Author Topic: Best Christmas Gift you've ever received  (Read 585 times)

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Offline Ralph Wiggum

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Best Christmas Gift you've ever received
« on: December 25, 2021, 04:48:00 PM »
Merry Christmas my longtime online chums!!!

Was curious to see if anyone else has a fun story about the greatest Christmas gift you've ever received, or even given to someone.  Thought this topic could spark some interesting discussion. 

Approximately 20 years ago during the summer time, was nosing around some antique shops and stores in Door County, Wisconsin with my then wife and my former in-laws.  My father-in-law was a voracious reader, and he and I spent most of our time looking around in the book store.  Happened upon a first edition of "The Baseball Encyclopedia", which came out in 1969.  It was the first print compilations of historical baseball statistics up through 1968.

The price was probably $50-$75 as it was a collectible and a first edition.  While I could certainly afford it, figured it wasn't worth it.

Later that year, my Christmas gift from my in-laws was that very book.  Apparently my father-in-law stopped back in and purchased it on the down low.  It was meaningful and always special to me.  There are tons of websites that contain the same and advanced information, but to yours truly, reading actual physical books and newspapers is far more enjoyable than on a computer screen or phone app.

Here's an image (mine is considerably more worn and dog-eared than this picture):



Well, please tell me about your favorite gifts.
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Offline ExGeeEye

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Re: Best Christmas Gift you've ever received
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2021, 05:38:18 PM »
1967.

I still have it.
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Offline franksolich

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Re: Best Christmas Gift you've ever received
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2021, 05:56:04 PM »
My father worried about me messing up his typewriter, so I was given a refurbished 1918 Remington portable (it had no 1 or 0; one had to use the l or O) as it was thought to be indestructible (and it nearly proved to be so).

That was the Christmas I was seven years old.
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Offline Eupher

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Re: Best Christmas Gift you've ever received
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2021, 07:19:52 AM »
I don't remember the year, but it was probably in the mid-Sixties. My mother was a Christmas-holic and she spent way, way, WAAAAAY too much money on gifts. It literally took all year for my stepdad to pay off those credit cards.

My brother and sister had been presented their "big gift" and they were enjoying them. I must've looked like I'd been left out in the rain. Utterly crestfallen and hurt, I completely failed to see the 13" black and white TV that was staring me in the face, playing Lost in Space or somesuch.

They laughed till they cried seeing the transition on my face when I realized I wasn't left out in the rain after all.  :rotf:
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