December 21, 2021
The best gifts are the ones that come from the heart. And children certainly have big hearts…and plenty of gifts to give! Some of them make it to the memory box, and some…straight to the trash (while they’re not looking, of course. I mean, how many pieces of popsicle stick art can one accumulate?!)
We reached out to some parents to see what items their children gave them that they still have…from way back in the day. You might be surprised by what made the memory-box-cut. And the sentimental stories behind the artifacts, some of which have had a shelf life of 30+ years!
Never Goes Out Of Style
“This is my all-time favorite t-shirt, made with love by my daughter when she was only 5 years old. Her artistic abilities were just starting to develop; but her heart of gold had already overtaken her entire being.” 
Monkey Business
“My dad held on to this little porcelain monkey. He’s missing a few hands, and a foot, and is well loved. I gave it to him because he always called me his ‘little monkey.’ We always exchanged little monkey trinkets and cards growing up, but this is one of the monkey items he hung onto.” 
A Mugful Of Memories
“My daughter made this mug for me in middle school. I use it to hold my paper clips at work. It always makes me smile when I look at the inscription inside!” 
Five, Six, Oven Sticks
Perhaps the most unique childhood artifact that we’ve seen. Not only was it made with love, but with practical purpose in mind:
“In Industrial Arts in middle school my brother and I made an oven rack push/pull stick. All of these years later my mom kept them.” 
Home Is Where The RV Is
“My dad moved these items around in his many moves, and the glass RV finally broke in his last move. We cannot fully remember why/when I gave it to him, but we think it was because our neighbor had an RV and we went camping one weekend in it, which was my first camping trip. He also still has this mini trophy, which used to be at his desk at work.” 
What’s In Your Memory Box?
What is your favorite gift child has given you…and how long will you keep it for?
Looking for more news you can use?
We would love to send you our free monthly newsletter, Parenting Essentials! You’ll receive a newsletter by email, full of parenting advice, ideas and information, as well as articles about emerging trends in educational child care.
Related