I am the gift queen. I love to make people feel good, and I make an effort to get just the right present. I’m hit a home run a few times. Yeah, I’m talking myself up, what about it. Ha!
And then my brother-in-law came along. And boom. I was out. He knocked me down, and showed me up.
The dude does good gift. He has this skill where he can hone in, find out what you’d like when you don’t even know that you need or want it, and well, I lost my gift giving crown.
Last Christmas he dressed up in a Santa suit, came with a bag full of gifts, and SKATEBOARDED down our steep street in order to make us happy. I just can’t compete.
And you have to take into consideration that Christmas Day here is stinkin’ hot, and a Santa suit would not ever be my attire of choice. But he did, and he did it well.
I knew when Karl, my brother-in-law, turned 40 we had to do something good. It had to have meaning. It had to be special. And it had to near match his gift-giving skills. I created a gift-giving gang, my Ma and little Sis, and we decided to give him 40 gifts all wrapped up and numbered, so that he could open them one by one.
We were stumped what to buy him, even just one gift, so buying FORTY of them proved difficult. But we crafted a list. Wrote down the things he loved. And we shopped.
We wrapped. We numbered. And we sent it on for this birthday. Cue one happy birthday boy.
I don’t think we out-gifted him. It was a pretty darn good attempt, if I do say so myself. Let’s just say when we do Kris Kringle at Christmas, pretty much everyone is crossing their fingers that Karl buys for them, me included.
So, what was inside?
We knew that we had to bulk that baby up, because if Karl was turning 10 that would be easier. But he wasn’t. So we bought 10 of this favourite chocolate bars and 10 scratchies {lotto tickets}, and then 20 random gifts. Some were gag gifts to make him laugh, some were sentimental, some were drawings from the kids, and then other special gifts that we knew he would like, light-saber chopsticks for the win.
I once sent this friend (aka the gift giving queen) a box of marshmallows with some carefully selected family pictures printed on them! I thought it was the best gift ever…..LOL.
Marns, what a wonderful and unique gift to give!
I recently received a gift left at the front door by the mail delivery. It was from a friend who knew I needed some cheering up… All the items she sent in the box were. yellow ! Except for the sunglasses, they were red (my fave color). The glasses obviously to be used when going thru the box filled with much yellow, cheer, and sunshine. I could feel my heart already healing.
I saw this photo on insta the day of my partners 30th bday – a milestone birthday for which he received a t-shirt from me! (as well as a couple of surprise dinners with friends and family, but the real gift was the shirt). I wish I had thought of this sooner, oh the wonderful useless things I could have given him 😀
That’s awesome. I should share this link to my partner because I’m turning 30 in two weeks and 30 gifts would be loads of fun. I hope I got you as my secret elf Chantelle!!
This is all kinds of awesome! Great going, gift giving gang (try saying that 3 times quickly)!
The best gift I’ve ever been given is my engagement ring.
We’d been together nearly 7 years at this stage and I was convinced he’d be able to surprise me by proposing on an “obvious” day like my birthday. He thought otherwise.
He was right.
Not only did I receive the most perfect ring, I also received the most perfect surprise in the form of a proposal poem printed on a wine bottle label (that came out at the end of our private wine tasting) and finished with a dozen of our closes friends appearing, ready to celebrate our special day with us.
Best. Day (and Gift). Ever!
Thermomix for my 30th (was from hubby, my Mum, my sisters and family and then any other gift money I received went toward it) but it was the best gift (other than my kids) ever. Need your help for my sister’s 30th next month – such a bright, wonderful person but can buy whatever she wants… I am liking the 30 gifts idea, better start shopping!!!
I’m pretty sure that the gift I’m getting for my birthday this year will be on my top gifts list. But since it’s not my birthday yet I’m not allowed to say… although I am counting down to the (early) arrival of it. I’m starting to get just a teeny, tiny little bit excited. *lol*
We did this for a friend’s 40th and went with the theme that 40 was old! There were things like full brief cottontails, day by day pill box, slippers, reading glasses, incontinence pads… we had lots of fun shopping for the stuff and then reliving it all while she opened each gift. There were also some “sensible” gifts, but she loved it all!
I did a secret santa with my mothers group a couple years back and I got lucky! My secret santa wrapped and decorated a box and filled it with mini chocolate bars and scrapbooking stuff. Embellishments, die cuts, stickers, cut outs – some homemade, some brought. There was so much thought and love put into it!
I remember getting similar ‘craft’ or ‘rainy’ day boxes from my step mum when I was little with all sorts of crafty things – foam cut outs, pens, felt, scissors, glitter etc and just loved them. It’s like several mini presents inside a big present going through what’s inside.
That is a cool idea! My sister in law seems to be the present buying champ in the family at the moment. I am in awe. Such simple (but always good quality) stuff, but so much thought gone in! I was lucky enough to receive from her two years in a row in Secret Santa. I am trying to think of awesome ways to buy for her and her due in Feb baby, so I can show my appreciation!
For my ex on his birthday, I made birthday week. On the first day I left him a card explaining how the week would work and his first clue.. It was to a mans salon for a massage and back “facial” I left the clue for the next day at the salon for the ladies there to give him. One day I gave the clue to a work mate to give him. Each one was given for the next days surprise. One day was a clue and a bag of his fav lollies…
A few years ago myself and the boyfriend (now hubby), were having a rough year financially, we decided to help save some pennies we would do every gift homemade. Turned out to be the best present giving year, as everything we made and gave away is still on display in all of our families home. We’ve stuck to it and now make sure we make the effort to make homemade gifts each year, it’s become a bit of a lovely tradition. X
Great idea! My hubby is turning 40 this year and I may just have to borrow this idea. Thanks!
Love this idea, too cool, will have to remember that one. I once saw where people gave 40 letters or 70 letters depending on their age and the birthday person got to open them. I think that would also be an awesome thing to do. Reminds me it’s my dads birthday soon, I’m going to get that sorted, he’d love it. X
This is such a neat idea!! I love it! I might start thinking of ideas now to do for hubby’s 30th in a few years time! I like the idea of including kids drawings and chocolate bars. He might have a conniption if I gave him 30 bits of “stuff”!!
I can’t think what my best gift would be. We just celebrated Sukkot and did gifts, so I just had a few… but actually (and this is a bit weird) the best gift was for my birthday this year and it was the wrapping paper that Lior made for me. It was a little portrait of me on the paper. So sweet! I love it. 🙂
I love this story! Great effort, Chantelle! (and family!) Thoughtful gift giving is the best. So fun for the recipient AND the giver. x
Thanks for posting about this Chantelle. I saw it on your instagram feed and thought it was such a lovely idea. I’m going to tuck this idea away and use it as soon as somebody nice has a birthday next. x
One of my all time favorite gifts was a tape recorder from my parents on Christmas when I was about 5; I used in constantly to record my own “radio stations” with my friends. Upon opening the gifted recorder I found a cassette tape that contained a message from Santa, which was really my dad. I would give up a lot of things to have that recording again, to hear my dad’s voice one more time.
I love giving gifts and wrapping them too – luv how you wrapped these (will have to pin that pic). My family did this for my sister’s 30th, but as if 30 gifts were not hard enough – we made them start with the first letter of her name “K” (What were we thinking!!!) Lots of Fun thinking of ideas. Thanks for this post and reminding me of that.