With Christmas just around the corner, we’re excited to share some of our all-time favorite gifts that have truly made a lasting impression on us. So, kick back and get to know the Force 5 team a little better. Who knows, you might just find some inspiration for those last-minute gift ideas.
Deb DeFreeuw
My favorite Christmas gift ever was a unique rocking chair covered in patchwork fabric, but what made it truly special was the golden-brown teddy bear that came with it. I remember coming down the stairs on Christmas morning when I was 7 and seeing this bear, with a distinctive yellow circle on his belly. He quickly became my treasured companion. The big red bow around his neck and his button eyes added to his charm.
Time has left its mark on my beloved bear, now tucked away in a closet. The stuffing in his middle is nearly gone, a testament to the countless times I hugged him tightly. His eyes have been replaced several times and his fur is worn away in spots, each patch a reminder of our long-shared history. Despite his worn appearance, my love for him hasn’t faded. Holding him now brings back a rush of childhood memories and the joy of that Christmas morning when I first received him, sitting proudly in his rocking chair. Oh, and I still have the rocking chair too.
Beth North
My favorite Christmas gift ever was when my husband, Ned, used his coaching check to buy my fox sides jacket. He had our buddy Kim go with him to help him pick it out. Our son, DW was 14 months old. We were in Elkhart at my parents’ home.
Nicole Nusbaum
The year: 1986. Age: 15.
“Top Gun” has taken over the cinemas and…the world. I, like everyone else, felt the “need for speed”. I desperately wanted a brown leather bomber jacket with all the patches. Seems ridiculous now, but the 80’s were like that – a series of trendy and dubious fashion choices that left you scratching your head years later.
So, even though my parents really did the holidays justice, this was far too pricey of a gift to ask for, and I was led to believe that I would be getting this gift when “pigs flew out of my butt”. So – my hopes weren’t high.
But on Christmas morning, among the other gifts that “Santa” brought overnight, was a gift from my father, that my mom didn’t know about – always a good sign for a truly great gift. I opened the large box to find – a leather bomber jacket!! YAY! However, instead of the brown leather jacket, with inexplicable patches all over it – this was A BLACK leather jacket. Infinitely much, much cooler I realized quickly, but in my surprise, I said “Oh – it’s black!” and my father (who it should be noted, was a WWII vet and was 45 years old when I was born, making him 60 at this point. So, kind of an “old dad”), responded with “OF COURSE IT’S BLACK THAT’S WHAT TEENAGERS WANT RIGHT? A BLACK LEATHER JACKET?!?”. (Note: we’re yellers in my family.)
And I said – ABSOLUTELY!! EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED THANK YOU!!!
Wore that darn jacket until my late 20’s, when it finally disintegrated off my body.
Best. Gift. Ever.
Sal Malisita
Favorite Christmas Gift — Oh, let me tell you about the coolest Christmas gift ever! When I was nine, I scored a remote-control helicopter, and it was like getting the key to my own mini aviation adventure. Picture me tearing through the wrapping paper, and bam, there it was – this sleek, colorful chopper ready to take on the skies. My backyard turned into a helipad, and I was the pilot with a mission. The whirring sound, the crazy maneuvers, and yeah, the not-so-smooth landings – it was a riot! That helicopter wasn’t just a toy; it was a ticket to endless fun and a crash course in aviation (literally). Even now, thinking about that Christmas, I can’t help but grin. It’s the kind of memory that keeps the holiday spirit alive and reminds me that Christmas presents can be way more than just gifts – they’re tickets to awesome adventures!
Joe Hektor
Throughout the years I have had many much-coveted Christmas gifts, from Castle Grayskull to the Nintendo entertainment system, there have been many gifts that have helped shape me into the mess you see today. However, there is one Christmas gift that I think of more than any others, The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes, gifted to me from my grandmother.
I don’t remember my exact age, but it was back when Christmases were colder and more magical. We used to visit my dad’s side of the family at my grandparents later in the day on Christmas, eat, open presents, and go sledding in the back yard with my sisters and cousins while the adults caught up in the house.
That gift opened the world of Calvan and Hobbs to me, a comic strip about an imaginative six-year-old and his “stuffed” tiger accomplice, Hobbs, whose exploits plague his teacher, next-door neighbor, parents, and especially his babysitter.
Throughout the years I have accumulated all the Calvin and Hobbs books and have had the pleasure of sharing them with my son, who bears many of the same characteristics as Calvin. That was my first Calvin and Hobbs book, and I still have and cherish it to this day. And every time I see or think of Calvan and Hobbs I think about that Christmas, sitting in my grandparents’ small, wood paneled living room with the big old TV and musky smell. Thanks Grandma.
And, if you haven’t, read Calvin and Hobbs!
Thanks for taking the time to get to know us a little better.
Drop us a line at 574.234.2060 if you would like to discuss your marketing needs. And have a very Happy Holidays!
