Whether it was a trendy gift or something particularly sentimental, we wanted to hear about it. And the answers did NOT disappoint.
We so appreciated all the entries we received! They were a joy to read through. Below are some of the responses you sent in.
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1. ‘When I think of that trike, I think of him and it brings back all the joy of our childhood.’ 🧒
What was the gift?
A “Dukes of Hazzard” pedal trike with a pull-up brake. (“Be jealous!” this person joked).
Tell us more.
“(My) folks got it for me. I was about 5 at the time, and the box was almost as big as me. The gift was for me, but the real gift was the joy it gave to my brother Corky. He has cerebral palsy, and that trike made me Evil Knievel in his eyes. I live in the Panhandle now, and he’s in Central Florida, but when I think of that trike, I think of him and it brings back all the joy of our childhood.”
-- A viewer/reader who goes by the initials MSP, from Florida
2. ‘A Christmas miracle occurred when, on that morning, Pee Wee was in fact waiting under the Christmas tree for me.’ 🎄
What was the gift?
A talking Pee Wee Herman doll.
Tell us more.
“I was about 4, and in love with Pee Wee. One day, I was trying to dress the family cat in baby clothes, and she ran from me. I followed her to my parents’ room, where she slipped into their closet. I slid the door open to go after the cat, and instead was faced with my dream doll, Pee Wee. We both just stood staring, unblinking, at each other. I was in such shock, I let the cat off the hook and went looking for big brother to confide in. As soon as I told big brother what had just happened, he alerted my parents! He loudly accused me of ‘snooping for presents.’ My parents scolded me and threatened to take Pee Wee back to the store. I was in tears, imagining Pee Wee standing in his box in the passenger seat of my dad’s truck, his brown eyes fixed out the front windshield on his ride back to the K-Mart store from which he came. However, a Christmas miracle occurred when, on that morning, Pee Wee was in fact waiting under the Christmas tree for me. He was a great companion that I kept long after I grew out of my crush on Pee Wee Herman. He ended up being passed down to my nephew about 15 years later.”
-- Lindsey from San Antonio
3. ‘As a grown adult with children, I sat down with my Easy Bake Oven at 25, and I baked cookies, cakes, and brownies!’ 🍪
What was the gift?
An Easy Bake Oven.
Tell us more.
“I literally begged for one. It was the early ‘90s, and I was about 11 years old. My parents were afraid I would ‘burn down the house’ -- what, with a light bulb? It wasn’t until I was 25 years old that I was gifted one. And as a grown adult with children, I sat down with my Easy Bake Oven at 25 and I baked cookies, cakes, and brownies! Honestly I played with it like crazy when I first got it. It didn’t take long for it to start gathering dust from not being touched.”
-- Jennifer from Lynchburg, Virginia
4. ‘My dad had placed the ring box inside the large box so I’d never guess what was inside.’ 🎁
What was the gift?
A small gold ring with two very tiny diamonds.
Tell us more.
“I was in the fourth grade circa 1977, and I had a friend who wore a thin, gold ring with two dust-size diamonds. I admired the ring, and somehow, my parents learned about it. On Christmas Day, there were gifts under the tree ready to be opened, and one was a very big box. My dad had placed the ring box inside the large box so I’d never guess what was inside. Sadly, I lost the ring while playing softball when I was 14. My dad passed away when I was 23, and in my 30s, I was outside a store standing near a soda vending machine -- and tucked along the bottom edge of the machine was a ring exactly like the one I lost. I wore the ring all the time.”
-- Christine from Middleburg, Florida
5. ‘I still have it.’ 💛
What was the gift?
A Tenderheart Care Bear.
Tell us more.
“My dad found it in a random store. It was 1984, so I was 11. Everyone wanted one. It was the hottest toy that year. I actually slept with it every night. I still have it.”
-- Anonymous
6. ‘I played with them way past the time I should have, but didn’t care.’ 🙂
What was the gift?
“Well, I have two that stick with me to this day. Many may remember from 1968, ‘Thumbelina’ and the standing chalkboard.”
Tell us more.
“They still bring back all those feelings and memories from Christmas 1968. They came from Santa, and made for the best Christmas. I played with them way past the time I should have, but didn’t care.”
-- Connie from Houston
7. ‘I slept with her every night until I went to college.’ 🛌
What was the gift?
A Happy Baby doll.
Tell us more.
“My parents got it for me. I was between 5 and 8 (it was in the ‘70s). I probably asked for her. I absolutely cherished her! I slept with her every night until I went to college. I’ve been married for 23 years, and she is still in my bed! She is the most precious gift I ever got.”
-- Melissa from Lexington, Virginia
8. ‘Imagine my surprise when it was opened up!’ 😊
What was the gift?
A My-Size Princess Barbie.
Tell us more.
“I was 5 years old, and my mom told me that the huge box was a vacuum cleaner for Dad. Imagine my surprise when it was opened up! I absolutely loved it. I was the same size as the doll, and I wore the dress until it fell apart. It was one of my most favorite toys that I ever had.”
-- Anonymous
9. ‘A few days after I got it, my neighbor (a 10-year-old boy), twisted poor Hannah.’ 😢
What was the gift?
A Hannah Montana doll that sang if you pressed a button.
Tell us more.
“On Christmas 2007, I was DYING to have this Hannah Montana doll. I was 8 years old that year, and still going strong in my Hannah Montana obsession. I believe the gift came from Santa, and I was SO excited! A few days after I got it, my neighbor (a 10-year-old boy), twisted poor Hannah, and while she wasn’t broken, her voice box was warbled and skipped. She was like that until I donated her before I started high school.”
-- Erin from Jacksonville, Florida
10. ‘I was the happiest little kid, and it was the hot pink one and everything.’ 😻
What was the gift?
“When Robot Pets were all the rage, I wanted the Meow-Chi so badly.”
Tell us more.
“I asked Santa for this toy back when email was new -- we could email Santa our wish list. I’m pretty sure, looking back at it now, my mom probably emailed my uncle, lol. Well, Santa didn’t get it for me. He got something else; I don’t remember what. I was sad, and then when the family got together for Christmas, my uncle was so excited for me to open my gift. It was the Meow-Chi! I was the happiest little kid, and it was the hot pink one and everything. He even made sure we had batteries, too! I played with it the whole day. I remember it running around the floor at my grandmother’s old house.”
-- Alexia from Pembroke Pines, Florida
11. ‘Now my nieces play with it.’ 💝
What was the gift?
A Barbie Dream House.
Tell us more.
“It was a condo-style home with an elevator. Santa got it for me and I was probably around 6. I played with it for years, AND I saved all the furniture out of it for my daughter to play with, and now my nieces play with it. I’m 46.”
-- Anonymous
12. ‘I was 10, obsessed with both Beanie Babies and the Spice Girls.’ 🇬🇧
What was the gift?
Beanie Babies and Spice Girl dolls.
Tell us more.
“I was 10, and obsessed with both Beanie Babies and the Spice Girls. I played with them for a couple of years. I still have the Beanie Babies.”
-- Theresa from Jacksonville, Florida
Some of the responses were edited for length, style, clarity, and/or grammar.
Did this remind you of a particularly memorable gift you received as a kid? Tell us about it in the comments below! 🙂
This article was initially published in 2021. It has since been updated.