When you ask people what their favorite holiday gift ever is, many harken back to a present they got as a child, like a bike, toy or puppy. Others recall more personal moments like getting engaged or having a baby. And for some, the best gift ever was a grand adventure. These reflections can inspire the perfect gift you can give or ask for this year.

Holly Raines: My first DSLR! I have always been the person obnoxiously taking photos, and the gift of a real solid camera encouraged me to take that passion even further and has given me an outlet for expression.

Kathy Meagher: Best I ever received was a black miniature poodle named Abbie. Problem was that I was disappointed every Christmas after that because all other gifts just did not compare with getting a puppy. I was about 5 at the time. Thus, Christmas has been a bust for many years.

Ernie McCray: A bicycle when I was 9 years old. It seemed to represent freedom.

Linda Newsum: A three-speed English racer bicycle when I was 11. I was showing off to my dad what a good rider I was and promptly crashed into our clothesline post.

Karen Pearlman: Every year for about 10 years, my mom and dad gave me and my two sisters the same eight gifts (for Hanukkah). A few of them I recall: a 10-pack of Life Savers in a holiday box, a pair of socks, a photo album and a large plain Hershey's chocolate bar. Always packaged in special Hanukkah gift wrap. There was something so completely comforting about the "sameness" of that annual gift giving from my parents, and exciting, despite knowing what we were all getting. Twenty-four presents between the three sisters, too. A lot of work ... a lot of love.

Joanna Brown: It was a gift to both me and my sister Esther: the My Little Pony castle. With six kids, budgets were tight. We always had amazing Christmases but didn't often get something trendy or name brand. We LOVED that castle. It even came with the cute little dragon. ... As I got older, it became enjoyable to come up with the gift ideas for each person, because I wanted them to love it. The last few years, my budget has been tight with being a new homeowner, so I have been doing coupons. Each coupon is custom-made for the recipient, complete with a poem to explain it.

Earnie Grafton: A 20-gauge Mossberg pump shotgun. When I was 10. I grew up in Missouri, and my family hunted, primarily quail and pheasant. Many of my family hunted deer, but I never liked the taste of venison, so after my first deer hunt (with a .30-30, not a shotgun), I never hunted deer again. Don't kill it if you don't eat it.

Helen Copeland: A red playground-grade bouncy ball. I was 10 years old.

Charlyne Hatton: The mountain bike my dad got me in 1998. It was turquoise and maroon and sparkly. It had adjustable gears and was my first regular-sized bike. Unfortunately, on New Year's Eve 1999, I wrecked it ... worst wreck I've ever had on a bike, but that's a whole other story.

Yesica Rodriguez: Manny (my youngest son) got me a pink flamingo snow globe with pink glitter snow, and Max (my oldest son) got me gargantuan gold hoop earrings. Chris takes the boys out and has them pick a gift for me. It's always unexpected and perfect. It's surprising how much my boys get me!

Tzaddi Morey: I remember going to the beach on Christmas Day once as a child, maybe in 1984. That was a magically out-of-season experience. I also remember getting stacks of cassettes wrapped together. There was a pack with The Clash, Dead Kennedys, Dead Milkmen, The Thompson Twins. ... Getting music as gifts is always the best gift, as it is everlasting!

Julie Childs: An engagement ring this last Christmas. We just got married Saturday!

Patricia: The best Christmas gift I ever got was from my husband Jeremy. He asked me if I wanted diamonds or an experience for Christmas. From the way he said "experience," I knew I had to go with that option. We went to Vegas for the weekend ... which is my favorite ... so that was awesome by itself. However, the experience was to go drive race cars at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I got to go 190 miles an hour in a Porsche on the track! It was such a surprise and so rad! He knew I always, always wanted to drive a Porsche. ... We both had a blast.

Vanessa Berger: My husband proposed on Christmas Eve. I had cooked for two days straight the year before, only for him not to turn up, and I had been heartbroken. He wanted to make sure one of my favorite holidays wasn't permanently ruined, so he chose that day the next year to propose. That way, the family could all celebrate with us Christmas Day as well.

Linda Taggart: A heartfelt card from my granddaughter.

Jesus Skubski: Becoming a father.

Carol Schrammel: Homemade gifts from my kids.

The best, most memorable holiday gift is different for each and every person. With these cherished gifts in mind, think about what your loved ones are interested in, who they are and what they most care about to find the perfect gift this year.