My family moved to Oxford, England for a year in 1972 when I was sixteen. As a result, instead of doing eleventh grade at Santa Monica High School, I was enrolled in the lower sixth form at the Headington School. I did make friends. And I did greatly enjoy being served beer at the local pubs along with my classmates.
But I was a bit lonely, nevertheless. It’s hard being sixteen and in a foreign country, even when they speak the same (more or less) language as you.
As a result, I became much closer that year to my eleven year old sister, Laura, than I’d been before. Not only were we thrown together in the back seat of our car for hours on end as my mom and dad showed us innumerable medieval castles and Roman ruins, but it was also that year that we discovered we possessed the same snarky sense of humor.
Laura and me in Oxford, 1972
One of the activities my family shared together that year was to watch the BBC production of War and Peace, starring an as-yet relatively unknown actor by the name of Anthony Hopkins in the role of Pierre Bezukhov.
An actor I quickly became enamored of. So much so that I decided to paint his portrait, using the photo on the reprint of the book that had been released in conjunction with the BBC show as my model. (Yes, my crush on Anthony inspired me to read the entire book that year.)
the book spine has faded over the years
I’m not a terribly accomplished painter, and was even less so at age sixteen, but it gave me pleasure to spend afternoons bringing my crush to light on the canvas.
the finished product
But little did I know that my obsession had given my younger sister an idea for a Christmas present that year. And while I was in my bedroom dabbling with oils touching up the eyes and hair of Pierre/Anthony, she was in her room sewing.
And what was Laura sewing? Why, an Anthony Hopkins doll—also modeled on the book spine photo of him attired as Pierre Bezukhov!
But first she decided to do mock-ups of the doll. And it wasn’t until just a few days ago that I knew these even existed, when she presented them to me after discovering them while doing some spring cleaning.
Aren’t they adorable? (Sorry, Tony, for showing you naked like this.)
Once she’d perfected her design, Laura then sewed the body and made period clothes to dress him in:
I think it’s the sweetest Christmas present I’ve ever received. Thank you, Laura!
Readers: What’s the most special present you’ve ever received?
Chicks on the Case 
OMG, this is the cutest post ever! Leslie, props to your painting. As someone whose artistic ability ended at stick figures, I’m impressed.
Every present my daughter has given me has been precious. Every single one of them. Right now, I’m finishing stitching a gorgeous canvas she painted of my favorite flowers. I can’t wait to show everyone the finished product.
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I’ve seen photos of some of those gifts your daughter has given you, El, and I agree that they’re all precious–because they’re from your DAUGHTER! Can’t wait to see your new stitching!
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Awww, that doll is so cute! Laura was very talented to create/sew a doll of your idol. And I think your painting of Anthony Hopkins is very good.
I never received such a well-thought nicely made handmade present. No siblings, no cousins. My mom did make a huge stuffed panda bear for me when I was 9. She had received her life-saving kidney transplant & had to stay in hospital for 6 weeks.
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That panda sounds awful precious, Grace. Do you still have it?
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My mother was Japanese and never really quite “got” the idea of birthdays and Christmas in terms of gifts. However, for my 18th birthday, she gave me a wonderful experience. I fell in love with the Broadway musical “Man of La Mancha” when I was 12 years old; I bought the soundtrack album and played it so much, I memorized all the songs. I read Don Quixote when I was 14. In 1973, a road company brought “Man of La Mancha” to Honolulu, and my mother bought tickets for both of us to attend. She didn’t quite understand it, but she knew I loved the play, so she took us to see it, just the two of us. That birthday was 52 years ago. (Bonus for me: original star Richard Kiley led the cast.)
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What a wonderful story! I loved “Man of La Mancha” when I was a kid, too, and played my parents’ record of it a lot. (And I also read “Don Quixote” for the same reason.) How marvelous that you got to see it with Kiley on stage!
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I love this! And so jealous you got to see Richard Kiley in it! My hubs and I——out of the blue——will lob “I shall impersonate a man” at the other and we’ll emote the rest of it loudly. If we don’t, we lose! So funny. And weird. But that’s how we roll!
And Leslie, I love this post with my whole heart! It reminds me that I handmade something for my brother for xmas when I was a young teen. It was stupid and there’s no possible way he wanted it. I think it might have been a banner with fabric letters spelling out lyrics to a song he liked. but I procrastinated and it was harder than I expected so on xmas eve day I’m still toiling away. My mom came in to see why I wasn’t hanging with the family, and must have hinted to my bro to come in. He said something vague like, “Isn’t it fun when you get like a bday present or something after your actual bday? It’s like having two holidays! Oh, and do you want to play scrabble with us?” THAT was an excellent gift from him and from my mom!
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Wait! You? Snarky? I don’t believe it.
I’ve never received a handmade gift.
Best gift I ever got though?
Probably the sign I have in my Freewrite case. It’s a road sign that says Character Construction Zone. Pretty impressive coming from someone who doesn’t believe in my writing.
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Love that that person gave you that sign, Hestia. And you know we Chicks all believe in your writing, and are so looking forward to reading it in the near future!
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Believe.
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Leslie, what a sweet memory to share. The dolls are beyond precious–as is that photo of you and your sister. You were blessed to have one.
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I agree. My sister is the greatest gift I ever got–though I didn’t appreciate that fact till some years later.
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That is so cool, Leslie! The best gift I’ve ever received? The news in November 2009 that, after chemo, mastectomy, and radiation, Nancy was cancer free.
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Hard to think of news better than that, J.C.
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Aww, how sweet! I don’t know anybody ever went all-out for that for me.
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I know–few people would, Liz!
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What a sweet post, Leslie! And I think your painting is fab.
Hmm, I remember getting a stuffed animal pig when I was young because I was obsessed with Charlotte’s Web. The pig was the size of me, and I used to carry it around everywhere! (I also attempted to stop eating pork, but it was short-lasting when my mom declared that I had to eat whatever she was serving for dinner.)
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I’d love to see a photo of you with that pig, Jen!
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Not sure if I have one…maybe I have to do some spring cleaning!
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That is special.
I’ve received several special hand made things from my niece over the years. A bookmark (I no longer use so it doesn’t get ruined) and several drawings.
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A bookmark is perfect for you, Mark!
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What a wonderful story! You and your sister are women of many talents! I can’t tell you necessarily *the* most special present I’ve ever received, but because I tend not to remember things (so many memories go right out the window!) Tim started making me a journal where every year he would recap our year: what we’d done, where we’d gone, etc. He carried on with it for at least ten years. And what a wonderful time capsule they make now!!
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What a marvelous idea. How fun they must be to re-read, years later!
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Aww, Leslie, this is so sweet — and slightly hilarious — that you have shared my “artistry” as an 11-year-old! I laughed out loud when I came across those naked prototypes a few months ago. In hindsight, the final product didn’t really come out any different from the first two, other than the fact that it is clothed and has hair. I wonder what I was thinking in my multiple attempts to improve the “design”, such as it was. Anyway, clearly it was important to me to get it right! As I said on your FB post, I loved you then, and I love you now! Thanks, Mom and Dad, for the gift of Leslie!
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And I thank them for the gift of you! xoxo
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…P.S. I think you should send this piece to Sir Anthony!
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Ha!I wonder how I could get his email address….
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Is he on social media? Agent? Maybe his assistants would see it. They’d be charmed as would he!
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When we were probably 5 and 6 (I’m older), my brother and I were walking to the mom & pop shop a couple blocks from home to spend our allowance on candy. This involved crossing a busier road than the residential streets in the rest of the neighborhood. It was winter time and my coat had a fur trimmed hood. After looking to see if it was safe to cross, I started to step on the road. Frank grabbed me and pulled me back, out of the path of a car that my hood had blocked from my vision. That was one of the best gifts he ever gave me, saving my life (or preventing injury, at the least). Where would we be without our siblings!
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Chiming in very late to the party–my apologies–but this brought tears to my eyes, Leslie (and Laura). Loved all the comments, too. My mom made a mouse house (as opposed to a dollhouse) for me out of shoe and other boxes. She wallpapered each room using wallpaper samples they used to give out in books and added those little furry mice toys (60s era) holding popcorn kernels or other “nuts.” Some had long tails because they were also bookmarks. It was quite a lovely house, too. Leslie and Laura, you need do a memoir about sisters. I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
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Oh my gosh, Leslie! This is so sweet and wonderful. And I can’t help but think that Sir Anthony would be touched by your homages.
(And welcome, Laura! So happy to meet you too.)
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