great gift giving stories
A BIG THANKS to all our firefly fans who shared their wonderful stories about receiving and giving great gifts from catching fireflies. There were so many fantastic entries ranging from sweet to sad to funny to sentimental… it was incredibly difficult to just select the top three. So we decided to showcase a few more stories and reward these firefly fans with $10 gift cards to catching fireflies.
Catching Fireflies is a super store to shop and find the right gift or card for someone. It is also a destination for me on a day when I need an emotional pick up. It provides great therapy because I know when I walk in feeling blue that I will walk out smiling to myself or giggling about some items or card that I spotted in the store.
Shopping with a friend in the store and laughing together is even more fun! Which brings me to my story about my “Birthday Mug”. About 6yrs ago on such a day my friend and I were looking about the store when I spotted this Coffee Mug “INSTANT HUMAN – just add Coffee“. We both shared a good laugh. Many months later the same friend had prepared a Birthday dinner to celebrate herself, myself and another friends birthday (We are all November Babies within 3 days of each other) Normally we do not buy gifts for each other, but to my surprise she had a nicely wrapped gift for me. It was thee “INSTANT HUMAN” Coffee Mug we got a kick out of a few months earlier. Again, we all laughed with our husbands and the MUG instigated much conversation.
Now, six years later, when I have company and am serving Coffee, some lucky person gets to use my Mug. It provides a good laugh and insightful story from the guest. (Isn’t laughter a gift in itself?!!) My Birthday MUG is gift that keeps giving. ~Shawn Young
Hello Catching Fireflies! Whenever I need a special gift, I stop in and see you because I know you’ll have what I need. This was never more true last year when a dear friend and I were both in the throws of trying to start families. We wanted nothing more than to each have our own little one to love and watch grow. One evening, before we met for dinner, I stopped in to your Berkley store and bought two small ceramic stones with the word “Hope” stamped on them. They were not expensive, but to us, they were extremely valuable. Just a small reminder to have hope and stay open to possibility. I kept mine on my dresser and looked at it every day until….I became pregnant. And then almost one month to the day later, my friend was pregnant! We were finally going to be moms!!! Last fall, we both had little boys- Ari was born in November and Benjamin in December. I’ve attached a picture of their first meeting. It’s one of my favorite pictures of all time because there is so much behind our smiles. What was once hope is now joy! You guys are the best! :) ~ Erica Stoddard-Salomon
In early April 2012, my mother came to visit me from Florida. She had not been up to visit in 5 years. A month earlier, I had to put to sleep my fox terrier, Ripley, who was 13 when his cancer caught up to him. We’d had him since a puppy and my 2 daughters grew up with him. During her visit, we decided to visit the Rochester shops, and I remembered your store from visiting it a year ago and loved how unique and fun it had been. Catching Fireflies was the last place we visited and my 2 daughters, mother, and I spent a long time browsing all the delights. We are all animal people and a square picture mounted high on the wall immediately caught my eye. I mentioned how it looked like our dog Ripley and even had the saying “little angel in heaven’. Well, unknown to me, my mother decided to buy it and later presented it to me. It hangs in a hallway in our house, and is a nice memory to our dog. I really don’t think we could have found anything better to represent our dog. I took a picture of it, adding the photo of our dog to the top of it to show how he resembles the dog in the art picture. This is certainly a gift that will have meaning for a long time in that my mother got it for me and it includes the memory of a beloved dog. ~Diane Higgins
I got this Mini Glass animal from my grandpa as a gift for my birthday! I love this little Mini Glass seal and I have many more of them and now I have started a collection. Every time I go to your store I go right to the Mini Glass Animals! There are various other thing I like at the store too. Thank you for the chance to win a gift card. I like Candy A LOT!!! ~ Ellie Crawford
Several years ago, a dear and longtime friend was turning 90. His wife planned a surprise birthday party for 50 family members and friends. I couldn’t miss this so I flew down to Georgia for the event. I pondered over what I could possibly give a gentleman turning 90….but I found the perfect items at Catching Fireflies: a copy of “101 Things to Do Before You’re Old and Boring” and a $1 Million bill to make sure he could fund all 101 things!!!! Everyone got a big kick out of the gift!!! It was perfect!!! And we had such a good time…. Five months later, he left this earth but all who attended his 90th birthday celebration lives with the memories of a fun-filled time with friends! ~Kathleen Marcaccio
My dear friends were transferred to London last year and I needed to come up with the perfect gift. I knew just where to go! I bought one of your wooden Michigan cutting boards as a going away present. They loved it! It was one of the very few items that they took with them to London. Friends and guests have commented on it numerous times, and my friends say that they smile and think of home every time they use it!!! ~Molli Lucido
My favorite gift was a AI Paper Design picture frame given to me by my dear friend, Susan. It was a pink baby frame with the words, “love at first sight” etched on it.
A little over five years ago my first daughter, Marin, was delivered stillborn. It was the most devastating time of my life. My life long dream of becoming a mommy was shattered. I never thought I would ever have any more children. Not because I was unable, but I didn’t think my heart could handle it.
A little more than two years after Marin was “born”, we found out I was pregnant again. It was so bittersweet. I was terrified, thrilled, and finally felt my dreams were coming true (again).
Susan, gifted me that beautiful frame a week weeks into my pregnancy with my now daughter, Abela. I proudly displayed her ultrasound picture on my desk at work. Every time I looked up at that frame it put the biggest smile on my face. I would show it to anyone who walked into my office. I was looking at my dream come true, and the verbiage on that frame was so perfect.
After I left my job to become a stay-at-home Mommy, I put that frame in Abela’s room. It is a daily reminder to me just how lucky I am.
On a side note, I personally bought an AI Paper Design frame with the words “sneak peek” on it when I was pregnant with Marin. That frame sat on my desk as well. It still is one of my favorite things, and her ultrasound picture is still in it. ~Alisha Person
This Mother’s Day I received the best gift from Catching Fireflies- a new apron. My daughters picked out the apron from the store for two reasons- one for function, two for style! First, I get too messy in the kitchen and end up changing my clothes after cooking, and second, because my girls knew I would love the design. The design of the apron includes cute mushrooms- big portobello, long enoki, beautiful shiitake, and tiny button mushrooms. From chicken marsala to mushroom pizza, my kids know that mushrooms are a welcomed addition to any meal we eat. Maybe my girls thought that if I had a mushroom apron it would subside my desire to sneak mushrooms into many of our meals (which it may actually do the opposite), but whatever the reason was, I am more than pleased to wear my mushroom apron each night to fix dinner- in functional mushroom style! ~Jillian Barbutti
For Father’s Day I gave my son your PERSONALIZED BBQ BRANDING IRON… a great gift!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He loves cooking on the grill for his family, and on the 4thof July I received this MEAT MESSAGE……. A steak with his personalized note using the gift I gave him. The guests and especially his two little sons LOVED the idea. He could change the letters for each steak and make them to order. Fun idea……and it really works!!!!!!!!!!!! ~D’Anne Garrett
A gift I gave that was from Catching Fireflies was the Detroit Tigers 101 (My first team board book). I actually gave it at a baby shower to my good friend and her husband. The four of us (me & my husband, my friend & her husband) have been going to Tigers games together for the past few years and they were expecting their first baby this summer. In fact we scheduled our game choices around the birth of their baby.
When they opened it my friend’s husband got a big smile and a laugh from everyone in the room. In the thank you note my friend wrote ” We love that our Tiger buddies gave the baby it’s first Tiger’s gift – the board book is perfect….”
Great gift with a fun meaning. I had always seen this book at your store and knew that one day it would make the perfect gift for them. Thanks for always offering unique and creative gift choices. ~Erin MacRitchie
My story is short but sweet! I recently made my first purchase with Catching Fire Flies to purchase some unique teacher gifts for the end of the school year! All the gifts were fantastic hits!
I gave my daughters teacher the Flying Wish Paper and she said this was the most thoughtful and unique gift she has ever received. She mentioned that she is hosting a large family reunion this summer and that she is going to celebrate the final dinner by sharing the wish paper with all her guests. What a way to close the weekend she felt! ~Renae Sharp
This is really fun. I walked into Catching Fireflies after seeing the picture of the “Detroit” collage by EPTAS. I knew it would make the perfect birthday gift for my then 24 yr. old son, Dominic, for whom is very hard to buy gifts. He loves the Detroit and wants nothing more than the city to do well. I just couldn’t wait for his birthday but I did. He loved it!! I told him about the U of M one I had seen at the store as well. He checked it out and liked it but liked the one that spelled Michigan out. You see he is a Michigan graduate. Now he is moving to Chicago for a couple of years to continue his education. I went into the store to purchase a Christmas gift (yes, a Christmas gift) in June. I did just that but also purchased another birthday gift for Dominic. His birthday is the 5th of July. I completed his EPTAS collection by purchasing the Rochester collage. After all, this is the town he was raised in and will forever be his “home” no matter where he lives. Thank you, Catching Fireflies, for your wonderful collection of gifts. ~Mary Conti
Catching Fireflies is one of my absolute favorite stores, due to the atmosphere and uniqueness of the products carried. The Gurgle Pot is no exception, and I have a great story about it!
Back about two years ago, I was perusing the items offered at the Rochester location, and stumbled across the Gurgle Pot. It was quite an attention grabber. After leaving the store, I went home and did a little research on exactly what the Gurgle Pot was all about. I read online the story of Matt Ellison, and his visit to France. He couldn’t speak much French, and was entertained by a fish shaped pitcher that made a gurgling noise when poured. He found the sound humorous, and it served as an icebreaker between himself and his French hosts. 10 years after his visit to France, Matt was finally able to replicate (with his own twists, of course) the pitcher here in the United States for us to enjoy.
I loved the Gurgle Pot, and instantly posted a picture of it on Facebook and stated how cool it was. I have a core group of friends from my college (aka party) days, who instantly started a discussion about what a waste it would be to buy the Gurgle Pot. I was a little irritated at their comments- I mean, I thought this thing rocked, and how do they think they know whether or not I “needed” a pitcher! Unbeknownst to me, they had plotted to get the Gurgle Pot for my birthday as soon as they saw it pop up on my Facebook page, and didn’t want me to buy it before they had a chance to pick one up (I am apparently a “hard to buy for” gal).
Flash forward to my birthday… I received a HUGE box, with a million other boxes wrapped up inside it, all nestled together. At the end of my 30 minute unwrapping adventure, I saw the beautiful Catching Fireflies wrapping job, and instantly was hoping that I knew what was in the box. As luck would have it… a lovely salmon colored Gurgle Pot of my very own!! It was the best gift, and so unexpected.
My friend Jeff kept giggling every time he poured the water out, and he had a hard time relinquishing my gift back over to me. For that reason, I have decided to include a pictures of him. ~Katie Claya
My brother and future sister-in-law are about to create a house divided. Everyone in my family roots enthusiastically for the Michigan Wolverines, while my brother’s future wife is a (gasp!) Spartan! She is a great sport and even dons Michigan gear to tailgate with us in the fall. For her bridal shower, I raided the Catching Fireflies college section and put together a perfectly balanced gift. First, because we always tease my brother for being incapable of losing an argument, I got her the “Mr. Right” and “Mrs. Always Right” mugs. They were a huge hit! Then, to fill the mug I gave her Spartan green hot chocolate. Finally, a set of napkins to serve them with that read “We interrupt this marriage to bring you football season.” The gifts were absolutely perfect and she had a great time showing them off at her shower. I don’t know how you do it, but Catching Fireflies always seems to have the PERFECT gift! I loved sending my brother and future sister into married life in style, and she has threatened to bring the Spartan hot chocolate to a Wolverine tailgate if we don’t behave ourselves.
After finding the perfect shower gift at CF, I returned to get amazing wedding accessories as well. The bride survivor kit, happily ever after book and personalized hanger will be great additions to the rehearsal dinner and wedding day. Thanks for creating perfect gifts! ~Rachel Matz
My daughter and I entered the brightly colored old train depot now known as “Catching Fireflies” for the first time, last Thursday, July 26. We were having a Mommy-Daughter night out because my husband was out of town for a military event. We had spotted this eye catching building many times but just have never gone in. That was the night we decided we would explore this store.
What we discovered was a little nook of happy everywhere! We were so thrilled to be in this Gift Heaven that we simply got lost in time in there, and who knows, may have been browsing in there for almost a whole hour or more. Finally, we settled on a few items that we wanted to buy. Sparkling floral hair clips for each of us, so when we have to fancy up, we can have matching hair accessories (of course!), were the must have items that we first saw and held on to the whole time we were gazing around. But then, the coolest item ever came across our glance. There it was, the last one on the shelf too. We knew we HAD to buy it right then and there!
The gift…”My Dad. His Stories. His Words” book. The size is ever so small, but the content that can come out of this book can last for eternity. Precious memories – that is what this book is about. Not only the recollections of the dad to his child, but the memories that the child will have for their entire life when thinking back to when her dad would read a question out of the book and then answer it right then and there, or just take it out from time to time and open it up and write the answer in the spaces provided and then read it to her as a bedtime story.
When Hannah presented the beautifully wrapped gift (a pleasant surprise as part of purchasing from Catching Fireflies) to her dad when he got back home, she was beaming with pride. She, as did I, knew this would be one of the best gifts she would give him.
He opened it, and his smile and big hug to my daughter said it all — he thought so too. ~Shara Barrett
When I shop at Catching Fireflies I am frequently shopping for HOPE. HOPE for a better tomorrow, HOPE that there is good in every day and that I can take the time to see it and HOPE that, as the card says, a good manicure, a tiara or even a cape might actually help me save the world.
The best gift that I have given from your store is one I often wish I never had the need to give. In this past year I have given more of them than in any year prior. They are generally purchased out of my need to remind the recipients that they are loved, thought about and prayed for….in short that there is cause for HOPE. This special gift that I give from your store is the “prayer for your pocket” coin; a small token of something intangible that can easily be held in the hand of those in need of HOPE. While not a splashy, blingy gift this small smooth silver talisman is a lovingly fingered reminder that with loving friends and a belief in miracles great things are possible. It is a touchable reminder which brings a sense of peace and comfort, a sense of what can be HOPED for.
While I yearn for the days when I no longer feel the need to purchase these coins I will gladly continue to do so to let those I love know that they are not alone. ~MarySue Edwards
SEE WHAT I MEAN!? Thank you firefly fans for making our day seriously brighter with these awesome entries. Stay tuned for the top 3 next!
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