12 Days Of Christmas Blog Challenge - Best Gifts

 

Today's 12 Days Of Christmas Blog Challenge is all about gifts - in particular, the best gifts you've ever received. 

It's honestly so hard for me to decide what the best gift I've ever received was - so I think I will go with a few of my favorites over the years:

My favorite early childhood gift would absolutely be the doll house I received.  I can't remember exactly how old I was, either 5 or 6 I believe.  This doll house was no ordinary doll house.  It wasn't the traditional plastic Barbie Dreamhouse.  It was a two-story, real wood doll house customized with real paint, wall paper & trim.  It stood almost as tall as I was.  I was so surprised when I came into the livingroom and found that Santa had left that beautiful house for me.

My favorite gift from my teen years would be the "Hope Chest" that my Nana and mom gave me.  It was a large cedar chest filled with items for my future: dishes, towels, bathroom accessories.  The idea was that we would purchase important items while I was in high school so when I "went out on my own" I would have everything I needed.  I still have the chest and it's currently holding all the important memorablia from our wedding, including my wedding gown.

My favorite gift from "adulthood" would be the National Championship Mark Ingram jersey that Steven gave me last year.  That may sound kind of crazy - but let me explain.  Some of my more recent followers may or may not know this, but I technically used to be an Auburn fan.  Read here for more details.  After announcing that I was going to make the switch to the "dark side" Steven made me go through a trial season as an Alabama fan.  I'm not kidding.  I had to prove that I was a fan worthy of supporting the Crimson Tide and that my loyalty would not waiver.  So last season was my "trial" period as a fan.  I think the trial period was somewhat in jest, but also somewhat earnest.  And I got it - so I played along.  I wanted to buy a jersey at the beginning of the season, but Steven said I had to wait.  So when I asked him for a jersey for Christmas, I truly wasn't sure if he would come through.  I was SHOCKED when he got me a 22 jersey with National Championship badge.  It was like an official acceptance into his club - and I loved it.  That jersey represents some of our best times together.  I love sharing his passion for the Crimson Tide and over the past two seasons I have grown to become an equally obsessed fan.  I will always keep that jersey.