What Is the Most Meaningful Gift You’ve Ever Received?

Have you ever been gifted with something and while you appreciate that the gift giver thought of you, you found the gift to be a bit odd or maybe even impersonal?

I think all of us have received a gift at one time or another that left us scratching our heads.  Anyone with money can throw money at something, but sometimes it's the free or virtually free things that carry the most meaning.

The birth of my brother, Brian, is my best ever Christmas gift, but the most meaningful give I've ever been given came to me this last Christmas. Life has been rough lately and I'm so thankful that I don't have to go through it alone. I have the most thoughtful husband who knew that the most meaningful gift he could give was to take a huge responsibility off of my shoulders by not only planning out, but also grocery shopping for, cooking, and cleaning up after all of our meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Jay and I are an incredible team in the kitchen, sharing all of our household responsibilities, but he wanted to give me a bit of a breather from having to do anything related to cooking or cleaning over the course of two days (and can I just tell you that his meals weren't instant, boxed, or canned -everything was cooked from scratch). For breakfast, there was pajeon (Korean savory pancakes) and shakshuka (a middle eastern one-pan egg and tomato dish). For lunch and dinner, Jay showed off his culinary skills with things like glazed carrots, roasted Brussels sprouts, roadhouse green beans, and a garlic and rosemary crusted roast.

Thoughtful gifts like cooking meals and cleaning up after them make me fall even more in love with my husband. My husband knows I've been sick, sore, tired, and stretched thin and he WANTED to take some pressure off of my exhausted shoulders to allow me some time to breathe. Did my husband's gift come in a box or at a grand cost? No, but it meant more to me than any gift money could buy.

For the rest of my life, I'll never forget the Christmas that I didn't have to lift a finger because my husband did it all.  What is the most meaningful gift you've ever received?