Most people will get a lot of gifts this holiday season. Some will be thoughtful and appreciated—a new CD player for my car from my husband last year—while others may be re-gifted (a bottle of Chardonnay because I drink Cabernet). And of course, others will be resold on eBay; who needs two gem globes?

Anyway, there are other gifts that leave recipients, such as myself, with teary eyes or the “warm fuzzies” because of the thoughtfulness that went into the selection, the meaning behind the gift, or because the giver had so little to share and still managed to pull something together out of fondness for the recipient. Here’s a list of some recent and extra-special holiday gifts:

* Crocheted blanket from an 89-year-old nun. [My husband, Jeff, is a family practitioner and geriatrician, and has a large client base of nuns.] Since this blanket comes from a woman who’s never collected a paycheck, has lived a life of service, and has arthritic fingers, Sister Katherine’s handmade, bedspread-sized blanket is an heirloom we will cherish forever.

* Heavy 14k gold bracelet. My mother-in-law, Gretchen, is one of the dearest people in my life, and she gave me my first piece of heirloom jewelry: a bracelet that her mother-in-law had worn and gave to her. Gretchen was teary-eyed when she gave it to me, which made me weepy; it was a very sentimental moment.

* A 9cts. t.w. German-cut, trillion-shaped amethyst pendant. I had my eye on this piece from Van Lachman for more than a year. My husband bought it for me from Chris Lachman, owner of Van Lachman. Chris is nice, down to earth, and funny, and so is Hamo, a designer who works with Chris. Jeff is the love of my life; he also kind of surprised me with the piece. So, the combination of all of those factors truly makes the piece special.

* Gift certificate for two to a local restaurant. An 80-year-old patient of Jeff’s recently lost his wife of 50 years. The patient has two sons to ease some of his pain, but both are experiencing troubles of their own. Despite his grief, the man greets Jeff with a smile and a joke every week. And this week, he gave Jeff a certificate to dine at his and his wife’s favorite restaurant, a spot they frequented every Saturday night of their long and loving marriage.

As members of the jewelry industry, we spread happiness every day through the sale of our wares and help people create lifelong memories; what a delightful way to spend a life. May all of the gifts you give and receive this year be meaningful and possess powerful stories to treasure, remember, and share with your customers and loved ones.

JCK