As the holiday season returns, students around Atherton are looking back on the holiday gifts that meant the most to them. Students didn’t think of the gifts that were the biggest, or the most expensive, but the ones that left a lasting mark. These are the things that shape the way people remember the holidays, and Atherton has no shortage of stories that stayed even after the wrapping paper was torn away.
For some, the most cherished gifts were homemade, while others recalled surprises that changed their lives.
Dr. Theresa Beckley remembers her favorite gift vividly.
“When I was six, my parents got me a dollhouse. It’s awesome. It was handmade, all the things,” Dr. Beckley said. “I still have it today, and I woke up Christmas morning and it was all wrapped and I knew what it was. My mom just lit up when I opened it.”
The holidays reignite memories about how life used to be. For Derrick Thompson (12), it wasn’t about the gift itself, but who it came from.
“The best gift I ever got was a Xbox 360 when I was a little kid,” Thompson said. “My mom and my dad got it for me and they combined to make it a group effort.”
While some recalled toys and surprises, Summer Keen (11) described a gift that wasn’t wrapped at all.
“Last Christmas, my whole family was together and it was really wholesome and just such a heartwarming moment. That was the best gift I ever received,” Keen said.
Time with loved ones mattering more than anything under the tree was a common theme amongst many.
Avag Pavlov (12) thought the holiday’s real magic came from those around him.
“I received a trampoline and it grew my relationship with my sister because we would jump on it outside and it would make us get fresh air with a fun activity,” Pavlov said.
“We would even have something fun to do with the kids in the neighborhood throughout the seasons.”
Whether it was a long awaited present, a handmade surprise, or simply time spent with loved ones, each memory reveals that the best gifts aren’t always the ones under the tree. For many people, authentic holiday memories are found in the moments that can’t be bought.
