What Was the Most Gratifying Gift You Ever Gave Someone?

We decided to conduct a quick, random survey of people we know or came in contact with on a given day, “What was the most gratifying gift you ever gave someone?”

A car was the answer we heard a few times, with a trend noted that husbands like to buy cars for their wives and parents like to buy their children’s first car. We promised our survey participants anonymity, so remember these are not their real names but these are their stories.

Robert told the story of how he shopped and shopped and shopped with his oldest daughter at the end of her senior year in high school for just the right car, but in the end, they couldn’t make a deal for her dream Mustang. She went home convinced she’d have to wait till they had more time to shop. He and his wife secretly purchased the car and left it parked in a far out spot in a nearby supermarket parking lot the Saturday before their daughter’s high school graduation. They then insisted on a family grocery shopping trip, which she objected to but finally conceded so they’d quit nagging her about how they wouldn’t get to do this many more times because she’d be gone away to college. They parked by the Mustang and the daughter indeed noticed it and commented, “Some lucky person got a car like I want.” With that, her dad handed her the keys and said, “Sure did.” Robert said that was a moment in time he hopes he never forgets. No doubt the biggest hug of his life.

Nell, shared a very recent example of gratification from giving. She lives next door to an older couple who still work to make ends meet and have never done much traveling. They are like second parents to her because her parts live in a distant city. About a year ago, she told the neighbor lady that if she’d quit smoking for a year they’d take a cruise to celebrate as her gift for perseverance and determination. This past October 8th at 7:00 A.M., Nell’s doorbell rang and it was the neighbor in her bathrobe and slippers saying, “I’m smoke-free for a year; when are we taking that cruise?” They took a cruise to the Bahamas in early December and had a ball. Nell says she’s never felt so wonderful about giving something to another person.

Which says a lot because Nell gives gifts to just about everyone she knows for every occasion from birthdays to Christmas. She knows what they like or collect and keeps her eyes tuned in all year as she shops stores, yard sales, and craft fairs for the perfect gift.

She’s also very generous with her parents having given them first-class airline tickets to Amsterdam for their 30th wedding anniversary. One year she flew her dad to Orlando, Florida, to see the Blackwatch—his favorite TV show. While he was in town, they also saw skating stars on ice and drove to Atlanta for a Nascar race—all a surprise to him.

Nell is a major source of gifting stories: She once bought an airboat for a boyfriend and put a lottery scratch-off ticket in a gift exchange that won $1,000.

Another survey participant, Lou, said one of her most memorable and delightful gifts were two huge stuffed animals she bought for her children when they were small. She’d always complained about stuffed animals taking up too much space but just felt compelled to buy these while shopping in a mall toy store one Christmas. As she walked through the mall struggling to carry the two heavy stuffed animals one under each arm, she got more smiles and comments than she’s ever encountered before or since. She just felt the Christmas spirit soar.

Another person we asked was Millie,an older shopper who vividly recalled the Christmas her oldest son got his first bicycle. His dad had convinced him that Santa just couldn’t fit a bike down the chimney. When he opened the door and saw that bike under the tree, he was the happiest kid she’s ever seen.

We love stories of joy and are glad we could find and share these with you.

If you have one to share with our readers, please send them to us here at:

http://i-shoptheworld.com/2008/12/21/what-was-the-most-gratifying-gift-you-ever-gave-someone/

and share “What was the most gratifying gift you ever gave someone?” and “What was the most gratifying gift you ever received from someone?” with all of Your Friends around the world ok?

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