Mine was from one of my brothers.
He'd come down a few days before Christmas with a big box that he seemed excited about. We normally just exchange something small, like a book, so this was unusual.
He almost had me open it that day, but then decided to wait & have me open it on Christmas Eve (we wouldn't be together on Christmas Eve). I was a little disappointed to not open it when he was there, but whatever he wanted.
So he's calling me multiple times Christmas Eve day, asking if I've opened the present. Well, no, it's not Christmas Eve yet. Finally, I was like: GET OFF MY PHONE! We're trying to have Christmas Eve dinner here.
But he was so excited that I relented and went downstairs to open the present. He wanted to stay on the phone while I opened the present, so I was thinking that this was going to be some kind of joke gift (my brothers are notorious for doing bad things to me) - like a rock, or the paper was glued to the box, or something.
It was a violin!!!!!!! How did he know that I've always wanted a violin???? I don't recall that I'd ever verbalized that wish.
How am I ever going to pay him back for that kind of a gift? I can't. I can only accept it and learn to play well.
I've never felt so loved before or since. I sat in church that night and just glowed in the love. I felt like it was shining all around me, and that people could see the glow.
The end of the story is that when his wife died at the young age of 52, leaving behind a heart-broken husband and kids, I played the violin at the funeral.
But I still keep my eye out for something exceedingly special that I can give him. What that is I don't know, but I'll know it when I see it, and I'll be so excited to have found it for him.
So that's my little Christmas story. It will be interesting to see what stories the rest of you share.