Danica Patrick showed off to the Christmas present to her father T.J., and it was incredibly sentimental.
The former NASCAR and IndyCar driver posted a holiday shot with T.J. on Instagram back on Christmas Day that shows them standing next to a large shadowbox case. Inside the case are two racing uniforms.
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As Patrick explains in her caption, they were her first racing suit ever and her last racing suit, which she wore when she retired on May 27 after the 2018 Indianapolis 500.
“Merry Christmas Eve! This is from yesterday before I left my parents place in Indy,” Patrick wrote. “We did Christmas early and my sis helped with the idea of something sentimental for dad….. we all cried. It’s my first and last suit. It was an emotional year of leaving something behind that was such a huge part of our lives.”
Patrick then explained she came up with the gift after not wanting to simply buy something expensive. She instead wanted something that had a deeper meaning.
“The main reason I am saying all this, is because Christmas doesn’t have to cost a lot of money,” she wrote. “It should cost something different…. sometimes more than we are willing to give, and that is your time and/or deep thought of a gift that will mean something to someone. I am guilty of spending money, yes, but I also put all a lot of thought to what I am getting.”
She continued, “I heard the best gift idea yesterday from my friend Molly…. her and her husband have a Christmas challenge of who can spend the least amount of money and get the other one to cry. Let me say her gift takes a lot of time and virtually no money. I love that. Have an amazing, happy, connected holiday! And I mean connected to people not your phone…..after you read this.”
Patrick’s tear-jerking gift was acclaimed by her fans and liked more than 36,000 times.
Among the commenters was Patrick’s mother Bev, who was so proud of Danica for both the gift and her career.
“You did get us all,” Bev wrote. “But what cherished memories between purple and green!! I feel so blessed to have such a loving thoughtful family. It’s all I need ever!”
Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/NASCAR via Getty Images
