Presents meant more when we were poor

[Rot 911]

My next-door neighbor brought his motorcycle over today to have me do some work on it. He was admiring my two stand up rollaround tool chests. He commented that I had any tool a person could ever want. It got me to thinking about when I was first married, and we didn’t have much money. The few tools I had I carried around in a canvas bag. One year for Christmas my wife got me a small JCPenney toolbox. She must have secretly saved up for it. I thought it was the greatest thing ever. I remember getting my canvas tool bag out and transferring everything into that small toolbox. I didn’t have much and there was plenty of room left over. 45 years later, I still have that toolbox. I don’t keep much in it, it’s pretty beat up and it usually hangs out under my workbench. But it’s a present that I will always remember opening up on Christmas day.

[Baz]

Nice story, Kurt! I'd like to think there was a little bit of mentoring going on there.

Back in the 60's, my parents got both my brother and I each a Craftsman tool box w/tools.

I still have my box and will post a pic of it when I get a chance.

I still have those tools too.

Things are certainly different now in so many ways.

I treasure the memories I have growing up and am humbled to have had such good parents.

[Por_sha911]

Great story and excellent observation.
Now, unless the present is something I couldn't find and really wanted, it is a nice gesture but I could have just bought whatever it is myself. Exception in 2002 my darling bride said to me "You've been wanting a Porsche. Why don't you start looking now?" I had been dreaming of getting a Carrera for 14 years but wanted to be debt free first. We hit that goal a year or two earlier. She made it so I wouldn't feel guilty spending 'that kind of money' on a toy. That is love.

[LWJ]

Early on, my wife and I were pretty darn poor. We had a signal that money was tight: we didn’t buy pickles. A pickle is never a mandatory item. And when we didn’t have pickles, we did without most other discretionary items as well.

It was almost fun being poor. Certainly a game or challenge. (And sex was a no-cost way to have fun)

[smadsen]

I have a couple rolling cabinets & tool chests now, but I still have, and use, the secondhand fishing tackle box and set of Sears Craftsman open end wrenches my grandfather gave me for my 18th birthday (58 years ago).

[Rusty Heap]

For his college graduation present, I gave my nephew a collection of spare tools I had. Screwdrivers/wrenches/sockets. His father was never a mechanic. I called my gift as mentoring, but all you can do is lead the horse to water.,,,,,,,,

[Chocaholic]

After watching me make 20 trips to and from the garage when fixing things in the house, my kids got me this for Christmas about 5 years ago. Has made my life so much easier! Highly recommended!

[GH85Carrera]

Kurt, I started driving in 1970. I started begging for tools. specific tools, mostly from Sears for every birthday and Christmas. I finally bought a red toolbox from Sears about like the one you show. It is now relegated to my "plumbing" box and I have my plumbing tools in it. I try hard to avoid plumbing duty, but I know just where it is, and what is in it.

I have another box about that size that was my FIL's AC repair kit and all my automotive AC tools except the gauge set and vacuum pump is in there.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by smadsen

I have a couple rolling cabinets & tool chests now, but I still have, and use, the secondhand fishing tackle box and set of Sears Craftsman open end wrenches my grandfather gave me for my 18th birthday (58 years ago).

Nice story.

Of all the material items I have, I think I value the tools passed down to me from my Dad (and his Dad) the most.

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

After watching me make 20 trips to and from the garage when fixing things in the house, my kids got me this for Christmas about 5 years ago. Has made my life so much easier! Highly recommended!

I have the exact same one and keep it in my truck right behind the driver's seat. Like you said Mike - very handy. And the reason I wanted to have an extended cab when I bought this truck.

[Tobra]

Yeah man, family heirloom tools. They literally do not make them like that anymore.

[GH85Carrera]

Even in later years my dad gave me various tools as Christmas or Birthday presents. When I use one of them, I think of him. The vice on my workbench is a bit smaller than I would really prefer, but it belonged to my maternal grandfather, and it was the only tools he had that I wanted, as he did very little mechanical work.

[911 Rod]

Nice to be loved.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

After watching me make 20 trips to and from the garage when fixing things in the house,

enough said