Sherry Grindeland / Times staff columnist
Some gifts keep on giving precious holiday memories

	Getting some photos of their families having a jolly old time with Santa Claus were, from left, John Nelson, Pat Doud and Mike O'Brien.
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The best gifts come from the heart, not necessarily the mall.

Even Kemper Freeman Jr., developer of Bellevue Square, agrees. He said the best gifts for his grandchildren — toddlers — are the wrapped boxes themselves.

"They don't need anything inside, they just love to play with the boxes," he said.

Linda Fiske, of Woodinville, gave her husband, Jay, a Santa Claus outfit about 10 years ago. Jay estimates he's been Santa 100 times since then, donating appearances to charity auctions and to family and friends. He greets children at the finish line of the annual Jingle Bell Run. Being Santa, Jay said, gets him in the holiday spirit watching the delight on children's faces now that his own kids are adults.

"I am truly blessed because I received a gift that allows me to continue to give," Jay said.

Dean Silverstone, of Issaquah, vividly remembers a 1974 gift to the 1,200-plus inmates at the Washington State Reformatory in Monroe. Silverstone, a wrestling promoter, organized a professional wrestling show there.

"The audience was so appreciative their applause brought tears to the eyes of the behemoths who wrestled for no pay that Sunday afternoon," he said. "I still receive letters from inmates expressing their gratitude for the show. They were touched by the kindness offered by such normally hated bad guys of the professional wrestling circuit."

	BETTY UDESEN / THE SEATTLE TIMES Heather Hughes takes a turn on Santa's knee, showing her daughter that it's safe. Jay Fiske says playing Santa for parties and charity events is a gift for him, too. Also at the party were, from left, Jimmy Doud, 1, Elliott O'Brien, 5, and Annie Hughes, 5.

Susan Irwin, of Bellevue, continues to honor her mother's memory with a holiday donation to the Camano Island Senior Center's food program.

Author, author: Anne Rogers, of Bellevue, wrapped a recipe box for her son, Chris. He was 21, had recently graduated from college and was in his first apartment.

With the box came a meal-of-the-month-club membership. Rogers went to her son's apartment with recipes and groceries for meals and taught him how to plan and cook for four to six friends.

In 2001, Linda Thielke of Issaquah created "Katie's Cookbook" for her daughter in college.

"I combined family recipes with photographs," Thielke said. "It was amazing how many different family members through the ages have posed with turkeys.

"Katie's initial reaction to opening the present almost matched the excitement of getting a Care Bear when she was 4 years old."

For her youngest sister, Pat Detmer of Newcastle crafted The Detmer Dictionary — a compendium of arcane family references. Her older sister saw Detmer working on the dictionary and insisted that her store-bought gift be returned because she, too, wanted a copy.

Taking stock: Tom O'Keefe, chairman and head barista of Tully's Coffee, used to give Tully's stock to employees, announcing the gift in a group voice mail on Christmas Eve.

"A few years ago I called back two hours later and left a second voice mail, doubling the amount and explaining that I had a few 'nogs' and rethought my gift," O'Keefe said. "The next year I had 10-plus gallons of 'nog' on my desk before Christmas."

Footwork: In December 1999, Janell Shiers flew to Wisconsin to be with her parents. Her father had just been diagnosed with colon cancer and would die five months later. Her mother spent little money on herself.

"Mom is not a Nordstrom kind of gal — more of a Target gal," said Shiers.

Her father was too ill to go shopping, but he gave Shiers money to purchase a pair of Birkenstock shoes for his wife.

"Your mom always wanted a pair, and I never got her them," he said.

Because the parents had agreed not to exchange presents, Shiers' mother was doubly surprised on Christmas morning.

"She knew I was the elf, but Dad was the true Santa that year," Shiers said.

It's a gas: For Carrie Van Dyck, it was the gas stove she gave to her husband, Ron Zimmerman. The couple own the Herbfarm Restaurant in Woodinville.

At the time, they lived near the original Herbfarm in Fall City, where Zimmerman was the chef.

"We didn't have gas access and had a very small kitchen," Van Dyck said. "I had propane installed. He was totally surprised and loved the stove. He almost refused to let it go with the house when we sold and moved to Woodinville."

Loving display: Rob McKenna, Metropolitan King County councilman, surreptitiously removed the boxes of his dad's military decorations and ribbons and the U.S. flag used at his funeral service from his mother's home.

McKenna mounted the medals and ribbons — including his Distinguished Flying Cross from World War II, Bronze Star with oak-leaf clusters from the Korean conflict, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry and a dog tag — in a display case. He put the folded flag into a triangular case with an inscribed plaque.

On Christmas Eve last year, McKenna's family and his sisters' families gave Mom the display cases.

"We all cried a little," McKenna said. "Tears of sadness at losing my dad to cancer in 1980, mixed with tears of happiness at his memory and for his 34 years of military service. My mom has both cases on display in her home."

Baubles: Brigid Graham, who works on Mercer Island, gifted her kindergarten teacher well. "I gave her my grandmother's engagement ring," Graham said. "From my point of view, it sat in my mother's jewelry box and no one used it, so it was perfect for her."

Years later, Graham's mother revealed that the teacher called and brought the ring back.

"She asked my mother not to reprimand me for the gift, given in pure innocence," Graham said.

Apple or cherry: The voice of the Seattle Seahawks, Brian Davis, notes that "expensive and elaborate aren't always the keys" to a successful gift.

He purchased a set of ceramic pie plates for his wife, Judy, about 10 years ago.

"She loves to bake and really wanted those things. She uses them all the time," he said.

Judy's most memorable gift to Davis was underwear. That's the only thing that was on his Christmas wish list one year, so she bought a dozen pairs, using each to wrap a bottle of wine.

Home for the holidays: John and Trish Heller and their daughters, Susan and Leslie, spent one Christmas with other volunteers from International Mission Projects and Construction Teams in Tijuana, Mexico. The volunteers constructed a 12-by-16-foot home for a family of six that had been living in a cardboard shack. (Heller is president of the Street of Dreams, an annual tour of expensive, new houses.)

"This 'dream home' consisted of a concrete slab, four walls, a roof and a single light," Heller said. "When we handed over the keys to the mother and father and their four children, both the givers and the recipients shed tears of joy and thankfulness.

"It's a Christmas we'll always cherish in our hearts."

Libby and John Walgamott, of Bellevue, and daughters Mary and Sarah agreed the best Christmas gift was the year they adopted a family of five in Colorado.

"Sarah's middle school decided to help three families, but after the collections were made, there was only enough for two families," Libby said. "So at the insistence of my girls, we provided for the third family."

They shopped for clothes, toys, food and household items. Every night they wrapped and talked about their "family" and tried to imagine their surprise and joy.

"The young mother called us several times over the next few months to tell us what a difference we had made, not only in making their Christmas special but in making them believe in the kindness of neighbors," Libby said.

No wrench required: "I gave my very busy, practical husband a garbage disposal — installed," said Chris Addison, of Bellevue. "He still says it was one of the best gifts he ever received."

Gifted: BJ Brandli, of Bellevue, said the most memorable gift was one she received from her father. She was in her 20s, unsure of her future, and he sent her a card, "To a daughter worth her weight in ... "

Inside the envelope was a gold Canadian coin.

"I still have the card and coin," she said. "It brings a smile to my face each time I read it."

Sherry Grindeland: 206-515-5633 or sgrindeland@seattletimes.com

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