Happy day-before-the-day-before-the-day-before Christmas!! Today’s post is a hall of fame of all the best Christmas gifts I’ve ever given or received. I’m writing this post with the intention of reliving and giving thanks for all the blessings I’ve given and the best moments around the holidays. Enjoy!
Best Christmas Gifts I’ve Given to Someone Else
ESV Scripture Journals
Last year, I had the good fortune to find the entire New Testament set of the ESV scripture journals for a super low price! I picked one for several of my family and friends and customized the cover. Then I wrapped each one in a scarf of their favorite color! I was super proud of this gift idea.
Drawings and Paintings
I’ve made artwork for my grandparents and extended family more than once, but two years in particular stand out to me. My freshman year in high school, I made a pencil sketch and a colored pencil piece that my mom printed out and framed for each of my grandparents. Years later, my great-grandma still had those pictures sitting in her living room! It makes my happy thinking about that.
Last year, I made imitations of three French impressionist paintings using real oil paint! I made them for a school assignment, but planned to give them to my grandparents from the beginning. And they all seemed to really love them! Definitely a highlight.
Gifts I haven’t given yet
I’m super super excited about two of the gifts I’m giving to my family members this year. One is a journaling Bible that I’ve been working on and customizing for almost two years now. You’ll get to see more of this process on Wednesday! The other is a model car that my siblings and I are putting together to give to my dad.
Best Christmas Gifts I’ve Ever Received
My first journaling Bible
One of the best Christmas gifts I’ve received by far was my very first journaling Bible. My dad and I visited our local LifeWay (back when they still had physical stores 😿) and I had admired all the journaling Bibles. I couldn’t afford to buy one for myself at that point, but my dad went out just a few days before Christmas and bought one for me! This will always be a special moment, especially considering how much Bible journaling has helped me to grow in my faith since that year.
Platter tutu!!!
My senior year of high school, all I wanted more than anything else in the world was 1) pointe shoes/the ability to dance en pointe and 2) a platter tutu to take senior pictures in. And I ended up getting both of those things!! My grandparents blessed me so much that year. They gave me an actual platter tutu (the kind that stick straight out) and the famous Toms shoes that are patterned after pointe shoes. And later that year, I got to dance en pointe too! Pretty sure I cried when I opened that present 🤩🩰😻
My “church bag”
This is one of the most useful and beautiful Christmas gifts I can remember. I received the Illustrated Faith journaling storage bag (not sure the exact name) my freshman year of college. At that point, I had been Bible journaling for about a year. I didn’t have that many supplies, but what I did have, I kept in a canvas bag that was falling apart at the seams. I still use this new bag three years later, and it has survived all the trips home, hanging from my bike handlebars, and so many more. Definitely a favorite 💝. Here’s the newest version from Dayspring’s website!
Conclusion
