Today is my day to post over at Romancing the Blog, so we’ll hold today’s giveaway over there.

Today’s topic is Gift Books! What are some of the books you’ve received as gifts that you cherish?

That’s an easy one, isn’t it? Or maybe not.

I know if I really, really thought hard about it I could come up with a dozen, at least. But the one I’m remembering right now is a small keepsake Christmas tree ornament. It’s from Hallmark and it’s a beautiful porcelain doll in a burgundy Victorian dress. I was about seven, I think, when I saw it in a store and begged my mother for it. I remember thinking that I’d never wanted anything more in my life. She told me no and I cried for hours after we left the store. I was so heartbroken. Devastated. I thought about that tiny ornament for days after we left, and when I received it as a Christmas present that year I thought it was the best gift ever. I was given a ton of great stuff that Christmas morning, but nothing held a candle to that little doll. In fact, all these years later, I still have her. She hangs year-round on a peg attached to a decorative shelf near my front door. I don’t have any of my other gifts from that year.

What about you?

What’s a memorable holiday gift you gave to someone?

I have so many, as I’m sure you all do, but one I remember is when I stayed with a college roommate’s family over the holidays. I was in the Army then, stationed at Ft. Jackson, SC. She lived in Churchville, PA. I hopped on a Greyhound bus and headed up to spend two weeks with her family. It was awesome! I had such a good time with them. They were Italian. They owned a bakery. Every evening dinner was a delight. They took me to NY for my first time and NJ. I was in Times Square when the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve, which was one of the items on my “Do Before You Die” list. (Do y’all have one of those?) I rode the subway. I went to the observation deck of the Empire State Building. I ate at Vincent’s in Little Italy. I made chocolate chip cannoli for their bakery. (and I’m so in love with Joe Morelli that the word “cannoli” will remind me of him forever.) It was the trip of a lifetime.

Of course staying with them over the holiday meant I needed to give them gifts on Christmas day. (my pleasure) My girlfriend had three brothers and a dad. I knew the perfect gift!

I bought all four silk boxer shorts.

Now, you may think that’s a strange gift to give to people you’ve never met prior to a week before, but I’m of the firm belief that every man must own at least one pair of silk boxers. My friend was fairly certain that none of the men in her family owned a pair (though she didn’t know for sure and certainly wasn’t going to find out! LOL)

They loved them! The oldest and youngest brothers broke theirs in right away. The dad waited a day and then proclaimed over breakfast that there was nothing like wearing silk boxers (yes, I know… *g*). He found them “sensual.” His wife nodded with a glimmer in her eye and a lovely smile. The quieter of the three brothers didn’t say anything at first. Finally, a few days later, I asked him if he’d tried them yet. With a blush, he lifted his shirt and showed us the waistband.

Ah… My work was done.

How about you?