer that we’ve been wanting for so long but never could manage it. She tried to make us feel better by saying it was really discounted on sale but I think we know better.
When I was 15 or 16, my Grandmother save me a one piece thermal long johns sleepwear set that came with a hood, and mittens attatched to the sleeves, complete with trap door, all because she’d hear is was going to be an unusually cold winter. And then, she made me model it for her in front of EVERYONE.
My grandmother who just passed a couple of weeks ago sent me a sweater my first Christmas out of college. I didn’t know if she was serious or not, so I never mentioned it. This sweater was a-mazing. Seriously. It was red knit with felt Santa hat and bell wearing cat heads (not cats– just their heads) all over it.
My grandmom always gave us money, but we had to wrap whatever we bought to put under her tree. The surprise was hers to see what we got! Until the year she died, she gave my dad and my uncle underwear in their stockings. My dad always called them “annual undies”.
My grandma once gave me one of her old purses. It was navy and from the 50s. Now, being a girl who loves vintage, I wish I still had it! But when I was a ten year old, it was just a crusty ol’ granny’s purse that I didn’t want. She even asked the next time she saw me if I was carrying it. I think my mom gave some polite response for me while I made an “ewww” face. When I see gram in heaven I’ll have to apologize for that one.
My granny told me one year that she had written my name on the bottom of a rocking chair in permanent marker so that someday I would get it. Needless to say, the chair is still in her basement.
A niece, a nephew and a babyyyy in my household
To this day, my grandma still carries the tradition of givng all of the grandkids cash in an envelope — something that has not changed in more than 30 years. It used to be that the grandkids under the age of 18 would get $10, and then when you turned 18, you got $15. We all looked forward to the “Christmas envelope!”
My grandma also made sure we all got pretty much the same gift, no matter if you were 6 years old or 16. I still remember getting a slinky from her when I was in high school. When I was 12 Grandma gave me a softball (trauma for me since I was in Little League and baseballs were for boys!)
One year my grandmother gave me batteries, film and deoderant. I just giggled at the randomness of it. Years later I found out the family secret that my grandmother was a true cleptomaniac and these items were small and easy for her to steal! I must say she was truly an amazing woman… and I miss her very much.
My grandma gave me $5 in a 5 yr old’s birthday card…I was 40+. Sweet!
After i turned 15 my grandma bought me a coffee cup and single packs of coffee every year for 5 years..I hate coffee, and I’m pretty sure I told her at least 100 times
When Blockbuster Video first came out, my Grammy decided to get me a couple movies for Christmas. When she went to the checkout & found out they were only a few dollars each, she went back and got 10 more! Not understanding the concept of Blockbuster, she was under the impression she was purchasing the movies and not renting them. We all got a good laugh Christmas morning when we had to explain this to her & that the movies would all need to be returned….with late fees!
My great aunt is kind of an interesting woman. She lives alone in Fort Luaderdale, Florida. All the children she grew up shopping for were little girls. I was in maybe the fourth or fifth grade and Christmas was rolling around. Having never met me in person since birth, she probably didn’t have the best concept of what a small boy would want as a gift. So, Christmas rolls around and I open the gift. It was a 2×3′ birdhouse with a heart entrance. To this day I have never been more puzzled as to why someone would give a gift like that.
My sweet grandma made me a top when I was a a preteen. It was a “halter” top made out of a pair of men’s underwear. You turn it upside down, cut out the crotch and Leave the two sides which will be the shoulder straps. the waist band goes under your breasts. Well I was too young to have breasts, but anyways it was an interesting gift…
After I was a wife and mother, I received a super long, super thick, flannel, hooded nightgown.
My grandma was the greatest! She gave me great gifts every year. One in particular comes to mind though. When I was 4 she gave me this hilarious little white rabbit fur coat. I looked like a mini polar bear in it. I wore it long past winter and refused to give it up even when I had long out grown it. Eventually the jacket was given away. My grandma passed away this year and at her funeral a lady she knew came up to me and gave me my coat back. It had been given to her granddaughter when I’d out grown it but she had hung on to it and thought I might want it. It was so special to have a gift I loved so much come back. Someday I hope to give it to my daughter or granddaughter.
Hey no fair I wanna play too. I just got regular gifts from my granny. No coal, no rose perfume just good stuff.
I’m 23 and my whole life my grandmother has gotten me green pajamas. I have 2 sisters who always get the same pajamas but in their favorite colors (pink and purple). My favorite color is and always has been blue, but every year she “forgets” and I get green pajamas. I don’t know at what point she got confused and thought I liked green or why she always forgets and chooses green. Maybe she just likes green? Through the years I’ve learned to embrace the green and enjoy my christmas green pajamas.
I wasnt lucky enough to know either of my grandparents but My mother in law got me the ugliest gold plated charm bracelet ever one year it had ballerinas and clowns and baloons and o my goodness lol
My grandmother, for as long as I remember, worked outside of the house. She worked at the Fashion Center as a saleperson. I have a slightly older sister, and a slightly younger female cousin. My grandmother always bought us matching outfits for every holiday, so we’d look like triplets. I love looking back at those pictures now and seeing us in Christmas velvet (Easter Pastels, 4th of July Sailor dresses, etc.)
My grandmother had always given us a random weird present when I was younger. Then when I got to be 15 she began giving money or a check. However, one year she sent me any my two brothers each a pair of socks. Each pair game in it’s own separate box in the mail. When we opened them on christmas we all saw a pair of long wool sock made by smartwool. We noticed however that the box weighed a ton! As we pulled the socks out we realized they were full of money. It wasnt paper bills or even collectible half dollars. Our geandmother had filled them with penny’s, nickles, dimes, and quarters. We all though it was a funny joke and that there would be a check at the bottom. We soon found out that was no the case. She had gone to a bank and had
Them convert $100 into nothing but mixed coins. Needless to say I spent the rest of the day lying on the carpet counting coins. It was a great alternative way of giving money over the holidays. I later went to the bank and cashed in for my $100. It was a Christmas I’ll never forget. Oh and did I mention, I LOVE MY GRANNY!
One year my grandma gave me a Ricky Martin videotape. Like a teeny – bopper, heartthrob type of video. And this was welllll after his popular days, and I was wellll out of my teenage, celebrity-swoon behavior days. And now that I think about it, videotapes were pretty much past their days too, seeing as it was only about 5 or 6 years ago. I almost laughed upon opening it, but realizing she seriously thought I would enjoy it, and asked “Didn’t I like him?” I politely told her, “yea I like him. Thanks Grandma!” haha, my grandma’s the best…
Last year my mom and I got matching Dodgers Snuggies. We blame the stroke.
my grandmother bought me the entire first season of south park, when i was 10. she was awesome.
My Nana gave me a pair of her genes once. Get it?
A case of Sweet leaf tea
I got an American Doll many years ago from my granny that looked like me. Not sure if it was a blessing or a curse, but I loved that doll. I carried it everywhere with me and I called it my little twin. She would sit next to me at the table, I would read her books and snuggle up with her at night. If that doll could only do my chores that would’ve been great!
An oven mit.. that had clearly been used & even had a burn mark on it hahaha. Thanks granny! ♥
The funniest gift I ever got from my grandma was a partial roll of toilet paper. I was stunned to say the least; however, when all the adults started cracking up, I realized she was just fooling with me. It turned out, that she had unrolled the paper, hidden money inside and then rolled it back up. My grandma was a real peach!
Mcdonald’s Money. thanks grams.
your poor college student loves you.
Jesus is the reason for the season!
Happy Birthday!!!!!!!
Wow, to think off all the things I have gotten from my grandmothers over the years….my favorite are the recipe cards that I have with the family recipes on them. I wish she was with us today to see me make them, but I know she’s here in spirit, knowing that her’s will always be the best!!!
We were too poor to have anything for Christmas. My Dad would make stuff for us that we loved. But my Granny would show up every year with a 20 lb box of chocolates. The kids bounced off the wall from sugar while the adults ‘imbibed’ in their annual Christmas beverage. Then they played with us. It was a blast!!
AN ATARI WITH SPACE INVADERS GAME !!!!! WHOOOOHOOOO …
I have a whole list.. when I was young I called her my Crazy Grandma (partially because of her randomness). Anyway, the one that made me laugh the most was when I was in college. She gave me a beaded headress (think Cleopatra) and told me that it was the hottest trend going on right now. Needless to say, it wasn’t. But it sure came in handy for a halloween costume later on down the line.
A fruit cake that I re-gifted to her the year before.
I hadn’t spoken to my family in a couple years, so last year was the first Christmas that I was alone, thousands of miles from friends and family. My Grandma Mason, whom ‘get seriously neglegted our relationship, sent me a box of fresh baked goods (all the stuff I devoured as a child ) and a check for a small amount of $. Despite their fixed income and distance, my Grandma always makes sure to keep in touch and lets me k.ow I’m loved, and not alone
A single strand of Mikimoto pearl…Yipee!
All of my grandparents passed away when I was very young. I do, however, remember my maternal grandmother was very generous. Not in a gift giving way though. She knew when I was 3 and 4 years old I wouldn’t like the adult Sunday suppers so she always made me FrancoAmerican Spaghetti and chocolate milk. And because I was good and quiet eating my scrumpous supper, I always got to sit at the adult table. It’s the kind of thing a little kid remembers always!!!
Every year my granny gives me a Hess Gas station truck. It is a tradition!
My granny, bless her soul had been gone for a couple of years, the best of all she accepted who I was, being deaf and we couldn’t communicate very well but we clicked a special bond. She taught me all about fresh vegetables, fruits and cooking even though she only had 5 grade education! I am blessed to have a grandmother that was willing to teach everything as her and Grandpa having a farm. I love you, Granny!
Usually pajamas, but the christmas before I got married, she gave me sheer babydoll lingerie and a matching robe. I didn’t expect that! Nor did I expect her to say, “Without s– there is no love.” I turned red and to this day try not to think of my sweet grandmother saying that!
It was a shiny red radio with tape deck, shaped like a box. Along with it came the two music tapes, Heart and Arcadia. I was 10 years old
During the cabbage patch doll craze, my grandmother handmade me & my sister dolls complete with an extensive selection of clothes. She was an amazing seamstress. I still have the doll & the clothes. My grandmother was the best!
My grandmother would make us all her grandchildren Christmas ornaments with our class pictures from that year glued into aluminum ashtrays that had been flattened out. My parents still have them hanging on their tree to this day. They are hilariously awesome.
I have one of the hippest grandmothers around! Even at 94 she still is into fashion and even has a facebook and buys on Ebay!
I thought a long time about it, and I have to say that my grandmother always got me great stuff.
My paternal grandmother didn’t usually buy individual gifts for her grandchildren because there were so blasted many of us, but she and my grandfather threw had a huge Christmas eve dinner party each year (that in itself was a wonderful gift). But, when I turned thirteen, she bought me an expensive party dress for Christmas. I’ll never forget that dress and her generosity.
in 2001 my granny made me a “christmas” sweater.. it was a bit to tight on me, but everytime during the hoildays when i went to my grannys house i would wear it…granny i love you, but the sweater was a bit toooo tight on me…
The most hideously wonderful furry sweater I have ever seen.
The quintessential $2 bill.
My grandmother gave me a pair of what we now call space slippers. They were black brushed cotton with bright silver trim and had these 2 obnoxious big silver pom poms that hung in the front.
They were so hideous I hid them under my bed!
A my size Barbie with curly hair like mine and she made the Barbie and I matching pink dresses! I was 6. The best granny ever, she got me to drinking tea as well. <3 happy holidays!
My great-grandma Mary never had alot of money, so she would make rice krispie treats with me. The pan was for no one but us. We would eat the whole pan together. I miss the time we spent together. She died when I was 14years old, and I am now 35, and I still think about those times we had.
Now let me begin by saying that my grandma is one of the coolest peeps in the world! She taught me how to crochet when i was younger and it’s stuck with me ever since. It’s cool because she’s always making me all sorts of stuff in crochet. One year for xmas, she said she ran out of ideas after giving me purses and scarves and sweaters all throughout the year so she gave me a pair of crocheted underwear LOL
oh geez…. still a great present even though I have never used them!
The same flannel shirt she has been getting me for the last twenty years two sizes to small
The first Christmas I was married to my X husband, we were at his grand-parents house. They had 5 grand kids, and my husband and his cousin were the only two married. Being new to the family I watched as all the grand kids/and spouses (all adults) opened their gifts.
They had a small gift, but each one had a $100 bill enclosed.
So I was the last. I started opening my gifts, I opened:
*card board Christmas coasters
*a Christmas hand towel,
*and Christmas pot holder
Needless to say I was looking for the $100 dollar bill, it was NOT there. I walked away with cardboard coasters, a towel and a pot holder, all obviously on Christmas clearance.
It was a very tense ride home. My grandmother had spent a lot of money on him, even though she didn’t have much. His family was loaded. lol
It’s nice I am so far removed now that I find that pretty hilarious. (some days more than others!)
For the last few years I have been eating all organic and trying to live a healthy lifestyle. I go out of state to visit my family every Christmas and now that I eat differently than everyone else the holidays have been more of a challenge. My grandma has been very loving and understanding. You can imagine what it would cost to eat all organic and even more so when you have to buy and lug around all your food across states. Its a pain sometimes but my grandma always makes sure I have what I need when I am there. She does not bug me or try to get me to eat something I can’t eat. Her support and understanding and love is the best thing and my favorite thing about the holidays now. I guess I should also say that she not only insists to buy all my groceries but she always (3rd year in a row) drives an hour away to Whole Foods and buys me and my husband each our own case of sweet leaf. Basically she is the BEST GRANNY ever.
We brought home my 2 oldest children from Vietnam December 24th, 1999. Definitely the best gift ever.
when we was little ’till 16 years old my grandparents never put a christmas tree, no dinner,no decorations, no gifts , we always want to go out with the neighbors and share christmas time but my grandpa always say no so it was kind of boring now i celebrate for my kids but no gifts becasue i do not have no money thank you merry christmas to all
Every year she baked cookies that for some reason she believed I liked. They were referred to as rock cookies by the family. They were so hard that even in milk they stayed bricklike. Never said a word and received then for over a decade.
My grandmother made me fur coat for my dog Cinnamon. Cinnamon had the fanciest taffeta lined fur coat with a leopard print collar and a big sparkly button. It was beautiful. Any princess poodle on the block would have been jealous…Cinnamon however, was a scruffy, wire haired male dog! Poor Cinnamon wore it wit pride!!!
Every year my grandma gave me mittens…..
My very proper school principal grandmother gave me “The Complete Works of Shakespeare” when I was 8! It was so heavy I couldn’t pick it up! Couldn’t appreciate it then as far as content; still don’t(not a fan of reading Willie’s works)! Upon opening it I exclaimed, “She must not have gotten the letter I wrote telling her I wanted red Capezios(expensive Mary Jane shoes)!
My grandmother used to give us access to her store in Mexico on Christmas morning to get a much candy as we wanted as our Christmas gift! It was awesome! Miss her..
This may disqualify me in a technicality, but this story is about my grandfather (Papa D–he thought grandpa made him sound old) : one Christmas we were at my grandparents house and my brother, sister, and I were bouncing off the walls because we had been told that Santa Claus was coming to PERSONALLY visit us that night. My Papa D “went to bed” at some point in the evening , and we heard HIM….on the roof, clomping of hooves? ( where did Uncle Jon go?) I remember sticking my head up the chimney to look for Santa coming down, and then all the grown ups telling the kids to shut thier eyes while he “shot down the chimney”
Needless to say even my young eyes thought ‘ole Saint Nick looked an awful lot like Papa D, but he was handing out wooden trucks and trains and ho-ho-ho! all the while, so I was just imagining itI guess. I also remember an extraordinary amount of sawdust in Papa D’s shop that year—but that had to be from some cabinetry, right? I’ll always remember that Christmas, and those wooden toys, and I couldn’t for all the money in the world tell you anything else I got or Christmas.
A Egyptian heiroglyphics set
My grandma always bought a 6-pair pack of long-tubed, white socks with the color stripes at the top, and gift wrapped every pair and stick a big bow and a candycane on each one…and that’s what she would give each of us for Christmas, then she would call us and say, “I hope they are the right size!” LOL
My grandparents always made sure to get something for us as kids. There were about 15 of us, and we would all get together at our grandparent’s house on Christmas morning. The best gifts I got from her were a set of Love’s perfume and a watch that had interchangeable faces. In the 80′s, these were the “it” thing, so I felt like I was one of the “cool kids”. My grandma is the only grandparent I have left now, and I am looking forward to spending Christmas with her for the first time in 20 years. Merry Christmas and God bless everyone.
My grandparents used to give all of us grandkids money cards for Christmas. When my grandmom got into her 80′s she was diagnosed with senial dementia, mind you I was a young teen at that point so it was very difficult to understand the major changes in her. But at Christmas time, grandmom would make us “gift bags” that consisted of dirty tissues, pepperoni slices, Werthers wrappers (her favorite candy), pocket change, and many other random objects. We all loved her so much we didn’t dare tell her how odd these gifts were so we’d bring them home & my mom would make sure there were no valuables inside. My grandmom was one of a kind and even in her worst times she still showed her love for us & we all appreciated it more than ever before!
McDonald Dollars. Thanks Grams for thinking me. Especially for being a poor college student.
One of my favorite gifts from my grandmother was a HUGE “Holly Hobby” quilt she made for me. completely by hand! I collected Holly Hobby and she made a quilt using the SunBonnet Sue pattern. As a child I could only see the value from the standpoint of keeping me warm. As an adult it is one of my greatest treasures. all the love and hard work in every single stitch. I wish she were still here so I could tell her how much it means.
…socks.
My godmother gave me a Tickle Me Elmo when I was 12.
Now I am the grandma/great grandma! I must find happy, useful gifts that are in style, useful, and say I love you… to those who live in other states. A challenge at any age. A long time ago..in the 1940s, I remember the first sign of Christmas was putting up the cardboard fireplace in our livingroom, the ‘fire’- a light turning under cellophane. This was important for a place to hang one of my long stockings, which Santa always left bulging with nuts and oranges. We left him cookies & milk with a note. I never questioned how he got in that ‘fireplace’ with the presents. But, Santa never failed..and he always liked the cookies.
I got my gift from my Grandma early this year. My Grandma is 87 years old and I enjoy seeing her when I can. She has always been a great cook and she taught my Mother how to cook and of course my Mom passed down all of those techniques to me. I absolutely love my family’s cooking. I have never cooked for my Grandma previously because I was afraid she wouldn’t approve, but recently I made her some home made shortbread cookies and she loved them. Her gift to me was complimenting my baking. She was proud of me for making such delicious shortbread and that made me happy
Nope, never got anything
From age 4 through 14, my Grandmother always gave me a hand-made, personalized, engraved ornament. While she didn’t make them herself, they were made by her best friend, who was like a 2nd grandmother anyway.
Her teeth, her hair brush, and an orange…I guess it was a rough morning! Lol
I am now the grandmother and I’m passing on to my grandchildren the gift idea I received from my grandmother. On our special day we would go shopping and they each have X amount of dollars. They could pick out anything they wanted within the limit. Of course you have to bite your tongue when they choose $20 worth of Pokemon cards instead of the socks or PJ’s you would have chosen VBG but everyone is happy with their gift (and if they aren’t it’s not my fault.) VBG (very big grin)
My Grandparents in the late 70′s one year gave me a giant Smurf which I have to this day.. my daughter actually has it and put on her bed among her other stuffed animals..That was a great Christmas Present…a great childhood memory and something I can share with my daughter , who just happens to love smurfs..
My grandma told me she was sending me a gray sweater vest in the mail. I had no idea what to expect, and you don’t ask too many questions when talking about grandmas shopping. So when it came in the mail, it was even better than I imagined. It was a crocheted sweater vest with dark fur all over it. Yikes! I had to chuckle at her ever-evolving tastes in fashion
When I was around 8 y/o, my Grammy bought me a supply of play make up. Lip glosses, blush, nail polish.. even though it wasn’t real, I felt like a teenager!
Matching tye dye sweaters for my siblings and my grandma!
My grandma gave me a a christmas tree light up sweater that also played jingle bells. It was really bright too!!
My grandmother, as little money she may have, she is very giving. During one Christmas, she wanted to give the girls dolls. Not Barbies, but fake Barbies. So that year, my cousins unwrapped to find their “Barbies” but as I unwrapped mine, I realized I got the “black” Barbie. Being the darkest skinned out of everyone else in the family, I suppose my grandma was trying to be “PC” about the whole thing. I love her but of course, this story is one of the many embarrassing moments of my childhood.
The year I got married, my Grandma gave me my Christmas present with a wink and smile, telling me to open it later. When I did, I found a pair of big white “granny pantys” with a note that read “might as well be comfortable, you got him!”. Love that woman!
My grandma asked for the Christmas cards she gave us money in every year and gave us the same card the next year! She’s Polish and blamed it on a nonexistent Polish tradition! She really just hated buying cards
Only thing I have are memories of a Christmas kiss on my cheek.
When I was in my early teens, I remember my dear grandmother left us packages of the coolest toys on our beds. That one year, I must have been about 12 or 13, we got cash & the choice of what we wanted for Christmas. I recall getting a toy Ninja Weapons set from the popular toy store in one of the malls in Plattsburgh, NY.
I had great Christmases growing up.
I wish I could remember
but my great aunt sends us a card every year addressed to me and don. Don is my uncle…my husband is Ron. I don’t have the heart to correct her as she’s I think 94 this year!
My grandmother LOVED Christmas, and ADORED Santa Clause ornaments and statues. Just today I was at her house… she died four years ago at age 87. My now 91 year old grandfather and I were standing in front of the china cabinet, where she kept her Santa collection (a lovely assortment, acquired at thrift shops and from grandchildren) year round. And I realized the most wonderful gift my grandmother ever gave me was her attention, time, and endless love which never wavered, and which I still, at 32 am surrounded with and reminded of when I look at those treasured Santas
The gift of pure embarassment as she pointed out my newly developed breasts to the whole family. I ran away and cried. Merry Christmas!!!
I have so many memories with two grandmothers that I grew up. But later at age 34 years old I found another grandmother! It was never too late to know my grandmother! Last Christmas Eve 2010, my father and my stepmother sat down with me when I was 53 years old that I received a beautiful antique ring that belonged to my grandmother when she was young that her aunt gave her! I wear it everyday because it is so precious and so dear to me!
I seem to remember that we always enjoyed getting our grandmother’s christmas gifts.
From different angle, it was a gift that we bought her one year…a great big food processer. Thought it would be handy for her to bake her delicious cranberry nut bread. Imagine how disappointed we were when she still bolted down (to the counter) the old fashioned meat grinder that she used to crush the cranberries. She said “it didn’t taste the same if she used that new contraption”. (We lost her a few years later right before the holidays). So….every year when I am doing my holiday baking, I think about her and try not to “cheat” with short cuts. (I still miss you, Ga-Ga.)
My favorite present was a Raggedy Ann doll smiling up at me out of her box
My granny got us a Christmas ornament each year – not exactly a giggling or chuckling present, but a reminder of her anyway.
My grandmother always gave me really nice things. The best was when she did her Christmas baking.
well, i never knew my grandmothers and only knew 1 grandfather briefly, they passed away b4 i was born. however, one of my favorite gifts was from an old boyfriend, it was my 1st min. schnauzer, just a rose, who was just 6 wks old, and weighed abt 2 lbs. and fit into the palm of your hand. however, my parents ended of taking her from me b/c they became so attached to her when i went away to do my internship…i think that was the best gift they ever got. they loved that little girl and she is buried b/t them so they can all play in heaven together.
[...] 12 days of Christmas Contest! : The Sip: The Sweet Leaf Tea Blog My brother, age 19 home from college and a 6'2″ athlete, received his annual Christmas eve pajamas: flannel Spiderman footies designed to fit a child no more than 80lbs. That same year I received a day planner . [...]
My grandmother was raised during the depression and carried that with her all her life. She was the original “green” mom. She reused everything until it was falling apart. She also made just about everything, including her clothes, her children’s clothing and even clothes for her grandchildren. My grandmother knitted the most beautiful afghans for each of her grandchildren. When I was 12, I finally got my very own pale yellow afghan for Christmas. It was the most amazing gift I ever got and I still cuddle up on the couch with it every Christmas. Now my own daughter refers to it as Great Nanny’s blankie.
Every year, my grandmother gave me savings bonds. I paid for my first car with them, my college and now for my children’s school. She’s still with me and each year I still receive a bond along with a special small gift.