What is the best Christmas gift you ever received?

Good question. It's hard to pick one in particular. There have been a few especially good ones I remember. One year when I was a kid Santa brought my brother and I a trampoline, which was all set up on the front lawn when we woke up. That was pretty exciting and we got a lot of use out it. I also once got a copy of a Charles Bukowski book I really love from my husband, though come to think of it I can't remember whether that was Christmas or a birthday. I really appreciated it because it was one I'd wanted for ages but couldn't get from the library or bookshops I'd looked in and he'd found it and ordered it for me.

More recently I've had some great gifts that weren't material things, like our car's registration paid for us, tickets to the opera and an Oxfam gift card (where someone in a developing country is given something they badly need bought in your name). Those kinds of gifts are great when you just have too much stuff and not enough room to store things.

by Jennifer Muirhead

I have two that are tied. My first computer was an early Christmas present when I was eleven years old. I had a job delivering newspapers and I was saving every cent for a computer. I wanted the computer with a word processing program, which would make it easier for me to write my stories. My mom saw that one of the local stores was having a big sale and they had a great price on some of their computers. She brought me to the store and when I said I didn't have enough money, she told me she was covering the rest of the price as my Christmas gift.

The other best gift was a copy of the 2010 Writer's Market which my wife bought me. It's not the most glamorous gift but it really said a lot about how much my wife supports my dreams. I couldn't have asked for a better gift.

by DamienR

Hand made gifts from family - precious :)

by Justine Crowley

Last Christmas my husband gave me the IPad I am using right now. I love it! Having it has sparked my interest in online writing. The year before he bought me a kindle and it was a total surprise I was blown away.

by SupahAnnie

An engagement ring. My (now) husband proposed to me the night before we drove across the state to visit my family, so we could announce it to them in person. Afterwards, we went driving around to look at Christmas lights. He chose to do it that way because Christmas is my favourite time of year.

by Kerri

Only once...woke up one morning to find a lounge room with toys all over the place for meeeee!!!! 1964.

They were not expensive, but the fun was overwhelming(as I was the only child).

Great Christmas, never had one like it.

by jonaja

A Siamese Kitten!

My parents always used a pillow slip, as there were no 'Santa Sacks' when I was a child!
I woke up to this weak little meow coming from it,
I was just overjoyed at receiving 'Kim'. I had him for many years.
He started my love of Siamese cats. I've a fostered one now. He's very handsome, with his magnificent blue eyes!
Oh, & did I mention, spoilt to the max! But he deserves it. Fabulous 'watch cat', too!

by donjo

My first German Shorthair Pointer dog

by Finy

A Bee Gees album when I was ten years old. I played it over and over on my Mickey Mouse record player.

by Polly