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:)
What a wonderful story…you could truly write it and publish it. So sweet and inspiring.
Thank you Pam. That’s so kind of you to say. xo
What a wonderful gift for your dad (and ultimately for you too!) The best kind.
It really was…but I’m now kicking myself for not thinking to save the sweater. Hide sight is always 20/20!
What a wonderful gift and a sweet memory. Sharing it was a gift to all of us.
Thank you xo
My dearest Jennifer … This is such a eloquent and poignant post… thank you for sharing this rich and loving Christmas story.
I send you much love my friend.
xoxo
Tamera
Thank you Tamera! Sending wishes for a loving and Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family. xo
Simply lovely and touching.
A “handmade gift”, a shawl, a pair of socks, a pullover, or in your case here a cardigan, knitted by our self with heart and soul – given to one of our loved ones – the best gift.
Handmade/crafted gifts will always be returned to us. Returned by the thoughts of the receiver.
What can be better and more memorable.
Thank you for this thoughtful post.
Warmest greetings from the Périgord and best wishes for Christmas,
Karin
Thank you Karin!! Wishing you a very loving and Merry Christmas!
Jennifer, I feel like this post was a gift in itself. I have tears in my eyes and my heart just grew a size or two reading about your dad and the beautiful sweater you created for him. Lovely. Couldn’t agree more that what matters is the love and thought that goes into the giving.
Thanks so much for sharing this. Merry Christmas! XO
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!!
I love this post Jennifer!
Thanks for sharing the love!!!
xo
This is such a sweet and tender story, that speaks to many of us as we reach an age where we are caring for our parents, a time in our lives when we get to give back all that love they have shown us over the years
Thank you for sharing such a personal tale
Sharon
x
My pleasure Sharon. Merry Christmas!
Oh my goodness, this post made me tear right up, Jennifer. What a lovely, lovely story — not just the perfection of the gift (your thoughtfulness in eschewing the glorious natural fibres you usually prefer) but the genuine appreciation by the receiver. We knitters so often see our work given less care than it requires or deserves, hours of knitting mangled in a too-hot wash or lost on a bus ride home from work. Your dad wore that sweater with full knowledge of the love that went into every stitch.
I’d better stop now before the tears start puddling on the screen. . .
big hugs, xoxo, f
Thank you Frances! Yes, too many things get lost. I did leave a finished sock on an airplane once. Thank goodness, they found it!
I too am a knitter and spend the hours knitting the item thinking about the person for whom it is intended. Whole lot of love…..
And you knit gorgeous things Barb. I vow to remember Yarnies next time:()
You have brought me to tears. So much love, and so many good memories for you.
My own dad has been gone far too long, but I treasure the memories I have. You’ve given me a quiet, good moment of looking back.
Gifts of the hand and the heart, truly the best as you so beautifully illustrate.
Thank you DA! It sure brought a lot of memories back for me. My computer keys got drenched in tears as I wrote it:)
Such a beautiful memory!
Thank you:)
A Gorgeous story……………..how old were you when you made that sweater……..and was it the first sweater you had ever made?Looks pretty professional to me!
I was in my 20’s, and no it wasn’t my first project. I’d been knitting for many years but never made anything g for my Dad. I wish I’d made him more things !
What a wonderful story. I also wrote a post today about giving from the heart rather than the pocketbook. It brings back the true meaning of Christmas.
bisous
Suzanne
Popping over to read Suzanne!!
I made a “bell” ornament out of an egg carton and pipe cleaner. I still make sure they have not thrown the sad little thing away. What joy your father expresses on his face. That definitely comes from the love on the inside.
I’ve got all those sort of ornaments my kids made, front and center of our tree! They’re not sad, they’re treasures! xox
Jennifer this is so moving. He probably WAS afraid to wash it, as he loved it and you so much! This warms my heart beyond words! Thank you for sharing this sweet story!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Thanks so much Karen!
Okay- so this is so sweet! Doesn’t that just make you as happy to have given it as he obviously was to receive it? This year I worked on a beaded sequined stocking for my new DIL that makes me giddy just to imagine her delight upon receiving it. My son has had a similar one since he was 2 and called 2 years ago to ask if I’d make her one (yes, yes, it took me this long to finish it). I wish you had that sweater too – you’re absolutely right that it would comfort you and I’m sure you’d feel a sense of his nearness to wrap yourself in it. Thank you for sharing such a poignant memory. What a treasure.
It made me happier to give this sweater, than anything I’ve ever received! I’ll be starting to needlepoint a Christmas stocking for my grandson very soon. Not in time for this year, but next. I’ve made one for everyone in our family and do remember, watching with delight, as my DIL opened hers!! Precious memories. Have a fun trip!
Oh, Jennifer this story is so sweet…what a lovely Dad you had and so many memories to cherish…wishing you and your family a very happy christmas with my love xx
He was a wonderful man who I miss terribly. Thanks Catherine!
What a sweet memory!
Thank you. I was so happy to relive it!
I do believe I’ll just sit right here and cry a bit. How simply wonderful this tale is.
He knew you knit it with love, and you knew he would wear it the same way.
Yes, this is truly “if money is no object” and the way we all need to think.
Beautifully written, Jennifer.
I will treasure this story for years to come.
Merry Christmas!!!
As I wrote, the memories washed over me and I could almost feel my Dad’s arms around me. I shed quite a few tears myself:))
Merry Christmas darling Marsha!
xoxox