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Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

What Christmas presents did you buy for your parents when you were a kid?

I remember every year, I would buy my dad Hai Karate aftershave.  It was gag-worthy.  But I always got a warm hug.  And bless him, he would wear it.  I was so proud to have that wrapped present for him under the tree.  Don't know how or why I started with that stuff.  He doesn't even own a bottle of a cologne now.  I probably ruined it for him.

 

My mom, I would always get her a bottle of Evening in Paris, or Cotillion from a corner drug store.  She also would wear it.  She's not much of a perfume person now.  I gave her a bottle of (the original) TOVA and she never wore it.  I spotted it in her closet a few years ago and asked her about it.  She said I could have it.  I'm not too proud---I took it back!!!  

 

I remember decorating bars of fancy soaps that had raised designs like flowers on them.  We would paint them with gold paint, sort of like moriage effect and pin tiny velvet flowers onto the tops using short straight pins.  Gave  them to grandmothers and aunts.  I guess it was for decoration only,  because who's going to bathe with soap that has straight pins in it?  And the gold paint was toxic I'm sure, we're talking the 60's.

 

Do you remember certain gifts you gave when you were a kid?

 

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Re: What Christmas presents did you buy for your parents when you were a kid?

I don't remember what I gave my parents but I do remember my mother having flowered "fancy" soap in a dish in the bathroom.  It was for decoration only so it was never used....seems silly now.

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Re: What Christmas presents did you buy for your parents when you were a kid?

Whenever we would make the seven hour trip to visit my grandmother for Christmas, I would give her a Precious Moments figurine as a present. She would act as if I had given her gold bouillon as a gift, and grin like a Cheshire cat. It made me feel so special. That was a wonderful memory just now. Thank you for posting.

 

 

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

Esteemed Contributor
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Re: What Christmas presents did you buy for your parents when you were a kid?

@Lucky Charm  I received the Harriet Carter mag. and had form fifty cents to one dlollar to spend. I remember buying a toothpick holder that had a water filled bird that picked up the toothpick

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Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: What Christmas presents did you buy for your parents when you were a kid?

Most I can't remember.I know my dad always reminded us before Christmas NOT to buy him Old Spice, LOL! Probably bought Dad the usual: tie tac/ bar, sweater,cigars and such. One year someone gave him jeans. He refused them.

 

Best gift I ever bought mom was probably the year I picked up seasonal work in a mall jewelry store. With my discount I bought her a Mother's ring, with all the kids' birthstones. Along with her wedding set she wore that ring on her right hand every day for decades, and she was not much for jewelry (until Joan Rivers came along). Many years later I made her a big basket filled with "luxury" items. It was a great presentation. She had her eye on that big basket and was delighted when told it was her gift! Another time I gifted her a mink handbag that had been mine that she really coveted. Mom liked any gift as long as it was not green! (the color, not cash, LOL!) I have no idea why that was.

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Re: What Christmas presents did you buy for your parents when you were a kid?


@PA Mom-mom wrote:

@Lucky Charm  I received the Harriet Carter mag. and had form fifty cents to one dlollar to spend. I remember buying a toothpick holder that had a water filled bird that picked up the toothpick


Oh I had the same allotment as you.  That bird dipping to pick up the toothpick makes me smile just imagining it!Heart

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Re: What Christmas presents did you buy for your parents when you were a kid?


@haddon9 wrote:

I don't remember what I gave my parents but I do remember my mother having flowered "fancy" soap in a dish in the bathroom.  It was for decoration only so it was never used....seems silly now.


Yes!  I remember seeing small rosebud shaped soaps in bathrooms.  If you used one just once, it looked like a bird egg!

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Re: What Christmas presents did you buy for your parents when you were a kid?


@SandySparkles wrote:

Whenever we would make the seven hour trip to visit my grandmother for Christmas, I would give her a Precious Moments figurine as a present. She would act as if I had given her gold bouillon as a gift, and grin like a Cheshire cat. It made me feel so special. That was a wonderful memory just now. Thank you for posting.

 

 

~~~All we need is LOVE💖


I know people who still buy, give or collect Precious Moments!

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Re: What Christmas presents did you buy for your parents when you were a kid?

[ Edited ]

For my dad it was Old Spice aftershave.  That was the only scent that he ever wore.  To this day, I still enjoy the scent of it and the memories it brings back of my dad.

 

My dad loved to fish so each Christmas I would buy him a new fishing lure.  When he would catch a fish with that lure he always would tell me it was the lure that brought him the good luck.

 

My mom always wore earrings.  She never had pierced ears so all of her earrings were just clip-ons.   My dad would take me shopping and I would buy my mom a pair of costume jewelry earrings which in those days weren't too expensive.    She always acted like they were made of the finest gold or gemstones.  

 

When we would go to Mass and my mom would wear the pair that I bought her I was always so happy.    

 

I remember going through her jewelry box after she passed away and seeing all of those earrings amd remembering the times she wore them made me feel both sad and happy at the same time.

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Re: What Christmas presents did you buy for your parents when you were a kid?


@queendiva wrote:

Most I can't remember.I know my dad always reminded us before Christmas NOT to buy him Old Spice, LOL! Probably bought Dad the usual: tie tac/ bar, sweater,cigars and such. One year someone gave him jeans. He refused them.

 

Best gift I ever bought mom was probably the year I picked up seasonal work in a mall jewelry store. With my discount I bought her a Mother's ring, with all the kids' birthstones. Along with her wedding set she wore that ring on her right hand every day for decades, and she was not much for jewelry (until Joan Rivers came along). Many years later I made her a big basket filled with "luxury" items. It was a great presentation. She had her eye on that big basket and was delighted when told it was her gift! Another time I gifted her a mink handbag that had been mine that she really coveted. Mom liked any gift as long as it was not green! (the color, not cash, LOL!) I have no idea why that was.


My dad has never worn jeans (since his Navy days).

 

The mother's ring was such a nice present.  Actually all the gifts you gave her were nice!