Lauren Graham Reveals Last Birthday Gift Matthew Perry Gave Her

Lauren Graham's remembering her almost-boyfriend Matthew Perry ... specifically, the last birthday gift she ever got from him -- and, it reflected his own passion.

The actress opened up about her close relationship with MP during a Q&A Friday on her "Have I Told You This Already?" book tour ... calling Matthew not quite a boyfriend even though he got close.

LG says she and Perry would fall in and out of each other's lives pretty easily ... adding they happened to reconnect last year, months before his untimely death.

Graham says MP even got her a birthday gift ... a pickleball set -- not surprising given he hit the court for a two-hour pickleball session the morning he died from acute effects of ketamine.

In fact, Perry's pickleball instructor -- Matt Manasse -- told People he used the game to stay away from drugs ... so a paddle for his close friend holds just that much more significance.

Graham says the famed comedic actor also wrote a joke on the card, encouraging her to "be older" ... another crack from an actor Graham says could make her laugh until she cried.

We broke the story ... Perry's was found unresponsive in his hot tub in October and pronounced dead at the scene.

In the aftermath, numerous tributes poured in with Lauren saying several weeks after Perry died she took solace in how his story could help others like he always wanted.