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BIG Giveaway: Jay Kordich Juicer

kordich-juicer-1

CONTEST CLOSED!  Thanks everyone.

A very nice person from this company contacted us (who’s a friend of a friend - and isn’t that how it works?) and offered to let us giveaway this juicer.  We didn’t say no.  And are happy to offer this big ticket item(retails @ $394.95)  to one of our loyal Cookus Interruptus viewers.

Here’s the rap on this machine: “The Jay Kordich PowerGrind Pro revolutionizes juicing! Its patented new technology delivers more juice and nutrients per ounce of produce, stretching your food dollar. It’s a hybrid, using both extracting and grinding to deliver the best of both types of juicers. Delivers ease of use and speed of an extracting and grinding to deliver the best of both types of juicers. Delivers ease of use and speed of an extractor combined with the juice volume and juice quality of a grinder.”

If you want to learn how this machine is able to make soy milk, nut milk, green juices or just want to see how the working parts operate, visit the Jay Kordich website. They have videos and testimonials and everything.

A note to contestants - you have to be a Cookus Interruptus subscriber to win.  We check.  Last contest random.org coughed up three winners that weren’t subscribers and we had to move on to new numbers.  Just sayin’.

But hey, let’s get this contest goin’!  Here’s how to enter:

1. Be a subscriber of Cookus Interruptus Not a subscriber yet? Type your email address in the subscribe box right up there on the right above the blue navigation box. There’s also a place to subscribe on our home page (upper left).

2. Be a friend on Cookus Interruptus facebook. Not our facebook friend? Easy. Go to the Cookus Facebook page and click the thumbs up “like”.kordich-juicer-2

3. What’s the biggest surprise Christmas gift you have ever received ? Okay. My daughter knit me a sweater when she was in the 8th grade.  I was so touched.  It didn’t fit too well but man I wore it with tremendous pride. Your turn.   Type your answer as a comment to this post.

4. Contest ends at 5pm on December 16th. Check your email on December 17th. The winner will be chosen by random.org. If you don’t respond to your “winner” email within 48 hours, we will choose a new winner (tough love…).

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 12th, 2012 at 8:50 am and is filed under Give-Aways. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

329 Comments »

  1. Biggest Surprise christmas gift was a beautiful rose gold bracelet that belonged to my great, great, great, great-grandmother!

    Comment by Erin — December 12, 2012 @ 9:27 am

  2. Some days I just want to juice everything. Particularly beets.

    Comment by Chelsea O'Halloran — December 12, 2012 @ 9:28 am

  3. My mom bought us a deep freezer for Christmas one year. A great gift that keeps on giving.

    Comment by Sara — December 12, 2012 @ 9:30 am

  4. A trip to the beach! It was a beautiful-calm-not-super-cold day too!

    Comment by Sadaf — December 12, 2012 @ 9:30 am

  5. I know this is silly but when I was a kid Santa brought me a Giant (well to me) Fievel stuff toy (you know from An American Tale)

    Last year my sweetie hand sewed me a bag to hold tea which is just simply awesome!

    Comment by Meg — December 12, 2012 @ 9:31 am

  6. I think I was 13 and I got sent on a scavenger hunt all over the house Christmas morning in search of one of my gifts. I ended up in the garage and found a pair of skis and boots. I was in so much shock I started crying with happiness and believe me I got many years of use out of those things skiing with my father and racing him down the hill. Soooo much fun :o)

    Comment by Alisa Erickson — December 12, 2012 @ 9:31 am

  7. Biggest surprise Christmas gift was a trip to Scotland to see my sister.

    Comment by sara mcmullen — December 12, 2012 @ 9:32 am

  8. Canning jars and lots of books on learning how to preserve food!!!

    Comment by Johanna — December 12, 2012 @ 9:32 am

  9. A pearl ring from my boyfriend of 18 months. I was so nervous opening it, thinking it was going to be an engagement ring. Whew, much relief when it was only pearls!

    Comment by Lisa — December 12, 2012 @ 9:32 am

  10. There isn’t a gift for me, but all of those times you get to see someone you haven’t seen in some time.

    Comment by Zack — December 12, 2012 @ 9:32 am

  11. a white christmas!

    Comment by ml — December 12, 2012 @ 9:32 am

  12. That I was pregnant with my daughter.

    Comment by Jyothi — December 12, 2012 @ 9:32 am

  13. My husband nabbed a shawl for me when our flight was delayed on our honeymoon. He’s not a big gift guy, so it was a double gift when he gave it to me, and a true surprise. Nine years ago plus–I think I’m going to put it on now.

    Comment by Doe Hatfield — December 12, 2012 @ 9:33 am

  14. I’m so excited. A new juicer is on my Christmas list and this one is way nicer. Sooooo….pick me, pick me!!!!! Okay, onto the question. Hmmm…I think the biggest surprise Christmas present I ever received was when my husband put together a “health basket” for me. It was a beautiful wicker basket, and he put in aromatherapy candles, organic body lotion, dark chocolate, tea, massage oil and other goodies. I was so impressed that he thought of this himself and that he actually picked out “good for you” things that I love. He scored big points that Christmas!

    Comment by Mara — December 12, 2012 @ 9:33 am

  15. I’d have to say it was my huge Cutco knife set that my hubby bought me!

    Comment by Angie — December 12, 2012 @ 9:34 am

  16. My biggest surprise was a set of Christmas plates I desperately wanted, yet couldn’t afford on a newlyweds budget. I never told anyone I wanted them, yet there they were under the tree from Santa (my mom). I burst into tears!

    Comment by kelly — December 12, 2012 @ 9:35 am

  17. My grandma sought out to find the best cookbook and asked many people in the good industry what book she should get me. I was touched by the effort it took. I’ll be damned that the book might be the most challenging cook book known to man!
    Someday, I hope to make a dish from there:)

    Comment by Jessica Stephen — December 12, 2012 @ 9:35 am

  18. The best Christmas gift I ever got was the year I was working two jobs (in retail) and had no time for Christmas spirit or decorating. Bahh Humbagh … very tired, depressed…. and just wanting the season to be over. One evening after working 15 hours… I came home to find a beautiful Christmas tree sitting by my front door, just waiting to be taken indoors and decorated. I never found out the gifter, although I have my suspicions. The gift changed my attitude and I had a wonderful Christmas.

    Comment by RubyCacchione — December 12, 2012 @ 9:35 am

  19. My biggest Christmas surprise was a trip to Paris as a graduation present from my boyfriend (now husband!)
    Tres magnifique! I wonder what the Parisians like to juice?

    Comment by Kiki — December 12, 2012 @ 9:35 am

  20. The biggest surprise Christmas gift I ever received was from my youngest daughter. Who at age 18 had managed to save up enough money to purchase 3 tickets so that we could all attend a Neil Young concert.

    This daughter of mine was well aware of my adoration for this performer.

    I cried out in joy and astonishment when she had me the present.

    Thank you

    Comment by Gwendolyn — December 12, 2012 @ 9:36 am

  21. Best surprise was the Christmas I got a Kindle! I love it!

    Comment by Janice — December 12, 2012 @ 9:36 am

  22. That I was pregnant with my son!

    Comment by Lisa — December 12, 2012 @ 9:36 am

  23. A beautiful necklace from my boyfriend that was just so “me”

    Comment by Sarah d — December 12, 2012 @ 9:36 am

  24. My best Christmas surprise had to be my engagement ring 34 years ago!

    Comment by Sue Feely — December 12, 2012 @ 9:36 am

  25. The biggest surprise gift was lingerie from my husband who was my boyfriend at the time. The surprise was we were opening gifts with my parents and they got to see all of the VERY sexy gifts!

    Comment by Debbie Scallion — December 12, 2012 @ 9:37 am

  26. My boyfriend gave me the cutest children’s book called “Waiting for Winter” because he had picked up on my love of children’s lit and it was by a German author too!… a language I studied in school.

    Comment by Lindsey — December 12, 2012 @ 9:38 am

  27. The best christmas surprise ever: My dear sister in law gave my husband and myself 10 glorious days in Hawaii!

    Comment by Ina Gawne — December 12, 2012 @ 9:38 am

  28. I’m a subscriber and I’d LOVE to win tihs!

    Comment by Jennifer Crum — December 12, 2012 @ 9:38 am

  29. The biggest surprise Christmas gift I received was a collector Ken Griffy Jr card from my brother when I was really into baseball cards. He wrapped it in a huge fish tank box and then many other boxes and layers of newspaper until I finally got down to a baseball card. After all that work I was pleasantly surprised at what my brother got me. His wrapping style has even become a tradition between the two of us :-)

    Comment by Chrissy — December 12, 2012 @ 9:39 am

  30. Best surprise gift–of the top of my head it would be a doll I received as a girl. I really wanted it, but truly did not expect to receive it.

    Comment by JC Danis — December 12, 2012 @ 9:39 am

  31. My mom is a gifted and shy painter. She gave me her first watercolor portrait.

    Comment by Jessica — December 12, 2012 @ 9:39 am

  32. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was a Cabbage Patch kid that my mother bought at the height of the craze. I was a little shocked to see she only was able to nab a boy dolly but I was happy beyond belief. :) Years later, she told me the story of that day. Another mom wanted to rip it from her hands and she was about to just give it to the poor woman until the store owner (remember the days of Mom and Pop owned toy stores?) yelled at the woman to leave her alone, rang up my mother’s purchase with a smile and a Merry Christmas.

    Comment by Milagros — December 12, 2012 @ 9:40 am

  33. Having a bunch of family come visit from Alaska, California, and Eastern Washington was a big surprise gift.

    Comment by Esther — December 12, 2012 @ 9:40 am

  34. I have so many wonderful memories of wonderful Christmases that it’s hard to choose one as the biggest surprise, but one that sticks out is the gift of pottery lessons from my spouse - something that I enjoyed for months and months. It’s so much fun to be creative with clay.

    Comment by Sally — December 12, 2012 @ 9:40 am

  35. A trip to visit my sister.

    Comment by Christina Jeffries — December 12, 2012 @ 9:41 am

  36. At 14 years old I thought I knew every one of my gifts after carefully unwrapping everything under the tree, peaking inside and closing it back up; took a lot of patience with the tape and I didn’t rip a single piece of paper! :) On Christmas day, just when I thought I had it all, my parents surprised me with my first guitar! Had no clue and no idea where they hid it either, never sneaked a peek again but pretty sure my own kids used to when they were younger. :)

    Comment by Todd — December 12, 2012 @ 9:41 am

  37. Best Christmas surprise must have been the year my son who was just in high school bought me a pretty big ticket item; an ipod touch. Kid gifts are usually more along the lines of love coupons and other less costly items which are sweet and wonderful. It was such a surprise to discover that my son was old enough to buy something like an ipod and actually wanted to spend his money on mom!

    Comment by Elizabeth Thomas Ladd — December 12, 2012 @ 9:43 am

  38. I was 8 years old and I woke up to a little box hanging from my canopy. Inside was a beautiful glass slipper necklace from Santa! I loved Cinderella and treasured that necklace. I couldn’t believe Santa had snuck into my bedroom to leave me a surprise!

    Comment by Becky — December 12, 2012 @ 9:43 am

  39. I cannot think of a single thing! Well, I guess it’s when my husband got me a camp stove. I was like, “thanks honey!” But I guess I should expect that since I give him new underwear every Christmas. : )

    Comment by Kyndale — December 12, 2012 @ 9:43 am

  40. The biggest surprise I got for Christmas was a gorgeous hand-quilted blanket from my sister-in-law. It was something that took many months and hundreds of hours for her to complete. I had no idea that she was quietly working away all that time on it. It was an incredibly touching gift that I will always treasure.

    Comment by Shelly Van Skyhawk — December 12, 2012 @ 9:43 am

  41. Best Christmas gift surprise ever - a genuine leather purse when I was eight years old. It was 1970 and wow was that purse so very cool.

    Comment by Dale Anne Eucker — December 12, 2012 @ 9:43 am

  42. My mom got me a Discman when I was about 10 or 12. Looking back ot doesn’t seem as big of a deal, but at the time I was thrilled, we were not a new technology family and cd players were pretty new then, so I was so excited to have one! I am getting my mom a tablet this year which she really wants and thinks is way too expensive to ask for to repay the kindness;-)

    Comment by Juliana Caton — December 12, 2012 @ 9:43 am

  43. Wen I was 10, I was (like many girls) obsessed with horses. I rode, but not competitively. My aunt and uncle had a few horses and we went to their house for Christmas Eve. That night, I got the most surprising Christmas gift ever — a pony!

    Comment by Michelle — December 12, 2012 @ 9:44 am

  44. Well, maybe not a big “surprise”, as I had about 9 months of expecting: My dear son who will be 25 on December 25th this year!

    Comment by Jill — December 12, 2012 @ 9:44 am

  45. There are many to choose from, but I guess the most memorable one was the year I crossed the date line & traveled from Fiji on Christmas day to arrive in Honolulu to celebrate another Christmas with a childhood friend there (I was one of those glamour girl flight attendants with Pan Am…). In HNL we ‘adopted’ two kids for the day so made a fun day for some kids who would otherwise not have had a Christmas. Somehow it didn’t matter that I wasn’t home with my family.
    Kirsten

    Comment by Kirsten Roth — December 12, 2012 @ 9:48 am

  46. My biggest surprise gift for Christmas, as a kid was a pair of hockey skates instead of figure skates.

    Comment by Donna — December 12, 2012 @ 9:48 am

  47. A cabbage patch doll from “Santa” the year they were hard to get but I didn’t know it at the time. All I did know was that I Did Not Want a cabbage patch doll and I did not get what I wanted that year. Funny that I don’t even remember what I wanted. Just that I got something I did not. :-)

    Comment by Jenni Beesley — December 12, 2012 @ 9:49 am

  48. Many years ago, when color TVs were not common in the typical family home, we had one. It was amazing. The rich red color of the fire engines on Emergency! were stunning.

    One day, my sisters and I returned home from school to find the front door unlocked. And, something didn’t seem right inside the house. The TV was gone. We found the back door window broken, apparently by the burglar. It was so unbelievable that our color TV was gone. I felt like I must have been sleep walking through a nightmare.

    We soldiered on, with the old black and white set placed where the color set had been. It had been a tough year all around. My parents had split and Dad was living in an apartment. Splitting a teacher’s salary between two households didn’t bode well for a good Christmas.

    Somehow, Dad managed to save up enough and on Christmas morning, there was a new color TV! Best Christmas ever!

    Comment by Colleen — December 12, 2012 @ 9:49 am

  49. My favorite gift was the gift of family being together for christmas after being out of the country for 2 years.

    Comment by Heather — December 12, 2012 @ 9:50 am

  50. I don’t know if this counts but…my husband was supposed to be deployed this Christmas season, but their ship’s schedule changed and he is home for a bit longer. I love having him home (especially since we can’t get back ‘home!’)

    Comment by Jessica — December 12, 2012 @ 9:50 am

  51. The best surprise gift was from my husband about 20 years ago, when he made me a beautiful cutting board that I still have and use in my kitchen today!

    Comment by Jilly — December 12, 2012 @ 9:50 am

  52. The best surprise I have had for Christmas is a nice mortar and pestle from my daughter.

    Comment by Michael Bird — December 12, 2012 @ 9:51 am

  53. My biggest surprise gift at Christmas as a kid was a pair of hockey skates instead of figure skates.

    Comment by Donna — December 12, 2012 @ 9:52 am

  54. My biggest surprise gift was receiving a Wii from my husband, then another from my mom. LOL

    Comment by Sarah D — December 12, 2012 @ 9:53 am

  55. The biggest surprise Christmas gift I ever received was an unexpected bonus from an employer ~ they couldn’t have known that without that bonus, my kids wouldn’t have had gifts to open that year. It was so fun to see their eyes Christmas morning and I felt so very blessed.

    Comment by Christi — December 12, 2012 @ 9:53 am

  56. Mine was diamond earrings from my husband :-). The surprise just happened to come early as I looked in a drawer that I never went in for something unrelated. We can’t seem to keep secrets from one another :-)

    Comment by Elizabeth Golove — December 12, 2012 @ 9:53 am

  57. The biggest surprise was the year we all went to Mexico for Christmas. We gave no gifts and it was the best idea we ever had: No shopping, no stuff, just our 3 generations in the sand and the sun.

    Comment by Linda Harkness — December 12, 2012 @ 9:53 am

  58. Let me think… I guess it’s when my daughter gave me an iPod. I was so surprised, because it meant she was all grown up and could afford such a thing. I’d been teaching yoga for a long time and she felt I really needed it– she was like, “Welcome to the 21st century, Mom.” So, if I win this juicer, I’m going to give it to her. :)

    Comment by Annette — December 12, 2012 @ 9:53 am

  59. My piccolo had been dismantled for many years (thanks to my little sister who took possession of it when I graduated from high school). I got it back from her but didn’t have the money to get it rebuilt. My husband took it from where I stored it, had it completely rebuilt, and gave it to me as a Christmas gift. I was completely surprised and can honestly say it was the first gift he gave me that ever made me cry–not just because my piccolo worked again but because of the thought and planning it took to pull off the surprise.

    Comment by Linda T — December 12, 2012 @ 9:56 am

  60. My biggest surprise was when I was a kid, both my sister and I got Cabbage Patch kids. That is when I KNEW Santa was real because my mom had been saying how dumb they were and that she would NEVER get those for us. Seems silly now but at the time it was great!

    Comment by Dawn Stanciu — December 12, 2012 @ 9:57 am

  61. I was a single mother working as a UPS driver. When I got off one cold snowy night a secret Santa had left beautiful wrapped gifts in my car! I don’t even remember what was in them but the Santa turned out to be the most senior driver on our crew! It meant the world to me!

    Comment by Julie Murdock — December 12, 2012 @ 9:59 am

  62. My eldest sons first Christmas my husbands parents joined us. My husbands Dad owned a very nice camera. He took several GREAT photos of my son’s first Christmas. I love those photos so much and it meant the world to me!

    Comment by Krissy Fulton — December 12, 2012 @ 9:59 am

  63. My piccolo had been dismantled for many years (thanks to my little sister who took possession of it when I graduated from high school). I got it back from her but didn’t have the money to get it rebuilt. My husband took it from where I stored it, had it completely rebuilt, and gave it to me as a Christmas gift. I was completely surprised and can honestly say it was the first gift he gave me that ever made me cry–not just because my piccolo worked again but because of the thought and planning it took to pull off the surprise. You see, he had been in Japan for the 17 weeks prior to Christmas so my high-school-aged children were enlisted to make sure it happened and keep it a secret. It touched me that he knew how much it meant to me and made it happen. It brought back a piece of my youth that had been placed in a paper bag and stuck in a dresser drawer. The gift was beautiful and symbolic. :-)

    Comment by Linda T — December 12, 2012 @ 9:59 am

  64. Mom got me a large chocolate fountain for Christmas one year. I opened the box and politely said thank you while thinking I had another appliance that would never see the light of day. Wrong. It has become a tradition at our big holiday party and is requested by friends for special events. Who doesn’t like chocolate to dip wonderful tidbits in. Candied ginger, homemade marshmallows, home dried fruits from the summer bounty and home made cookies like cardamom sugar cookies are always a hit. The best presents are often things that I did not ask for but become “memory makers” in my love for cooking and entertaining.

    Comment by Patrick Green — December 12, 2012 @ 10:00 am

  65. My biggest surprise… This very Hanukah, my husband managed to find me a new (old) pair of my favorite Fleuvog boots! I bought my first pair in 2000. I’ve worn them so much over TW past ten years. The last five years I’ve worn them just about every day in Oct - May. And they’re beat and finally falling apart. And they arent made anymore. Thanks to my husband and eBay I have a brand new (old) pair!

    Comment by Tami — December 12, 2012 @ 10:01 am

  66. As a child I remember opening all my gifts and trying to be excited about what I’d been giving but I was keenly aware that no matter what box I opened, it wasn’t the bike I desparately wanted. I couldn’t have been over the age of 10 but I knew I needed to be appreciative of my gifts so I pretended to be very excited each time. After all the gifts were open and I settled on the fact I wasn’t receiving my bike, I turned and saw my mom wheeling in A BIKE! It was an absolutely amazing feeling. I’ve never forgotten it even 30 years later…Thank you for reminding me of that wonderful holiday moment.

    Comment by Serene — December 12, 2012 @ 10:02 am

  67. One year when we were really poor, my son took $30 off of what I owed him! It was an acknowledgement and a touch of understanding.

    Bea

    Comment by Bea Sweeney — December 12, 2012 @ 10:05 am

  68. A puppy when I was around 10. He was in a pretty box and everything (with holes of course). I was ecstatic!

    Comment by Jennifer — December 12, 2012 @ 10:06 am

  69. My best present ever was almost 11 years ago, the birth of my beautiful boy.

    Comment by Deb — December 12, 2012 @ 10:08 am

  70. A beautiful necklace with my favorite stone!

    Comment by Joanne — December 12, 2012 @ 10:10 am

  71. The best surprise Christmas gift I have ever received was when my husband bought me a cappuccino machine. I love coffee and worked in a cafe in Rome, Italy. it was amazing to be able to drink a latte for breakfast every morning.

    Comment by Elisa — December 12, 2012 @ 10:11 am

  72. My biggest Christmas was the year I got my new ice skates and a new bike - my mother was annoyed that my uncle brought out the bikes for my cousins and me while she was out of the room. She wanted to see my face. Holidays are sometimes magical — every Christmas brings back the joy of times with family and friends.

    Comment by Marilyn McClellan — December 12, 2012 @ 10:11 am

  73. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was an iPad. My husband got it for me so I could Facetime with my sister, who was getting ready to move to Hong Kong.

    Comment by Heidi — December 12, 2012 @ 10:11 am

  74. My best surprise was coming downstairs on Christmas morning with my brother and sisters to see what Santa had brought us.

    Comment by Elizabeth — December 12, 2012 @ 10:13 am

  75. The year my son and daughter treated like I was a kid again and showered me with a telescope, a Wii, a bike, and giant wok (so I’d cook for them!)

    Comment by Gail Price — December 12, 2012 @ 10:17 am

  76. My previous company gave me a dimmer instead of a check as a Christmas bonus, so I’d say that was surprising! :)

    Comment by Samer Adra — December 12, 2012 @ 10:20 am

  77. Back in the 80’s my parents offered to pay half towards a water bed!

    Comment by Wendi — December 12, 2012 @ 10:20 am

  78. My biggest surprise for Christmas has been my twins were born not quite a week after.

    Comment by Angi — December 12, 2012 @ 10:20 am

  79. I can’t remember a really big surprise Xmas gift, but 2 of my daughters were born near Christmas, one December 19th and one January 18th, so they are the best Xmas gifts I have ever gotten…..

    Comment by Jessica — December 12, 2012 @ 10:21 am

  80. A chic red motor scooter -when I was 12 years old, was a total surprise! I had no idea how to ride it, but we ended up having years and years of fun with it.

    Comment by Dori — December 12, 2012 @ 10:22 am

  81. When I was 6 years old Santa brought ‘the dolly with six dresses’. It seemed like such a treat to get a doll with so many changes of clothes! He carefully hung each dress on the tree, so it was like a treasure hunt to boot! My mom has been great about saving all of our treasures over the years. Two years ago my 4 year old son told my mom he wanted to get me a doll for Christmas. On Christmas morning a most specially wrapped gift from Gabriel, my boy, revealed the treasured dolly with 6 dresses! It was a doubly sweet moment. The same surprise so many years later.

    Comment by Jenna Hawkins — December 12, 2012 @ 10:22 am

  82. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was a huge box of presents from my brother and sister-in-law–Christmas in a box–three years ago while I was undergoing cancer treatment.

    Comment by Susan T — December 12, 2012 @ 10:22 am

  83. Biggest Christmas surprise would have to be…. the Nativity set my in-laws gave us for our first Christmas. Apparently it’s a tradition they have for all the married couples but it went a long way to helping me feel accepted and welcomed into the family.

    Comment by LeAndra Baker — December 12, 2012 @ 10:23 am

  84. i wish i had a great story like some of these are, but i’m having trouble recalling a good surprise….i’ve loved all my presents, don’t get me wrong….i guess it was a surprise to hear that my parents and i would spend christmas in england to visit my sister studying abroad as well as my half brother and his wife and kids that live there. it was pretty awesome, though it was announced way in advance so i wasn’t sure if that counted!

    Comment by Laura Lynch — December 12, 2012 @ 10:23 am

  85. Our oldest daughter and her husband announced their first pregnancy by wrapping up the pregnancy test stick and giving it to us for Christmas! Honestly at first I didn’t even know what it was! When our daughter was born you had to go to the doctor for the test. Then when the light bulb went on I was so shocked and happy and overwhelmed, I cried! Our first granddaughter was born 9 months later, truly a surprise, and a priceless gift!

    Comment by Lynn Wright — December 12, 2012 @ 10:24 am

  86. The year I found a piece of charcoal in my stocking….
    I was 6 or 7. I remember my parents puzzling over the piece of charcoal. No one knew how it got there.
    I promise, I wasn’t a bad child.

    The only thing I can think of, looking back, is that our ayah may not have liked me. We lived in Nepal and all young American children had an ayah to take care of them. My younger sister was definitely the cuter one in their estimation because of her white blond hair. I’ve always had brown hair. Blond hair is fascinating to some. The ayahs paid so much attention to her that I could slip away and play with whomever and wherever I wanted. I even managed to wander a short distance to downtown Khatmandu - unsupervised.

    Ah well. The lump of coal/charcoal or whatever it was was a surprise.

    Comment by CarolK — December 12, 2012 @ 10:27 am

  87. Bikes for the whole family was the best surprise when I was little! We loved those bikes for so long!

    Comment by Egan — December 12, 2012 @ 10:28 am

  88. The biggest (literally) gift I ever got was a 4-person old-fashioned wooden tobagon. It was cool.

    Comment by Leslie R-N — December 12, 2012 @ 10:28 am

  89. Biggest christmas surprise was unwrapping a small gift in my stocking from my brother and his wife. It was a baby pacifier and their way of telling us they were pregnant with their first baby!

    Comment by Kristi F — December 12, 2012 @ 10:30 am

  90. Snow on Christmas morning when I was a kid. I will never forget that.

    Comment by Adrianne — December 12, 2012 @ 10:30 am

  91. Many years ago, I came home to find that my then boyfriend-and now husband- had festively decorated my room and put 12 wrapped gifts on my desk for me to open one every day till Christmas! No wonder I married the guy!

    Comment by Elizabeth — December 12, 2012 @ 10:31 am

  92. The most adorable puppy who became my most cherished companion.

    Comment by Karli — December 12, 2012 @ 10:36 am

  93. a husband

    Comment by Michele Savoie — December 12, 2012 @ 10:36 am

  94. I had heard scratching sounds coming from the region of my mother’s roll-top desk for days, and she was beginning to worry aloud about mice in the walls. Oh dear, what shall we do? Let’s worry about it after Christmas. Because it’s actually a tiny hamster for Anna! Which will later escape and be heard somewhere in the wall near my mother’s desk. And then never heard again. . I moved on to pet rabbits.

    Comment by Anna Lord — December 12, 2012 @ 10:37 am

  95. Many wouldn’t consider this a good present but our very first Christmas together was lean beyond lean and my sweet, sweet husband found some way to buy me an inexpensive Kenmore sewing machine. He knew how much I loved to sew & thought this would come in handy for many years…..and it did! Lots of gifts, baby dresses and my clothing came from that machine!

    Comment by Jane A. — December 12, 2012 @ 10:37 am

  96. When I was 7 I received the pink bike that I had been begging my parents for months.

    Comment by Emily Murnen — December 12, 2012 @ 10:38 am

  97. My husband bought a computer for us. It was our first computer and, needless to say, it was more for him than me. :)

    Comment by Dana S. — December 12, 2012 @ 10:39 am

  98. Wow, what is it with all these cabbage Patch dolls? Funny that they seem to be the most popular item here.

    I think the biggest surprise Christmas gift I ever got was the drum set my parents gave me when I was eight. It was a huge package — the biggest one of all — under a tree packed with presents for our whole extended family, and it had MY NAME on it. The anticipation of sitting next to it, trying to wait patiently until I could open that giant box was excruciating. And then it turned out to be a drum set, which was the coolest gift ever AND made me the a envy of all my cousins! What could be better?

    Comment by Jerri — December 12, 2012 @ 10:39 am

  99. I have always dated people far more fashionable than me. It feels like miracle enough for me to drag on a pair of jeans, pull on a t-shirt, and zip up a hoodie, and I am content to let the person beside me be the dazzling one who turns heads when we walk down the street. One partner I had used to buy me up-to-date jewelery, gorgeous dresses, sexy short skirts, and tops that actually fit. If I looked cute, it was all thanks to him. So imagine my surprise when he bought me a leopard-print SNUGGIE for Christmas, shortly after we broke up. Yes, a Snuggie. The bag of blanket with two sleeves. He laughed and laughed (good-naturedly). I laughed, too, but I refused to wear it, and it eventually ended up in the outbox destined for the thrift store. Now I miss that crazy thing.

    Comment by Manju — December 12, 2012 @ 10:40 am

  100. My biggest Christmas surprise came was when I was about 6 or 7 years old. My parents were divorced, and I rarely saw my father. That year on Christmas Eve, I looked out the window and noticed Santa standing outside looking in at me. At first I was scared, but then Santa came inside to talk to me and I got a closer look at him. I quickly realized that Santa was, in fact, my dad in costume. I noticed that this Santa had black eyebrows (like my dad)… had it been the REAL Santa, his eyebrows would have been white. My dad took off his disguise and let me try it on - boots, beard, and all. That was my best and biggest surprise yet! :-)

    Comment by Jill — December 12, 2012 @ 10:40 am

  101. My dad gave me a tent and a backpack! He had never slept a night in a tent and thought I was crazy for loving backpacking, but he still supported my endeavors. Super dad.

    Comment by Jen — December 12, 2012 @ 10:42 am

  102. When I was 10 yrs old there was a box under the tree for me from my brother and his girlfriend. I opened it and it was a boxer puppy with a big red bow tied around his neck!! I so loved this puppy and named him Duke. This started my love affair with pets that continues today. Happy Holidays!!

    Comment by Carlene — December 12, 2012 @ 10:42 am

  103. I remember the shocked look on my kid’s faces when we gave them their first cell phone when they were in middle school! Little did I know how hard it was going to be for my son to not lose it… or drop it in the water… etc

    Comment by Sue — December 12, 2012 @ 10:46 am

  104. I wanted a Barbie doll and my parents couldn’t afford one. When I went to my father’s work Christmas party I got a Barbie knock off and I was over the moon with joy. My wish had been granted.
    mary g.

    Comment by mary g. — December 12, 2012 @ 10:47 am

  105. When I was thirteen I was a typical teenager who yakked on the phone whenever I wasn’t in school. This was years before cell phones. My dad was the president of a teacher’s association and needed to use the phone sometimes, a feat that was difficult in a household with two daughters. When Christmas morning rolled around, there were very few gifts under the tree for me. I tried to keep a stiff upper lip. That lip broke into the widest grin ever when I opened the final gift for me and discovered a blue princess telephone and a note that I would receive my own private telephone number.

    I laugh when I think about my poor father. He thought that by giving me my own line, he’d finally get to use the other phone for his calls. No such luck, my sister was delighted that she could now talk on house line.

    Comment by Claudia Fuller — December 12, 2012 @ 10:47 am

  106. When I was 9, my parents bought me the Barbie hair salon. This was back in the 70s, and I was so excited that it pumped real water in the sink. With all the technology these days, I don’t think my daughter would be that impressed today!

    Comment by Nancy — December 12, 2012 @ 10:48 am

  107. The best surprise gift was a guitar when I was 12. I didn’t even know I wanted one and I don’t know what posessed my parents to buy me one, but it was such a wonderful surprise. I spent the rest of the school holiday glued to that guitar, teaching myself how to play it and kept it well into adulthood, basically wearing it out.

    Comment by Elaine Bradtke — December 12, 2012 @ 10:51 am

  108. My biggest surprise gift was Snoopy electric toothbrush I got when I was a child! I stayed up as long as I could for Santa, and I finally fell a sleep sometime in the night.. and there is was!

    Comment by KJ — December 12, 2012 @ 10:52 am

  109. Our very first Christmas as newlyweds (just over a month), my husband went all out - he bought me a Kenwood mixer, a beautiful robe, a baby doll, and made me a quilt rack AND a jewelry box! I was blown away! He’s never topped that, but I love him still! :)

    Comment by JoAnn Christensen — December 12, 2012 @ 10:54 am

  110. My partner literally bought me the kitchen sink. Only a fella would think of such a romantic gift. But hey, I love it.

    Comment by Molly Roberts — December 12, 2012 @ 10:56 am

  111. Global chef’s knife

    Comment by Laura — December 12, 2012 @ 10:56 am

  112. I couldn’t believe it when I opened a gift from my sister and brother-in-law that turned out to be an African drum. I don’t know how much it cost, but we never gave each other presents that expensive. I have gotten many years of weekly playing out of it - even forming an all-women performing ensemble and recording a CD…

    Comment by galen — December 12, 2012 @ 10:56 am

  113. My biggest surprise Christmas gift came to me as a 10 year old, living in the southeast U.S. We lived in a neighborhood with a huge sledding hill–that of course, was rarely covered in snow. Every year, when we managed to get a couple of inches and before it all melted, we’d try to slide down at least a couple of times. Unfortunately, our family seemed to be stuck in the perpetual “Hey, let’s just slide down the hill on trash can lid” mode. Finally, at age 10 I awoke to a REAL sled….with wood and metal and a rope to steer with…it was wonderful! (and so was the ride!)

    Comment by Julie Reed — December 12, 2012 @ 10:57 am

  114. Every year I’m surprised to tears by the touching gifts my kids make for me at school and at home. They’re better than anything anyone buys for me!

    Comment by Sarah Winnett — December 12, 2012 @ 10:57 am

  115. My favorite Christmas surprise happened when I was around 9 years old. Our family was on welfare at the time so gifts weren’t going to happen for Christmas that year. So when I woke up in the morning, it seemed like a very grey day although my mom tried to make it special by popping popcorn and making hot chocolate and cinnamon toast for breakfast. Around noon, we had a knock at the door and when Mom answered it, there were some Marines standing outside with arms full of toys! They brought the toys in and then for the best part of the day, they brought in a bike for ME! It was a Schwinn with a banana seat (anyone remember those?) and a basket and tassels on the handlebar grips. It was perfect! :) The Marines have been my heroes ever since that day. <3

    Comment by Robyn — December 12, 2012 @ 10:58 am

  116. finding out we were going to be parents for the first time!

    Comment by carmen — December 12, 2012 @ 10:58 am

  117. biggest surprise was painting of my dog that was framed…….from a spouse that was formerly not a dog person. He went all out and framded that PLUS had an artist friend of his do two more dog paintings as well

    Comment by Diane — December 12, 2012 @ 10:59 am

  118. My favorite holiday gift was an engagement to my now wife!

    Comment by Heather Guttormsen — December 12, 2012 @ 10:59 am

  119. My first child!

    Comment by Rachel Turner — December 12, 2012 @ 11:00 am

  120. Biggest christmas surprise was when my parents told us we were going to take a trip to italy - and that i could bring along my boyfriend (who is now my husband :). my husband and i still get all dreamy remembering that trip…

    Comment by Keely — December 12, 2012 @ 11:01 am

  121. My most memorable surprise gift was a bike when I was a kid… maybe 10 or so. When I came upstairs and saw a huge lumpy thing under a sheet by the tree with MY name on it, I freaked! So special.

    Comment by Steff — December 12, 2012 @ 11:01 am

  122. What a truly wonderful giveaway! : ) I love being a subscriber to Cookus Interruptus and also am a fan of yours on Facebook. : ) The biggest surprise Christmas gift I have ever received was breakfast in bed created by my sweet 5 (then 4) year old. So adorably cute and such a treasured moment! : ) A trillion thanks for this magical giveaway! : )

    Comment by Leah — December 12, 2012 @ 11:03 am

  123. My biggest surprise gift? Hmmm, probably the year my inlaws surprised my husband and i by flying my stepson, who was 8 and living with his mom about 1,300km away, to spend Christmas break with us! We had no inkling that it was happening until our boy walked up the front steps with a big grin from ear to ear :) Best surprise EVER!

    Comment by Karelia hogan ferguson — December 12, 2012 @ 11:04 am

  124. Our best Christmas gift was when our son told us we were going to be grandparents.

    Comment by Dori Ramon — December 12, 2012 @ 11:05 am

  125. I received free plane tickets home for Christmas.

    Comment by aimee pearce — December 12, 2012 @ 11:08 am

  126. Surgery that saved my life and the life of Vera’s husband and Molly and Emily’s Dad!

    Comment by rob — December 12, 2012 @ 11:11 am

  127. Every year when I was a kid, the best Christmas gift always came from my grandmother… unconditional love!

    Comment by Libby — December 12, 2012 @ 11:13 am

  128. the best christmas surprise i got was when my parents attached a string to every item in our stockings and then wove them around the house. we had to follow and wind up each string to get to our presents - and the whole house was like a giant massive cats cradle. so fun!

    Comment by Sarah — December 12, 2012 @ 11:13 am

  129. The greatest surprise Christmas present I ever received was a glorious antique gold ring inlaid with seed pearls and a tiny diamond, inscribed “1898″ on the inside. My boyfriend (now husband) and I were both students at the time, and he bought it at an antique jewelry shop where we then lived in Oxford, England. I’d been expecting a much less expensive, but also lovely simple gold love-knot ring we’d seen in another shop, so when I opened the present and looked at the ring in mute astonishment, he said, “Go on then, it’s not made of tin!” I still wear the ring on special occasions, and our sons ages 6 and 8 love to hear story of the Christmas ring.

    Comment by Heather — December 12, 2012 @ 11:14 am

  130. Five years ago I received the perfect gift: a beautiful winter coat perfectly designed to go throught rough winters in Quebec.

    Comment by Marie-Eve — December 12, 2012 @ 11:15 am

  131. When I was in my early teens, I found an odd shaped gift under the tree from my sister and the wrapping paper was all painted up with a face on it and stuff so I had no idea what it was. Turns out she bought me a used trombone from a pawn shop. I think at the time I was only taking a few piano lessons and knew nothing about trombone but by New Years Eve I was out in the back yard assaulting my neighbors with a pained and repeated rendition of Auld Lang Syne at midnight.

    Comment by Charles Tomaras — December 12, 2012 @ 11:17 am

  132. Best Christmas gift was a kitty in a box left outside the doorstep for me by me by my then boyfriend.

    Comment by Melissa — December 12, 2012 @ 11:20 am

  133. Biggest surprise Christmas gift - wedding proposal!

    Comment by Jaclyn — December 12, 2012 @ 11:21 am

  134. This year, the best christmas gift I will receive is an amazing husband. We are getting married 12-22-12!

    Comment by Anisa — December 12, 2012 @ 11:23 am

  135. Christmas at Mom’s House. Everyone’s welcome!

    Comment by Mary — December 12, 2012 @ 11:23 am

  136. Gameboy circa 1989. BEST.

    Comment by Megan — December 12, 2012 @ 11:26 am

  137. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was in 1978 from my fiance who bought me a ceiling fan for the tiny dining room in my apartment. This was way before ceiling fans were popular and he had to look everywhere for it. At the time I called it a “Casablanca” fan because I associated it with the movie “Casablanca.” I loved it!

    Comment by sherris — December 12, 2012 @ 11:29 am

  138. Besides my engagement ring 24 years ago, a GORGEOUSLY wrapped present from my husband on our first Christmas alone together. Inside, much to my amazement, was a set of very practical wiper blades that our poor little car needed during our first year in Seattle. I wept. My poor hubby to this day suffers Christmas gifting anxiety with me. So curious what this year will bring!

    Comment by Veronica Johns — December 12, 2012 @ 11:30 am

  139. I’m 38 years old and every year I continue to be surprised that “Santa” leaves me a crisp, fresh $100.00 bill. Also, Santa’s handwriting looks more and more like my mothers every year.

    Comment by Patricia — December 12, 2012 @ 11:32 am

  140. Biggest surprise Christmas gift is the first memory I have of seeing a note from Santa thanking me for the cookies and milk I left for him along side the very gift I had asked for.

    Comment by Karen — December 12, 2012 @ 11:35 am

  141. Biggest surprise gift…a swimsuit from my parents for Xmas…it was terribly ugly, I was 17 and trying so so hard to muster up gracious thanks through tears of disappointment…and then they all laughed and told me it represented the new suit they were going to buy me. Question about the giveaway…I’m not on facebook, does my comment still count, or do I have to do both to enter?

    Comment by Heather L — December 12, 2012 @ 11:38 am

  142. Well, it has to be my daughter Sam who was born on December 26th, 1971! No one knew what sex the babies would be back then so she was a surprise for sure! That and the fact that I had a number of miscarriages before her. She was the BEST gift I ever got for Christmas, before or after.

    Comment by Nickie — December 12, 2012 @ 11:41 am

  143. For my first Christmas without my kiddos, my brother flew in last minute to spend an orphan Christmas with me. His present…….the Victoria Clipper to Victoria. We spent two days noshing and exploring. If that wasn’t enough, I fell in love with a little metal box necklace that holds glass pictures……It’s touching to have such a good brother.

    Comment by Cheryl — December 12, 2012 @ 11:41 am

  144. a quilt my mother made for me.

    Comment by pamela lyall — December 12, 2012 @ 11:41 am

  145. My husband bought me a new (used) car for Christmas one year. He put the car keys in a small box and then put that box in a bigger box and put that in a bigger box and so on. When I finally got to the keys I screamed and ran outside and there was the car filled with balloons!

    Comment by stacy b — December 12, 2012 @ 11:50 am

  146. Every year we put up Christmas stockings. My husband, daughter and I all sneak packages in to the stockings so it’s always fun surprise to see what’s in them in the morning. Sometimes people even get candy coal!

    Comment by Lori T — December 12, 2012 @ 11:51 am

  147. our last xmas together, my soon to be ex husband gave me fuzzy pink slippers and a plain red rubber hot water bottle. :)))))

    Comment by hmalinde — December 12, 2012 @ 11:51 am

  148. Sweaters from my boyfriend’s grandparents, by mail!

    Comment by Prema — December 12, 2012 @ 11:51 am

  149. My first baby. :)

    Comment by rocio — December 12, 2012 @ 11:53 am

  150. Rosebowl tickets!

    Comment by Laura Vornbrock — December 12, 2012 @ 11:54 am

  151. A beautiful sparkly green bike with a sparkly green banana seat when I was 8 years old. I immediately attached playing cards to the spoke wheels with clothes pins and booked it down the street to my friend’s house. Spectacular!

    Comment by Pamela — December 12, 2012 @ 11:56 am

  152. Wow, that’s a tough one. I think the best Christmas surprise was the year my daughter was five months old; the boiler had decided to die Christmas eve, and we had no way to get it fixed. We moved a mattress to the living room (the warmest room in the house, at 10 degrees outside) and woke up to our tiny tree and the presents underneath. We were all wrapped in sweaters and hats, and when I look back (here’s the surprise) I only really remember how that baby girl’s eyes lit up at how pretty the tree was and that she got to tear the paper off of so many gifts.

    Comment by Jennifer B. / Brooklyn — December 12, 2012 @ 12:11 pm

  153. My now husband bought me some snow shoes one year. Great surprise that will keep me mobile in the snow for a long time!

    Comment by Kristine Strange — December 12, 2012 @ 12:14 pm

  154. A blue 10 speed bike with those down turned handle bars when I was 12.

    Comment by Perdita — December 12, 2012 @ 12:15 pm

  155. My first wristwatch when I was 8 years old!

    Comment by Marlene — December 12, 2012 @ 12:18 pm

  156. A doll house when I was 6!

    Comment by Meg — December 12, 2012 @ 12:20 pm

  157. My first bike. My parents bought a used one, with big fat tires. Dad fixed it up and painted it bright blue. I loved it and rode it constantly.

    Comment by Leslie — December 12, 2012 @ 12:24 pm

  158. My daughter was born with a severe, rare heart defect. She was in congestive heart failure at 11 days old. After 2 weeks in NICU we were able to go home again and be a family. We moved so my husband could follow the work and went to the new cardiologist. He wanted to wean her off her medication, reluctantly I followed his instructions. My daughter went into cardiac arrest and was DOA upon arrival at the hospital. Modern medicine, defibrillators, and a barbiturate coma later, she was on life support but alive. After 8 weeks in ICU I walked out with a very different baby and an uncertain future, one I would face alone. She and I departed the security of the hospital that Christmas Eve bound for my auntie’s, my daughter wearing a bow to cover the bald spot shaved clean for the IV, but we left together. She had 3 more cardiac arrests over the next year and spent a total of 8 months in ICU. Today she is 29 with long, flowing, auburn hair, she is in a wheelchair, non-ambulatory, non-verbal with a baclafen pump and G-tube, I make all her food from whole organic veggies, grains and meats then grind them up in a Vitamix until totally smooth, we don’t have a juicer. It’s a lot of work but she is worth all of it and that remains my biggest and best Christmas gift. Did I mention she is the boss of everything!

    Comment by Pamela Centeno — December 12, 2012 @ 12:26 pm

  159. My fine steel Japanese cleaver/vegetable cutter. Two christmases worth: the first when I received it from my father-in-law, the second, when my husband secretly had it sharpened (this involved finding an expert to do it) after I’d put it away dull and let it sit for years, afraid to ruin it by sharpening it wrong. I use it for almost everything!

    Comment by Vicki Saunders — December 12, 2012 @ 12:28 pm

  160. An Easy Bake Oven. I’m thinking this year it might be a juicer…. :)

    Comment by Elisa — December 12, 2012 @ 12:29 pm

  161. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was from my neighbor who, knowing we did not have jobs at the time, slipped three one hundred dollar bills in her hand-delivered Christmas card late at night a few days before Christmas. She wanted to be sure that our kids had some presents under the tree. She told us when we were out of the woods to pass it on.

    Comment by Carolyn — December 12, 2012 @ 12:31 pm

  162. Our biggest and best surprise was our son coming home for Christmas all the way from San Diego!

    Comment by D. Ward — December 12, 2012 @ 12:42 pm

  163. It’s Channukah for me…and definitely the adorable crafts and cards the kids brought home from school this week. Too precious!

    Comment by Sandi — December 12, 2012 @ 12:56 pm

  164. a new step dad!

    Comment by Natasha Berta — December 12, 2012 @ 1:00 pm

  165. That my then husband bought me a coffee maker, coffee and grinder and hid it at his sisters where we were to have Christmas. I bought him a 5 CD Changer (a big thing back in the day) and also hid it. We walked in the door and she says “I know where you hid hers and I know where you hid his” LOL

    Comment by VJ Bartlett — December 12, 2012 @ 1:08 pm

  166. 1990 - The year I met my David and we had our first Christmas together. We woke up together on Christmas morning and it was SNOWING, beautiful soft flakes of big fluffy snow. I love snow at Christmas and the combination of the new Love of My Life and snow on Christmas was the best gift I ever got.

    Comment by Kimberly Harmeling — December 12, 2012 @ 1:14 pm

  167. The biggest surprise (and best) Christmas gift I ever received was a karaoke machine. It followed with years of Whitney Housten, Bette Midler and Mariah Carey in the mirror!

    Comment by Ana Victoria Salcido — December 12, 2012 @ 1:16 pm

  168. The biggest Christmas gift was from a friend who bought my brother and sister and I a plane ticket for Christmas Day to be with my brother in ICU at St. Anthony Hospital. He was in a snowboarding accident 19 days prior and thier was a miracle after miracle that brought so many wonderful outcomes. Very thankful girl <3 :)

    Comment by Britt Bacon — December 12, 2012 @ 1:26 pm

  169. I think it was my Kodak Instamatic Camera, back when I was 10. It was the most grown-up gift I’d ever received. I remember loving the flash bulbs. My kids don’t know what flash bulbs are.

    Comment by Sara — December 12, 2012 @ 1:26 pm

  170. My biggest Christmas surprise was the ornament my daughter made me in first grade…it literally brought tears to my eyes! It is a sapphire matte finish round ornament and has her handprint in white paint (like she held the ornament in her palm and then closed her hand on it to imprint it) where the fingers are painted like snowmen. It is simply ADORABLE! Every year it is my favorite ornament on the tree and I love how she compares the size of her hand every year to it (she’s now 11!) I wouldn’t trade this ornament for anything in this world…not even this juicer haha! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    Comment by Colette D. — December 12, 2012 @ 1:30 pm

  171. The biggest surprise was an IPod several years ago - truly the gift that keeps on giving!

    Comment by Susan — December 12, 2012 @ 1:34 pm

  172. Sometime before my sixth Christmas, I was rummaging around in my parent’s closed and found a stuffed tiger with a transistor radio in it’s tummy. Boy was I ever suprised when I found it stuffed in my stocking on Christmas morning!!!

    Comment by L Furney — December 12, 2012 @ 1:45 pm

  173. The Most memorable Christmas for me was one in the early years of living on my own. I had no money. I bought cards for family but no gifts and I had $10 left from my paycheck to buy a Christmas Tree. I just wanted a tiny one for the table. I went to the Christmas Tree Lot at Safeway parking lot but the trees started at $20 for a tiny 3 foot one. There was nothing for me. I was so disappointed and teary eyed as I realized that this would be the first Christmas in my apartment and I would not be able to have a Christmas tree. So with tears on my cheeks I turned to leave the lot. The owner came up to me and started a coversation. I explained about my first apartment and that I just wanted a tiny tree but the trees cost too much so that I would have to do without a Christmas tree. We spoke for a while and then I turned to leave. He stopped me and asked how much I could afford. I told him and he told me come with him and pick out a tree. He sold it to me for what I could afford. I know that tree cost more than twice what I paid but it was the most treasured and memorable Christmas and Christmas present I have received.

    Comment by Cindy — December 12, 2012 @ 1:45 pm

  174. I’m not a big gift person. My favorite part of Christmas has always been spending time with loved ones. And now that I have kids my favorite part is watching their faces light up at all of the traditions. I guess the biggest surprise present I can remember is our handy cam. It’s wonderful since it helps to capture so many memories.

    Comment by Jennifer — December 12, 2012 @ 1:51 pm

  175. My family doesn’t do big, expensive gifts. I was really caught by surprise when I received a laptop computer from my parents. I really needed it, so it was a perfect gift.

    Comment by Aiden Spierry — December 12, 2012 @ 1:51 pm

  176. A new bike when I was kid and GPS running watch from husband last year to track my miles while training for a 10k.

    Comment by Pam Armstrong — December 12, 2012 @ 1:56 pm

  177. For my 50th birthday, near Christmas, my children all got together and bought me a mother’s ring. I’ve never really wanted one, but once I got it I loved it…. I have the 5 most wonderful kids on earth! Beautiful colors of thier birth stones and a beautiful configuration. I loved being a mom and still do, and nana to 17 amazing grandkids!!. the ring was a surprize and is a prized posession!

    Comment by Piper Fountain — December 12, 2012 @ 1:56 pm

  178. One of my favorite gifts is the lovely blanket my mother-in-law crocheted for me, in all my favorite colors. It reminded me of the blankets my grandmother used to make me. I was so touched that she’d spent so much of her time during the busy holiday season making such a special gift.

    Comment by Courtney Skinner — December 12, 2012 @ 2:14 pm

  179. the biggest surprise christmas gift was a new laptop that I needed for school. I had an old desktop and it was getting slow and unreliable. My partner surprised me with an amazing brand-new widescreen laptop so I could bring it to school and also have a better computer that I needed to do research and homework. It was the best gift!

    Comment by Becky — December 12, 2012 @ 2:14 pm

  180. Last year my son was in a horrific accident and I had left my southern town to be with him at the hospital in CO. A friend surprised us and flew my other 3 kids out to be with us. It was pretty amazing when they walked into the hospital room.

    Comment by Libby — December 12, 2012 @ 2:14 pm

  181. 13 years ago my mom wrapped up 2 small suitcases for my sister and I (then 23 and 21, respectively). Inside we were delighted to find that she planned a Mom & Daughters weekend getaway for us, so all the location details were in the suitcase! Each year we open our suitcases last and find out what grand adventure the 3 of will be off to! No better gift than time together, new places explored and new memories made!

    Comment by Christina — December 12, 2012 @ 2:26 pm

  182. The best surprise Christmas gift I ever got was a camera the year I was 8. I had wanted one for a long time but my mom didn’t have the money for it. Somehow she and my grandmother managed to get a used black-and-white camera and a few rolls of film for me and I loved it! :) I still smile when I think of all those blurry pictures with cut off heads.

    Comment by Katherine — December 12, 2012 @ 2:34 pm

  183. ooh, i would have to say my biggest christmas surprise ever was received when i was about 4 (so it’s all been downhill since!)…my dad designed and built me a strawberry shortcake play kitchen, and it was amazing! i wish i still had it for my daughters, who are now almost 3. :)

    Comment by melissa — December 12, 2012 @ 2:42 pm

  184. When I think back, I don’t remember any particular gift that was a huge surprise or stood way above the rest, although each gift is special in its own way. What I remember most has just been the time spent with family. Eating good food; laughing. That time together has been very precious indeed!

    Comment by Blythe — December 12, 2012 @ 2:56 pm

  185. During the years when Cabbage Patch Kids were so popular, my sister and I desperately wanted one. My parents couldn’t afford one, much less two. But in secret, my mom made a doll for each of us. With multiple outfits, too! I still have mine and treasure her to this day. Now I think she’s better than anything that could have been purchased!

    Comment by Stephanie — December 12, 2012 @ 3:03 pm

  186. A couple of years ago my best friend from childhood sent me some framed embroidery work. My mom had started it before she died, and somehow my friend had it all these years, finished it, and had it framed for me. So it was like getting something from my mom 20 years after she died!

    Comment by Libby Young — December 12, 2012 @ 3:10 pm

  187. Warning: bike nerd alert. My favorite Christmas gift surprise was when my husband upgraded my shifters/brake levers on my commuting bike to something pretty fancy. I didn’t know he did it until I was going down the road and went to do my first shift. It was like buttah! :)

    Comment by Faith — December 12, 2012 @ 3:28 pm

  188. My favorite Christmas present was seeing my high school sweetheart after 30 years and he gave me a beautiful necklace I remembered he made his Mother when he was fourteen years old. I knew he was serious when I opened the box and he knew I would understand that he was. WE now have been married 7 years!!!! So really my favorite present is spending Christmas every year with him!

    Comment by Margaret Dunstan — December 12, 2012 @ 3:46 pm

  189. My Mom really didn’t sew but she made by hand, complete sets of clothes for my doll. My
    doll was the best dressed in town! She had play clothes, school clothes and fancy dress-up
    clothes! Even a wool coat for cold days. I will always treasure all the time and love she spent
    to make my Christmas special. She passed this year at almost 102.

    Comment by Carri Martin — December 12, 2012 @ 3:47 pm

  190. The year I left home, my Mom gave me a hand written cookbook for Xmas with all of our favorite family recipes. It was not only really touching but very helpful - I still use it regularly 15 years later…

    Comment by Fernanda — December 12, 2012 @ 3:48 pm

  191. My mother and I live on opposite ends of the country and don’t see each other often. One Christmas she sent me a shawl she had knitted, along with a beautiful heart-felt letter saying (in part) that she made the shawl as a ‘hug’ she could give me from afar. She’s not much into sharing feelings, so this meant (and means) a great deal to me!

    Comment by Tressa Johnson — December 12, 2012 @ 3:53 pm

  192. My Patty Play Pal doll - she was waiting on the living room chair Christmas morning - Patty was the BEST!!

    Comment by Cyd — December 12, 2012 @ 3:55 pm

  193. A portable stereo from my parents when I had recently divorced–I was SO excited and happy!

    Comment by Elizabeth Ramstad — December 12, 2012 @ 3:56 pm

  194. I will never forget when I was a little kid waking up to find Santa had left me- and my sister and brother and cousins- new bikes under the tree! Five shiny pink and purple bicycles! We went nuts. It was amazing.

    Comment by April — December 12, 2012 @ 4:00 pm

  195. MY husband passed away from cancer Nov 2006 leaving behind our children my 5 year old son and 4 yr old daughter. After he passed away I found a present from him to my children which were and still are there favorite things, my daughter got a doodle bear which she sleeps with still and my son got a snuggie which he “wraps” himself in dads love. All time favorite for sure!

    Comment by jan Pavia — December 12, 2012 @ 4:18 pm

  196. Almost every year, my dear friend Rachel gives me a gift certificate to a massage with our beloved healer Nancy. It has really become a gift for both myself and our therapist.

    Comment by Julie — December 12, 2012 @ 4:23 pm

  197. The biggest surprise Christmas gift I ever received was just last year. Earlier in the year my daughter-in-law found out she had Jewish heritage and when December came around announced she would no longer be celebrating Christmas, nor would my grandchildren. I have huge respect for different cultures but must admit to some disappointment with this sudden shift and was a bit confused as to how to celebrate as a family. Consequently she was pregnant and little Benjamin saved the day by being born on Christmas Eve. He is now our celebration and we will bake a little birthday cake and put it next to the Menorah and the Christmas tree, thank you Benjamin!

    Comment by Mary Hilts — December 12, 2012 @ 4:26 pm

  198. When I was little my parents gave me the American Girl doll Kirsten that I had fallen in love when the Pleasant Company first came out!

    Comment by Naomi C — December 12, 2012 @ 4:26 pm

  199. The biggest Christmas surprise was my son’s birth in 2009. He came four weeks early on December 20th! A very big surprise indeed.

    Comment by Jessica Montalino — December 12, 2012 @ 4:55 pm

  200. When my sister, brothers and I were very young, my mother’s little sister, who lived in eastern Canada and whom we had never met, would send us photos of our cousins and a big round tin of Peek Frean biscuits that were brightly iced with characters from Mother Goose and Christmas symbols. The cookies existed somehwere between reality and our belief in all the creatures that dwelt in the nursery rhymes. To eat a biscuit was a trip to our childhhod fantasies from a mystery auntie and her children who lived far, far away.

    Comment by Marilyn Hoban — December 12, 2012 @ 5:06 pm

  201. A gift card to my favorite yoga studio, which meant not only the gift of yoga classes but also that my sweet husband was going to look after our then small children while I went!

    Comment by Milena — December 12, 2012 @ 5:09 pm

  202. My best present was being pregnant with my 3rd child. We weren’t planning to have a 3rd, but she was the best gift to our family and she completes.:)

    Comment by Jean Matthews — December 12, 2012 @ 5:11 pm

  203. A ticket and book to Deepak Chopra lecture. Was great to see him in person.

    Comment by Neela — December 12, 2012 @ 5:12 pm

  204. A live Christmas tree delivered to my apartment by friends who had decorated it with beautiful origami ornaments.

    Comment by Susan Hansen — December 12, 2012 @ 5:15 pm

  205. A very special print material, quilted robe when I was about 6. I felt SO grown up!!!

    Comment by Nancy Ramsey — December 12, 2012 @ 5:21 pm

  206. What a fun giveaway! Hmmm….best surprise? Good question! I can think of a few things that I really loved when I was younger. I remember my dad and stepmom got me a really beautiful set of tarot cards. My mom and stepdad got me a cabbage patch doll one year, that was fun! Going to the PNB Nutcracker was always the very best thing actually. Loved getting that as a gift! What a fun and memorable surprise. :)

    Comment by Leah — December 12, 2012 @ 5:27 pm

  207. The best Christmas surprise was when my son was born a week before Christmas. His due date was 2 weeks after Christmas. We were both fine but he really changed my life !
    No babies this year, but a juicer would help the healthy diet plan.

    Comment by Patti — December 12, 2012 @ 5:52 pm

  208. I think Christmas itself is a gift and I just love it so. Two things that were the best were a bit before Christmas….a Siamese kitten when I was 16 and getting engaged on St. Lucy’s Day which is tomorrow. And thanks for letting me read all these wonderful posts.

    Comment by wilhelmina margalis — December 12, 2012 @ 6:04 pm

  209. The best Christmas surprise was a visit from a long lost friend after many years.

    Comment by jess inch — December 12, 2012 @ 6:04 pm

  210. My best Christmas surprise was an ornament with my cats on it. My parents had taken them to the mall to have their picture taken with Santa!

    Comment by Mary — December 12, 2012 @ 6:12 pm

  211. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was a car racing set when I was a kid. Loved that thing.

    Comment by danielle — December 12, 2012 @ 6:13 pm

  212. My biggest surprise was a trip to London that my Dad gave to me and my boyfriend. Best gift ever!

    Comment by Dina — December 12, 2012 @ 6:18 pm

  213. I don’t know if it was my biggest surprise, but my favorite was a dictionary. I was so in love with that guy…too bad he dumped me a few weeks later.

    Comment by Michele — December 12, 2012 @ 6:35 pm

  214. One Christmas day, 7 years ago, my then boyfriend and I were driving back from celebrating with our families. We were both talking about what a wonderful time we had had - how family dynamics had been oddly smooth and how happy we were to have spent time with everyone. When we got home he told me to wait outside and he ran into the house. When he came back out he got down on one knee and proposed. I was so surprised I got down on my knees too. We were kneeling in the snow, in the freezing cold, at 11 at night.
    Seven years later we have 2 beautiful children and a lot of love. His proposal was a great gift, our marriage and family the greatest gift of all.

    Comment by Stacey — December 12, 2012 @ 6:38 pm

  215. an engagement ring at the bottom of my stocking-shocking!

    Comment by carol — December 12, 2012 @ 7:12 pm

  216. Biggest surprise as a kid was a new Schein bicycle. As an adult, my husband surprised me with some very fancy diamond earrings.

    Comment by Jennie — December 12, 2012 @ 7:16 pm

  217. best christmas present ever? ever, ever? my macbook computer, which I use daily to access your website & your magnificent recipes!

    Comment by kim kelly — December 12, 2012 @ 7:18 pm

  218. One Christmas when I was about 12, I remember wanting only one thing. I told my parents what I wanted, I went to the mall and sat on Santas lap and told him too. EVERYBODY knew what I wanted, even my dumb little brother Randy knew what I wanted, but everybody told me the same thing, it was too dangerous. I wanted a BB gun, but not just any BB gun, I wanted the Official Red Rider BB gun, and I was sure that I wouldnt shoot my eye out.

    Oh, wait. That wasnt me, that was Ralphy in that Christmas movie.

    Nevermind… (blush)

    Comment by Gary — December 12, 2012 @ 7:22 pm

  219. Biggest surprise Christmas present was a horse, when I was 13 years old. Her name was Delight.

    Comment by Lynn Helbrecht — December 12, 2012 @ 7:39 pm

  220. A few years ago my husband and I decided not to exchange gifts because we wanted to save money. We promised we would only get each other ’stocking stuffers’. On Christmas morning I woke up to find a gigantic stocking standing next to the fireplace, stuffed with a new pair of snow boots! It was very funny and I smile every time I put those puts on!

    Comment by Pam Andrews — December 12, 2012 @ 7:39 pm

  221. When I was 11, a dollhouse my grandfather made-but left to me to decorate.

    Comment by Cindy — December 12, 2012 @ 7:43 pm

  222. The best surprise Christmas gift was when I was an undergrad at Bastyr. It was my first year and my first experience with the Giving Tree that The Student Council has every year. My daughter wanted a bike and I was too broke at the time to even think of getting it for her unfortunately. She put her request on the Tree, she even drew a picture of a bike. She was only 6 and it was so cute! I didn’t think in a million years that her request was going to be fulfilled. Lo and behold someone from The Student Council called me and said that her gift was ready to be picked up. Not only did she get her bike, but she also got streamers for the handlebars, a helmet, pads and all sort of doodads to stick on the bike. I was floored! I couldn’t believe that someone could be so generous. The best part about it was that I snuck it home and hid it until Christmas morning wrapped it up with a ton of wrapping paper and set it out. It was so big my daughter didn’t believe it was for her so she went around it and started opening her other smaller presents. When I told her it was for her her eyes got HUGE!! Then when she unwrapped it she started jumping up and down on the couch in her cute little pjs with cherries on them!! That was my first of many lovely Christmases at Bastyr and it was the BEST Christmas surprise yet!

    Comment by Margarethe — December 12, 2012 @ 7:48 pm

  223. I purchased a sweater for my teenage daughter. Her boyfriend was opening gifts with us too. She exclaimed that it was the ugliest sweater she had ever seen before. Then, the two of them went to his mother’s house and guess what she bought for my daughter…it was the same ugly sweater. I had a good laugh at the department store when I was explaining why I was returning two of the same ugly sweaters!

    Comment by Sue Sato — December 12, 2012 @ 7:48 pm

  224. When I was 6 I had th chicken pox starting the first day of Christmas break. Santa felt so sorry for me, he brought an Atari system and games -early! - so I could enjoy them while being quarantined.

    Comment by Jenifer — December 12, 2012 @ 8:43 pm

  225. Best surprise gift was when I got a digital SLR! Awesome gift! I use it now to capture shots of my beautiful daughter. :)

    Comment by Melissa C. — December 12, 2012 @ 8:54 pm

  226. When I was about 10 or so, I got these two mini arcade games - a Pac Man and a Donkey Kong. My mom accidentally made both tags out to me instead of one to my sister. Oops!

    Comment by Monica Kulaga — December 12, 2012 @ 9:15 pm

  227. Greatest gift was some white placemats of my mom’s that we used at special dinners around our table when I was growing up. She passed them on to me & I cherish them. Every time I use them, I remember that 10- year old girl helping her mom set a beautiful table. Thanks mom!!

    Comment by Monica W — December 12, 2012 @ 9:27 pm

  228. Best Christmas present ever…i have had many Christmases. Truth be told, the gift giving is a challenge for me. One of the best presents ever i received as a child. My parents were farmers and money was always tight. I asked for a “chatty kathy” doll…not expecting to get it. However, Christmas morning there she was under the tree! Thanks Mom and Dad!!

    Comment by cheryl — December 12, 2012 @ 9:36 pm

  229. My biggest Christmas surprise my brand new ice skates when I was in first grade. I remember their new smell vividly.

    Comment by Jen — December 12, 2012 @ 9:51 pm

  230. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was a flight to Australia to visit my family.

    Comment by Leisal — December 12, 2012 @ 9:51 pm

  231. I think the biggest surprise I can remember is one of my first Christmases with my husband and money was tight and he gave me a dark chocolate bar and when I unwrapped it there were a pair of small diamond earrings in it…don’t know how he unwrapped and rewrapped that chocolate!

    Comment by jen schimelfenyg — December 12, 2012 @ 9:52 pm

  232. Earrings made out of recycled flip flops!

    Comment by Bridget Joyce — December 12, 2012 @ 9:52 pm

  233. Best surprise was a few years ago. My dad had just been laid off and mom warned “it’s not going to be like years past”. Sure there were a few less gifts but being together seemed extra special. I had just moved 3000 miles from home and it was my first time home in 6 months. I didn’t ask for much but had lost a watch in my move. Mom said “look real hard, I think you still have something that you didn’t open”. We played hot/cold all over the living room and hidden in the tree was a new bronze watch. It wasn’t so much the gift that was special but the way my parents gave it to me.

    Comment by Marisa — December 12, 2012 @ 10:00 pm

  234. i never had a surprise gift, but the worst surprise i had for christmas was to stay in hospital with my 3 month old daughter, while traveling in a foreign country.

    Comment by Helen — December 12, 2012 @ 10:07 pm

  235. My best surprise Christmas gift would be: Winning your juicer!!!!!!

    Comment by Rima Phillips — December 12, 2012 @ 10:16 pm

  236. I can’t say exactly what the gifts were, but my mom always saved one gift for the day after Christmas. They were never “big ticket items” but it was always such a sweet surprise to find just one more wrapped gift the day after all the excitement of Christmas. I did the same thing for my daughter …

    Comment by Julie — December 12, 2012 @ 10:26 pm

  237. Most surprising Christmas gift was a digital SLR camera. Absolutely amazing.

    Comment by marilyn — December 12, 2012 @ 10:27 pm

  238. My biggest surprise was a new bike when my parents had warned us that it was going to be a slim Christmas. I was about 12 and all four of us kids were waiting at the top of the driveway for Dad to say it was light enough for us to take our first ride.

    Comment by Karen Dicken — December 12, 2012 @ 10:30 pm

  239. i’d love to win this juicer!
    my biggest christmas surprise was when i got a karaoke machine when i was about 12 years old. my dad gave it to me and my sister and he never picked out the gifts, it was always my mom. we didn’t even ask for it. but we loved it!!!!

    Comment by Jane — December 12, 2012 @ 10:33 pm

  240. My mother gave my husband and me a Bunny, one for an infant…..I was 29 and so confused as to why she would give it to us. She told us she was tired of waiting. Her 1st grandbaby was born before the next Christmas. ;)

    Comment by Julie — December 12, 2012 @ 10:34 pm

  241. My biggest Christmas surprise was the year when my parents took me to Disney World for Christmas break - what a blast!!

    Comment by Vicki Davis — December 12, 2012 @ 10:36 pm

  242. I received a new flat screen monitor for my computer and thought it was a TV which I didn’t need. Then my son explained it was for the computer!

    Comment by Joan Gaska — December 12, 2012 @ 10:36 pm

  243. I can’t think of a specific gift that was a big surprise but what comes to mind is how suprised my whole family (parents, brother & his wife, their kids, husband, our kids and me) was to discover how much more we enjoyed Christmas when we changed to rules for gift giving. Gifts exchanged now must meet the following criteria: regifted, previously enjoyed by giver, made by the giver (preferably out of used materials), or purchased used for a very small price. We have to be much more creative and it has taken the stress out of Christmas.

    Comment by Kate C — December 12, 2012 @ 10:43 pm

  244. The most memorable Christmas was the greatest Christmas gift ever: I was in the Peace Corps in Cusco, Peru. I lived in small village with no running water, electricity, toilets, public eateries or anything else. We were advised by the regional director to stay in our village sites to participate in the celebration of the people. I did and oh was it different. I had been invited by the main “important” family in the area for dinner and to receive the greetings from the Indian communities when they came to give the traditional ‘abrazo’ and wishes for a good year. I was sort of ill from some food poisoning a week or so earlier and felt awful. After mid day dinner I was to go to the town plaza and hitch a ridein the back of a pick up truck to the regional district capital and go celebrate with the foreign community at the house of the Roman Catholic bishop who was from the US. I was ill, but had to go. I got a ride and about a half hour from the destination the feared stomach rumbling began. the rough, unpaved ‘highway’ was a torturous ride that made me feel even worse. just as we arrived at the limits to the city and the paved part of the road, I was trying and praying desperately to contain my roaring stomach when the driver ran into the vehicle in front of him! Dios mio - one accident provoked another and well I sort of lost the stomach battle. The driver did not want to drive the rest of the way into town so I had to walk! It was horrible, the contents of my accident slowly running down my leg and I had to go to dinner at the Bishops house! What to do? There was a market place and as I shuffled through I bought the biggest pair of pants I could find which of course were in the sizes of the Peruvian folks of the region- significantly smaller than me. Where to bathe?? The local hotel had hot water only until 10 am and that was hours earlier but I had no choice: cold shower. Can you imagine how cold that was at over 13,000 feet up in the Andes mountains! It was horrible and no matter how much I scrubbed and tried I could not get the offensive smell out of my clothes and I thought, off my body as I wiggled and squirmed with soap in the frigid water. Once out of that shower I had to face the new pants - that did not fit. Oh it was terrible. I made it to the Bishop’s house and well could not sit up as the pants would not close but I could hide somewhat by my poncho… I could not escape the smell, and I was freezing. The bishop noticed I did not seem all that much into the festivities and aside asked me what was wrong. I told him. Then the greatest and most appreciated of Christmas presents ever was given to me- a hot shower with good soap and a wonderful towel. I have never appreciated anything as much as I did that shower thousands of miles from family and anything familiar in a strange place and feeling sick.. I was then invited to spend the night in the house of the American missionary priests in a clean bed, warm surroundings and well, the pants still did not fit but I did not smell bad! The greatest gift was hot water and a clean bed in a warm house, never appreciated so much as that night. That was my first Christmas as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru. I can assure you that the next year was significantly different! wow I have not thought of this experience for a long time. It was an experience for sure - one of several as a smiling naive, gringo out to save the world…

    Comment by james rigney — December 12, 2012 @ 10:51 pm

  245. As a kid, my favorite gift was a pogo stick. As an adult, my hubby surprised me with some beautiful drop style diamond earrings. I had tried them on “for fun” at the jewelers. I couldn’t believe it when I opened that present!

    Comment by Jennie — December 12, 2012 @ 10:54 pm

  246. It’s gotta be my green Schwin bike! I was eight and it was great!

    Comment by Larry — December 12, 2012 @ 10:55 pm

  247. Portable urinal. Seriously. It was a white elephant gag gift but still horrible :(

    Comment by Erica — December 12, 2012 @ 11:26 pm

  248. My husband and I spent a romantic Christmas in Belize last year. This year, we’ll spend it with the product of that beautiful trip: our baby boy! I couldn’t ask for a more perfect present then these two men on my life!

    Comment by Erin Fields — December 12, 2012 @ 11:38 pm

  249. My niece moved from Seattle to New York City and I hadn’t seen her in quite a while. Her mom called me one day and wanted to get together for a meeting on a business project we were working on together. I thought it was a little odd since we were all caught up on tasks, but we agreed to meet. She wasn’t there when I arrived so I was standing on the sidewalk when I heard “Hey, lady!”. Looking over, there she was - with my niece! What a great reunion we had.

    Comment by Christy Anderson — December 12, 2012 @ 11:43 pm

  250. Probably when I was pregnant, knowing I was expecting a child within a few weeks. Such a special Christmas!

    Comment by laurel — December 12, 2012 @ 11:43 pm

  251. My family sent me a sewing machine, it was very unexpected gift!

    Comment by Jenna — December 12, 2012 @ 11:56 pm

  252. When I was five, I left homemade cookies out for Santa. I woke up to see all of them gone, save one that had a bite taken out of it, plus a note that Rudolph had tried my cookie and loved it! I treasured that cookie remnant until it was just crumbs in my drawer. Best surprise ever.

    Comment by Lynne — December 13, 2012 @ 12:06 am

  253. The best Christmas present ever was when I was 10 years old and waking up to a new bike with a banana seat that was brown and gold. I was so proud of that bike!!

    Comment by Tracy Robinson — December 13, 2012 @ 12:11 am

  254. 7Up soda machine when I was 7 it didn’t work and I couldn’t understand if Santa bought it why it had to be returned to Kmart.

    Comment by Tanya — December 13, 2012 @ 3:24 am

  255. One of my biggest Christmas surprises came after moving from Long Island to North Carolina. After a few years, I missed the snow on Christmas day and never expected it to snow in Charlotte. One Christmas morning, when my children were young, we looked out the window and there it was. Snow on Christmas day once again. It was something I had always wanted my children to know.

    Comment by Ellen — December 13, 2012 @ 4:12 am

  256. My most meaningful Christmas gift was given to my wife and I last year on December 16, 2011 by our youngest son and his wife. On that wonderful day, they gave birth to a beautiful baby boy; Kirk Youssuf! Kirk is our first grandchild and we cherish every moment with him! This was most definitely the best Christmas gift I have ever received.

    Comment by Scott Bell — December 13, 2012 @ 5:01 am

  257. My most interesting Christmas gift was silverware from my Father. A very unusual gift!

    Comment by Rose Davila — December 13, 2012 @ 8:05 am

  258. My engagement ring was a big surprise 11 years ago!

    Comment by Kim — December 13, 2012 @ 8:09 am

  259. My favorite Christmas gift was the complete peace and stillness the morning provided for my snowy, city walk with my two dogs. We ventured out to the fancy neighborhood with the sparkly lights and had a beautiful morning stroll.

    Comment by Lisa — December 13, 2012 @ 8:44 am

  260. When I was in high school, my parents surprised me and my younger brother with mountain bikes. The bikes were a great surprise because, until I was about 20 years old or so, I made it my business to know exactly what I was getting for Christmas :-) So my parents enlisted the help of a neighbor, who happened to own the town’s bike shop, to pull off the surprise. While we were at midnight mass, the neighbor brought the bikes over and parked them next to the Christmas tree. When we came home from mass and saw the bikes, I felt like a 5-year-old! My brother and I tore upstairs to change out of our church clothes, then took the bikes out for a spin. We didn’t care about the snow or darkness; we felt invincible.

    Comment by Marya — December 13, 2012 @ 9:16 am

  261. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was a family trip to the beach. With my sister and I getting older, it was one of the last times we were together as a family for the holidays. Great memories.

    Comment by George Sparks — December 13, 2012 @ 9:18 am

  262. The biggest surprise gift that I ever received for Christmas was a Henkel chef’s knife from my older brother. At Thanksgiving of that year, my freshman year of college, I had cut my finger pretty badly with a dull knife while preparing the veggies. I had no idea that my seemingly aloof brother had noticed the accident (or my absence while I was getting stitches). I was so surprised when I unwrapped the knife the next month. My heart leapt with joy: my cool older brother had noticed me and cared whether or not my fingers were whole! It’s been 16 years since he gave me the knife, and I still use it nearly every day.

    Comment by Punk Tilly — December 13, 2012 @ 9:37 am

  263. When I was 13, I received a book titled “How it all works” with all the innuendo a 13 year old might fear. Turns out, after much blushing and trying not to open said book, it was about how to understand and fix mechanical things like electrical sockets, changing oil in a car, clearing a drain, etc.

    Comment by Molly — December 13, 2012 @ 9:49 am

  264. When I was 12, I received an SLR camera and 6 rolls of film. My dad taught me how to develop my negatives and print photos — an incredible gift.

    Comment by Stephanie — December 13, 2012 @ 10:44 am

  265. The biggest surprise Christmas gift I’ve received was the expression on my son’s face when he woke up Christmas morning to find that Santa left him the puppy he’s wanted for a very long time.

    Comment by Ana — December 13, 2012 @ 10:44 am

  266. I loved your post about tolerance and, by extension, compassion. A lovely children’s book is The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah, Kelly DiPucchio and Tricia Tusa. It’s fun to read aloud and a great way to start conversations about differences and common ground.

    Comment by Stephanie — December 13, 2012 @ 10:49 am

  267. My family was celebrating Christmas in Mexico City when I was 6. I wasn’t sure if Santa knew where to find us, but on Christmas morning there was the doll house that I was hoping to get on the table of our hotel room! You can’t get away from Santa!

    Comment by Athena Lounsbery — December 13, 2012 @ 11:32 am

  268. The biggest surprise Christmas gift I have ever received was a beautiful unfinished wooden doll house when I was eight years old. My dad and I worked on finishing the house and painting it. It was a wonderful way to spend time together.

    Comment by Jen — December 13, 2012 @ 11:42 am

  269. I received a gorgeous handmade teapot, japanese style cups and a handmade journal from my boyfriend (now husband of 15 yrs) who hates to shop. He put a lot of thought and love into choosing something special.

    Comment by Mary — December 13, 2012 @ 12:06 pm

  270. a greenhouse that arrived on a huge trailer truck for me to unload! yiy!

    Comment by Cammie Harbottle — December 13, 2012 @ 12:24 pm

  271. My mom gave me a kitchen aid mixer! I had wanted one for years, but couldn’t justify the expense so I kept of using my ancient little hand mixer. What an improvement!

    Comment by Genevieve — December 13, 2012 @ 1:12 pm

  272. Probably the year I was eight and my Mom made me a Holly Hobbie doll! It was so adorable and I still have it . ♥

    Comment by Darcy — December 13, 2012 @ 1:13 pm

  273. The biggest surprise Christmas gift I ever received was a wildlife feeder, handmade in Maine, from my father. I stuck carrots in it for the deer!

    Comment by Amanda Shaw — December 13, 2012 @ 1:52 pm

  274. I really wanted a bike in 7th grade, so I could have a little independence. But my parents made clear that cost more than they could handle that year, so there wasn’t much hope. On Christmas morning lo & behold, there was a bike! My mother had rehabbed & painted her 3-speed - her own transportation around the neighborhood - & gave it to me! I hope I looked as grateful as I felt.

    Comment by Florence — December 13, 2012 @ 2:00 pm

  275. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was when I was 12 years old, and my brother and sister and I had secretly peeked into each gift so we knew what we were getting… all except for one gift! We each saved one so we could have at least one surprise. Well, on Christmas morn, my gift turned out to be a gift inside a gift… there were about 6 boxes to unwrap, and when I got to the last box, it was a piccolo! I was a flute player, and wanted a piccolo more than anything. I was beyond happy!

    Comment by Val Hebert — December 13, 2012 @ 2:18 pm

  276. I don’t celebrate Christmas but the biggest surprise birthday gift I ever got was a dead squirrel. I wanted to taste squirrel and one of my friends (who doesn’t hunt) went hunting with his dad and killed one and gave it to me skinned in a ziplock bag. FWIW it tastes like turkey.

    Comment by Lori Flanagan — December 13, 2012 @ 2:21 pm

  277. My best Christmas surprise came when I was 3 years old. At the time, I was too little to understand what was happening, but I remember my father opening the gift my mother gave him, and inside was sexy, red lace lingerie! My 5 year old sister and I thought it was HILARIOUS because “Daddy doesn’t wear THAT! that’s for girls!”. Looking back, I now know what she was doing. So, at the time it was not a surprise, but about 5 years ago when I looked back on that memory as a grown woman, I am SURPRISED to no end that my gutsy mom gave her husband that kind of gift in front of the kids! Half of me says “ewwww!” but the other half says, “way to keep the romance alive, mom!”.

    Comment by Sophia Elie — December 13, 2012 @ 2:34 pm

  278. When I was 10 years old, I used to watch a TV show called “Learn to Draw with Jon Gnagy”. I used to love to draw along with him pretending to be an artist. That Christmas, my mom and dad bought me an easel and a “Learn to Draw with Jon Gnagy ” kit–I was thrilled. Nearly 60 years old, I still have the book. Thanks mom and dad!

    Comment by D'Arcie — December 13, 2012 @ 2:35 pm

  279. Biggest Christmas surprise:
    This shows it’s tough to let go, given that it was a Christmas decades ago. I got a beautiful dollhouse but had asked for a chemistry set.

    Comment by Jeroldine Hallberg — December 13, 2012 @ 2:56 pm

  280. Oh boy, this is my dream juicer. My biggest surprise was the year that my dad bought and refinished a beautiful rocking chair for me. the gift meant a lot to me as a teenager and it still means a lot to me now that he is gone.

    Comment by Danielle — December 13, 2012 @ 3:13 pm

  281. My best present ever was when we lived in Bangladesh and I was 11 years old. My grandmother was sitting under our Pampas grass tree on Christmas morning! She came for a surprise visit from Seattle.

    Comment by Bonnie Grayum — December 13, 2012 @ 3:45 pm

  282. My best present ever was my first watch given to me by my grandfather. I wish I still had it!

    Comment by Elyse — December 13, 2012 @ 5:13 pm

  283. My first granddaughter was my best Christmas gift, one I will always cherish!!!!

    Comment by Brenda — December 13, 2012 @ 6:19 pm

  284. I was about 6 years old and I really thought I saw Santa in the sky, out my bedroom window, in his helicopter coming to deliver my Christmas presents! We lived in California without snow, so he always came in a helicopter of course instead of a sleigh. I don’t know what I really saw in the sky, but at the time I was very sure it was Santa. A magical gift for sure!

    Comment by Glenda George — December 13, 2012 @ 7:03 pm

  285. When I was nine, my southern grandmother inexplicably sent me an electric griddle and a hot air popcorn popper for Christmas. The gifts seemed so eccentric to me then (I don’t think I aspired to be the amazing cook she was, at that tender age) but with those odd gifts she inspired me to get into the kitchen. My mother hated to cook but could not say no to my whipping up some pancakes for dinner! I kept those two gifts and happily packed them with me when I moved into my first apartment at age eighteen. They might not have been gifts I would have thought to ask for - but they remain my favorites!

    Comment by Kristine — December 13, 2012 @ 7:50 pm

  286. Our grandmother took the ENTIRE family to Hawaii for Christmas one year. We couldn’t believe it!

    Comment by Rebecca C. — December 13, 2012 @ 8:03 pm

  287. My husband, then boyfriend, gave me a 4 ft yellow stuffed dog. Not what I was hoping for. I think he must have been really stuck for an idea.

    Comment by Anit — December 13, 2012 @ 8:41 pm

  288. Growing up with ten brothers and sisters meant slim pickens for Christmas. Our parents did the best they could but even then, we knew not to ask for “big things”. When I was about 8, I became obsessed with a very large fashion designer kit that I saw in the Sears catalogue at my Aunt Peggy’s. I never said a word about it to my parents because I knew it was too much to ask for. Instead, I just grabbed the catalogue everytime we visited my aunts and sat in the corner looking at the page, fantasizing about how great it would be if I had it. Imagine how surprised and thrilled I was when it appeared under the tree from Santa that Christmas morning!! I think that was the best Christmas I ever had!

    Comment by Erika — December 13, 2012 @ 9:04 pm

  289. My best surprise was spending Christams for the first time with my husband’s family! I was a little nervous to be around so many new people (it’s a very large family) and I was welcomed with open arms. I am still amazed at their graciousness and their ability to work together.

    Comment by Sarah — December 13, 2012 @ 10:30 pm

  290. Once when visiting my aunt and uncle they came and picked us up from the airport in a limo. I was about 11 and it was thrilling!

    Comment by Sally — December 14, 2012 @ 12:26 am

  291. The best present I received Christmas morning was when my kids found their Christmas black lab and the look on their faces was the best gift I could have been given. It brought my heart back home to the love of pets I felt growing up.

    Comment by Jennifer grey — December 14, 2012 @ 1:05 am

  292. We used to have big family Christmases with lots of cousins and aunts and uncles. Some how a rumor was circulated among the children that Santa actually flew in a small airplane on Christmas day- and…”listen! Can’t you hear the plane?? Look up there! He’s flying over RIGHT NOW!!!” And just as I stepped out beyond the porch– a pair of red rubber boots dropped from the sky and landed at my feet! — Holy freakin’ cow!! A present from SANTA’S AIRPLANE!! (Via my uncle, who was on the roof apparently.) Ho ho ho!

    Comment by jessica davis — December 14, 2012 @ 4:25 am

  293. I received a full-size bike from Santa when I was 7 years old. I loved that bike; and I still believe in Santa Claus because of that wonderful present. Merry Christmas!

    Comment by Mary Rogers — December 14, 2012 @ 9:17 am

  294. The best Christmas gift I can think of was actually some t-shirts that I made for my entire family (and me) years ago…they were “Gomer Pride” T-shirts and each t-shirt was in a different color - everyone had so much fun with them that we had a spontaneous “Gomer Pride Parade” where we took turns parading and showing off our Gomer talents - priceless!

    Comment by Karen — December 14, 2012 @ 10:58 am

  295. High heels, or “pumps” as I called them in 7 th grade. I begged and begged for pumps and my mom said I was too young. She surprised me!

    Comment by AmyCW — December 14, 2012 @ 11:12 am

  296. I don’t remember his but apperently when I was young, I was opening presents on Christmas morning, opened one and proclaimed…”*gasp* it’s just what I’ve always wanted!….what is it?”. It must have been very funny because inevitably someone recounts the story every year :)

    Comment by Erica Boberg — December 14, 2012 @ 11:17 am

  297. Plane tickets home for Christmas!!

    Comment by aimee pearce — December 14, 2012 @ 12:09 pm

  298. My family doesn’t do big expensive gifts, but one year my parents surprised me with a much-needed new laptop. I was so surprised, and thankful!

    Comment by Aiden — December 14, 2012 @ 2:26 pm

  299. Christmas of ‘76 my sister and I got new bikes. For two little girls coming up in the world, that was just about the best thing ever!

    Comment by catherine king — December 14, 2012 @ 5:43 pm

  300. Biggest surprise I ever got was a brand new Chevy! Husbands are awesome!

    Comment by Rachel — December 14, 2012 @ 6:05 pm

  301. The biggest surprise I ever got was a beginner’s knitting kit from my mom, an ace knitter of forty years. She had to quit knitting due to tendonitis in her elbow, and anointed me as the new family knitter. I balked at first, but soon discovered how relaxing knitting can be. . .now I’m passing on the gift by teaching a handful of women in our small Alaskan how to knit.

    Comment by Samantha Richert — December 14, 2012 @ 8:26 pm

  302. Mine was a green, plastic, puffy Richie Rich wallet. I was around 6 years old. God I loved that thing.

    Comment by Kate — December 14, 2012 @ 8:47 pm

  303. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was a set of dishes from Pfaltzgraph, beautiful winter wonderland dishes. I smile everytime I see them!

    Comment by Julie — December 14, 2012 @ 10:08 pm

  304. A plane ticket to see family.

    Comment by Colleen Hayes — December 14, 2012 @ 10:59 pm

  305. waking up to a living room that was set up as a campsite, tent and all. My husband surprised me, and we’ve been using and adding to our gear all year every year since then.

    Comment by Alissa — December 15, 2012 @ 6:20 am

  306. What an amazing giveaway!

    When I was in my early 20s, my parents had my dilapidated, beloved childhood doll restored and my mother sewed her an intricate handmade gown. I cried and cried when I opened that incredibly meaningful gift.

    Comment by Ann — December 15, 2012 @ 7:44 am

  307. My grandmother gave me some of her and her family’s aprons, sewing/darning objects and some lefse cooking gear… I’ll treasure it always, and love to use them to remind me of her and of older times.

    Comment by Angela — December 15, 2012 @ 10:47 am

  308. I once was the biggest Christmas gift for my family! I flew back to MIchigan from Seattle and had one of my three sisters pick me up at the airport without telling anyone else, a Christmas miracle in itself that it stayed a secret. That night the whole extended family was at our favorite restaurant for the annual holiday dinner and after they were all seated I snuck in and brought menus to the table posing as a waitress. My parents jaws dropped when they saw me and the joy in the giving of that gift was immense, something I’ll never forget. The food was good, too!

    Comment by Sandy — December 15, 2012 @ 10:54 am

  309. My biggest surprise Christmas gift was my camera two years ago. I had wanted a DSLR for a couple of years. My husband told me that he got it for me because he knew I would never spend the money on myself. (I liked you on Facebook and now subscribe by email as well as by RSS.) Thanks for the opportunity to win the juicer!

    Comment by Amanda — December 15, 2012 @ 5:13 pm

  310. When I was in grade school my parents had a local woodworker make myself and my sisters each a townhouse dollhouse.

    Comment by Michelle — December 15, 2012 @ 5:37 pm

  311. My family has always been really awful at surprise gifts. My mother has always had to tell us what she’s gotten us otherwise she’d forget she got it and we’d find it shoved under her bed a few seasons later. >.<

    Still, I think I can come up with of the best Xmas surprise gift I’ve ever received: When I was 5 my parents surprised both my sister and me with those stuffed animals that had babies inside them. Remember those? I can’t recall the name but mine was a pink kitty and from that day onward I called her “Pink Kitty” (I was very creative) and she became my security blanket. I may have lost all her babies, but to this day I still have her. Your giveaway question really got me thinking about Pink Kitty and I even found a photo!

    Comment by Robyn @ Blueberries and Oats — December 15, 2012 @ 9:51 pm

  312. When I was a kid I got a video game system that was a HUGE shock. My parents had spent the last two months telling me that they couldn’t get it for us (for a variety of reasons) and they had me completely convinced that it wasn’t going to happen.

    Comment by Jenny — December 15, 2012 @ 11:19 pm

  313. A flexible flyer sled under the tree from Santa when I was 6. Best. Christmas. Ever.

    Comment by Alicia — December 16, 2012 @ 9:58 am

  314. On Christmas Day, 1999, I found out I was pregnant with my one and only child. My OB-GYN told me I’d never be able to have kids. Not only was this the biggest surprise Christmas gift I’ve ever received, it was and always will be, my very favorite :)

    Comment by Kristine Mestaz — December 16, 2012 @ 10:03 am

  315. Surprised at midnight Because my dad couldn’t wait to play with a new race track and the noise woke me up!

    Comment by Greg Johnson — December 16, 2012 @ 10:19 am

  316. I think the biggest surprise was a cross stitch frame from my significant other. He was so sick on Christmas Eve but he went shopping without me knowing. I was so touched because he was running a fever and should have been in bed which I thought he was.

    Comment by Sandee McClure — December 16, 2012 @ 10:21 am

  317. I get handmade, surprise gifts from my kids each year. I really can’t choose a favourite because I love them all. One I treasure a lot though is a drawing my eldest once made.

    Comment by Ulrike — December 16, 2012 @ 10:32 am

  318. I didn’t get all the items on my letters to Santa as a child (never got that Atari or Snoopy Sno
    Cone Machine), but one year I did get the cabbage patch doll on my list. I loved that doll for many years!

    Comment by Rhona — December 16, 2012 @ 10:37 am

  319. When I was probably 4 or 5 the Cabbage Patch Kids were all the rage, and really hard to get a hold of. Santa came through for me and left me one under my grandparents tree (I promptly gave her the oh so original name “Cabby”) and took her to church with us that morning. I left her in the pew with my family when I went up to the front for children’s time but when they asked us what we got from Santa I got so excited I ran back to the pew to fetch her while the whole congregation waited for me to show her off! I loved that doll and maybe it’s why I love all cabbage dishes now!

    Comment by Bethany Wofford — December 16, 2012 @ 10:44 am

  320. Bringing home my son from hospital on Christmas day and his little sister at 15 months clapped her hands with joy and said, “Baby, Baby.”

    Comment by Kimberly — December 16, 2012 @ 11:00 am

  321. Best Christmas gift ever was supermario brothers. The original. Nintendo! That was so long ago

    Comment by Tal — December 16, 2012 @ 11:13 am

  322. Probably the Christmas gift I remember the best was from when I was a young girl. My grandmother handmade a dozen outfits for my American Girl dolls and gave me a gift certificate for a new doll. They have all been passed down to my nieces who love them as much as I did.

    Comment by Laurel Moore — December 16, 2012 @ 11:41 am

  323. The most memorable gift I got was 1001 sporks from my girlfriend (now wife) one of them is metal and will last forever!!

    Comment by Cameron — December 16, 2012 @ 2:57 pm

  324. I know from pictures that I was very surprised when Santa brought me the doll that I so badly wanted when I was 3 or 4 - I don’t remember the kind it was, but she had long bundles of yarn hair that each had ribbons coming out of them so that you could scrunch it up and tie her hair in a bit of an updo/shorter style. Of gifts that I can remember… hubby brought me very sweet and thoughtful gifts when we were just dating and he came to visit for the holidays in 2005! And last year for Christmas got me sapphire earrings… again… because the year before, one fell out the second time I ever wore them :(

    Comment by Alyssa — December 16, 2012 @ 2:58 pm

  325. The year my parents gave me a guitar was a big surprise!

    Comment by Kathy — December 16, 2012 @ 4:35 pm

  326. A sweet red and black Schwinn beach cruiser!

    Comment by Tara — December 16, 2012 @ 4:39 pm

  327. The biggest surprise gift? I always let Santa know what my hearts desire was every year, but THIS juicer would be the ULTIMATE surprise!! One tradition that I always loved was those boxes of Life Savors books in my stocking…And now I do it for my kids. :)

    Comment by Melinda Stone — December 16, 2012 @ 10:05 pm

  328. I got a Printmaking press last year from my husband! Best gift ever!!

    Comment by Stephanie — December 17, 2012 @ 1:38 pm

  329. My favorite surprise is from when I was a kid and my mom gave me this tiny, perfectly functionable hand mixer just like the big one she had in her kitchen! I still remember that one! Must have had something to do with how much I love to cook now! Mom would always give us free reign in the kitchen and never get upset with the mess! Thank you Mom!

    Comment by plexy — December 18, 2012 @ 1:03 pm

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