The Fine Art of Gift-Giving Comes from The Heart
The cost or size of a gift isn’t what’s important. What counts is the love and care you put into choosing it. Gifts you know the person may need, will appreciate…or hopefully love are the best.
In fact the most precious gift anyone can hope to give or receive is love. It’s priceless.
The tangible gifts I love to give are things I’ve knit. It’s a labor of love to spend weeks or months knitting a garment. And when I do… I’m infusing it with my loving thoughts for the recipient.
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The best, and most beloved gift I’ve ever given was a sweater I knit for my Dad. He’s been gone far too many years but I still remember it…like it happened yesterday.
I’ve always believed in using the most luxurious yarn available…because why spend months making something, just to end up with a mediocre, or scratchy result?
I guessed my Dad wouldn’t know how to clean something hand-knit, so I made it out of machine washable, generic, easy care acrylic yarn. It was a dark gray, cabled cardigan. An “old-man” cardigan. Perfect for my Dad. He was retired and living alone, in a cozy little town, far north on Vancouver Island.
When he opened the box he broke into a huge smile, thanking me, as he put it on. It fit perfectly! I don’t know for certain what he felt, but I remember what I felt. I felt as though I’d wrapped him with my love.
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My Dad wore that cardigan regularly, for the next 20+ years. Many years later he asked me…quietly, “How should I clean this cardigan?”
I was floored. It never occurred to me that he wouldn’t have just tossed it into the washer and dryer! But he hadn’t. He’d treasured it so much…he was afraid to harm it.
My heart hurt with the sheer sweetness of how much he’d treasured this sweater. It still does.
I’ve knit many gifts and garments for my loved ones since then. However I’m pretty certain that old gray, acrylic cardigan I knit for my Dad, was the most treasured and cherished gift I’ve ever given.
I don’t know what happened to that old sweater when he passed away, but I wish I’d thought to keep it so I could wear it and wrap myself in his love.
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Wishing you many cherished memories throughout this Holiday season.
What a sweet story about this sweater made for your dad. Those are truly the best gifts ever. Hope you guys have a wonderful Christmas! xxoo Kim
Isn’t it interesting that some presents we give people are appreciated more than we expected? Those gifts, to me, are the best because they not only give immeasurable joy to the receiver, but even more so to the giver. It is refreshing to know that the ‘simple’ sweater was treasured a lot by your dad. What a lovely memory.
I always put a lot of thought into the gifts I give, but this one…more than most. Giving joy is the purpose of gifts!
Oh Jen, this is just so touching. I love this story of your heartfelt gift, the way your dad treasured it tenderly for so many years. The photo of you two together says it all. I wrote about the ‘fine art of gift giving’ this season myself and believe that personal touches are by far the most meaningful. This is the best reminder.
Lovely post!
xx, Heather
Hi, Jennifer, I am late to respond to this post but didn’t want to let it slip past me. Yes, you gave your Dad a lovely handmade gift, but he transformed it into something priceless by cherishing it so. What better way to show his girl how much he loved her? How precious that he never washed it! I find that rather endearing.
One of my IG friends has a beautiful grove of blue spruce which I rather lust over. I have sort of been relentless in admiring those trees and the other day, a big box arrived. In it were blue spruce boughs all the way from Ohio. I was totally overcome and delighted! I wrote it about on my blog, you might enjoy reading it sometime. It was such a thoughtful gift and cost nothing, right? Priceless.
Priceless.
Hi there! this post was so touching! that picture of you and your dad is really special. I’ve just started to follow you, really love your blog! kind regards, Nancy (Stonercropsister.com)
Thank you so much Nancy! Looking through our albums made me realize just how few pictures I have with my Dad. I treasure the ones I do have.
Whew. I can’t really see the screen through my tears so I will just say thank you so much for this incredibly beautiful post!
Thank you Heather. And also Thank you for letting me know about “Have Some Decorum”! She is an inspiration!!
Just too sweet and shows what a kind man he must have been!
Thank you Naomi! He was an amazing soul!
What a beautiful story filled with loving memories. Thank you for sharing.
xo Mileah
You were symbolically wrapping him in the gift that he had bestowed upon you…Security.
Thank you Barbara. Your comment made me cry:)