What’s your most memorable Christmas gift?

In spite of the hard times we are facing these days, nothing can stop us from giving gifts or sending greeting cards to people who have touched our lives. Gift-giving becomes even more meaningful when the gift giver takes time out to write a special note on the card or that the gift was truly carefully chosen for you. For me, it is when I know that I was remembered in a special way by the gift-giver that makes the gift so special. Yet, there are certain Christmas gifts that we have received over the years that we will never forget. I went around and asked some personalities what for them is the most memorable gift they have ever received during the yultide season.

Baby Araneta, housewife: From my childhood, one of the best Christmas gifts I received was a curly-haired blonde and blue-eyed doll which I had been hoping and praying to God that I would receive from my parents. (By that time I knew Santa was mom and dad.) It was to replace an old tattered and frazzled doll whose eyes were gouged out by my younger brother Ben. To my surprise, what I had wished for was granted. I cherished and loved my doll and she stayed by my side always. To me, it was the most precious thing in the world then.

Toni Abad, commercial model: My best Christmas gift was a white gold ring my mother-in-law gave me before I got married. It was a welcome to the family Christmas gift for me. I was so thrilled.

DENR Secretary Bebet Gozun: Since my parents, my brothers and sisters all live in LA, the best Christmas gift for me is being with them.

Kenji Marquez, ramp and commercial model: The most memorable gift I received was my Tamiya Boomerang RC car from Santa when I was 10. I asked my parents to buy me one as a pasalubong from Hong Kong a month or so before Christmas. They told me it couldn’t be found anywhere. On Christmas Eve, when we got back home from noche buena, I noticed a big box addressed to me from Santa – inside was my boomerang. I guess Santa Claus was in Hong Kong the same week as my parents and bought the last one.

Vicky Zubiri, housewife: Actually the best Christmas gifts I received were those that my children and grandchildren gave me – no matter what they are, they are always with me and Joe.

Atty. Mike Toledo, news anchor, ABC 5: When I got married in ’89, my parents told me that since I was getting married they wouldn’t support me financially in my master’s degree which I was to take at the London School of Economics and Political Science. At that time the tuition was around $30,000. I couldn’t afford it since I was just starting my own family. But after five years, shortly before Christmas I was able to get a scholarship and become a study fellow at the school which was given to me by the British government. I guess it was a gift from God. When my dad found out he was teary-eyed. I was able to achieve my dream of getting a master’s degree in law at the same time I was able to make my parents and my family proud. Best of all, I proved to them I could do it on my own.

Gloria Mara, former RTVM executive director, actress: A 67-year-old bonsai bouganvillea tree with violet flowers all over given to me by my five children. They knew that I wanted it so much but I couldn’t afford to get it for myself. It was very expensive so they each contributed and bought it for me. It also came at a time when I needed a morale booster. It now stands proudly by our house gate for all to appreciate.

Michael Salientes: Out of the countless gifts I’ve gotten over the years, the most special would be my late father’s I.D. bracelet given to me by my mom in 1999. It had been with her for more than a decade and now it’s the only material thing I have of his. The only thing that could ever top that would be a vintage Jaeger Le Coutre gold watch that also belonged to him! Hint...hint.