spinoff from imagine's thread

**rosey7415** · 01-06-2011, 03:58 PM

i didn't want to hijack her thread. i am sentimental about family things as well as a lot of you. my mother was not. my child isn't at all, he has to have everything brand new or shall i say that his wife does. she has sentimental stuff from her family but isn't interested in anything from our family. i did get stuff from my aunt (mother's sister) and my father's side of the family. my sister is also very sentimental. her child is not. it is sad that a lot of our heirlooms go unwanted. so out of 5 children only 2 were sentimental. the next generation is not interested.............well, in my family anyways.

what is your family like? do they treasure those items? just curious.

**bonnotsm9** · 01-06-2011, 04:38 PM

I have things that I've kept from my grandparents. We've kept things that belonged to dh's parents and grandmother. There's nothing from either of my parents that I would want as a keepsake. Overall, dh is much more sentimental than I am.

I don't know how my kids will be, as they aren't adults yet. Our oldest, who is 17, isn't particularly sentimental, but some of his younger siblings seem to be more like dh in that respect.

**Ceashels** · 01-06-2011, 04:54 PM

I'm hit or miss on sentimentality. I really think it needs to be useful for me to truly enjoy it.

My family doesn't have any heirlooms but we are the recipient of Greebo's family heirlooms. His folks have many beautiful antiques which are just gorgeous but way to big to fit our rooms in this home. We have been offered the 100 yr old china which is beautiful but hand wash only and I don't use china. Sadly, I don't see myself ever using it.

I will use the wonderful hand made rolling pin from 100 yrs ago, and this was made part of my Christmas present. It is stunning, a round wooden roller with 2 uprights and a connecting bar. Everything is held together with wood pegs and the patina from the decades of use has left it smooth and polished. It will have a place of honor in our kitchen/dining room and will most likely be a contributing factor in the final decor.

**valerian** · 01-06-2011, 05:01 PM

I'm sentimental about stuff from my family, but not from my dh's family unless it's a pic of him or something that was his as a baby. I don't care about anything else from his family 'cause I don't like them. They are pretty evil!

**shoiji** · 01-06-2011, 06:58 PM

I do have some items that I enjoy having around. None are really expensive keepsakes but it is fun to look at and remember them being somewhere or the person it belonged to.

**imagine** · 01-07-2011, 09:05 AM

I would say the whole family is sentimental in their own way.

Little Miss and her violin.

She was for a few moments upset that she was getting a used violin and her brother was bought a new cello. It seemed unfair to her. We told her how lucky she was to be getting the family heirloom (violins age with time) we also talked about the history and that that violin had been played here in this town before we even existed. That this was the violin that her grandfather had heard growing up.

She did tell others about her old violin. When teachers and other grown ups confirmed how special that was that she was trusted and treasured with it she now feels a bit sad for her brother that he does not have a heirloom instrument. It is so unfair for him LOL

I am always telling stories about objects so I think that is why they are sentimental.

**Brat** · 01-07-2011, 09:13 AM

My girls could care less...I have several of my Grandmothers cooking pans and very happy to have them.

**imagine** · 01-07-2011, 09:30 AM

I had another thought. My family children might be sentimental as they love hearing stories and history.

We live in a 1915 house with no personal connection to except it is our house. We use to imagine the people that lived and grew up here. Until one day a man showed up on our door step and said "I lived and grew up here. I mentioned the house and growing up here in my book. I will be signing down at the local book store today." He signed the book for us. We have since e-mailed and sent cards to him and he has spent us more and more info about our house and how it was built. The children love this and like knowing the history.

I think it is the stories that make things treasure/special.

**Cricketlegs** · 01-07-2011, 11:50 AM

Are you kidding lol! My dds have already divided up the antique furnature and thingymabobs I own!

Works for me as I know they will get what they want and they will cherish and take care of it as I have done.

They were my grandparents things for the most part.

**frugal is fun** · 01-07-2011, 12:05 PM

I'm sentimental about pieces that I have memories tied to, not necessarily "big" items. when my grandmother died I got the pudding cups. They are little plastic dessert cups that my grandmother used to make pudding for us in when we were kids. Probably worth a $1 piece but they are priceless to me. My cousin was the same way and her memories were the colored plastic individual ice cube trays.

my mom passed away almost 8 years ago and she had made me a few clothing items, either sewed them or knitted them. I never liked them but I can never part with them just because she made them.

I did give away a pair of her llbean gortex hiking shoes to a friend. I couldn't bring myself to donate them to Goodwill so I asked my friends what size shoe they wore and I was able to find someone who took them.

not sure how I'll feel once my dad passes as much of the stuff is old and run down. Off the top of my head there is nothing that I "want".

**imagine** · 01-07-2011, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by frugal is fun

I'm sentimental about pieces that I have memories tied to, not necessarily "big" items. when my grandmother died I got the pudding cups. They are little plastic dessert cups that my grandmother used to make pudding for us in when we were kids. Probably worth a $1 piece but they are priceless to me. My cousin was the same way and her memories were the colored plastic individual ice cube trays.

my mom passed away almost 8 years ago and she had made me a few clothing items, either sewed them or knitted them. I never liked them but I can never part with them just because she made them.

I did give away a pair of her llbean gortex hiking shoes to a friend. I couldn't bring myself to donate them to Goodwill so I asked my friends what size shoe they wore and I was able to find someone who took them.

not sure how I'll feel once my dad passes as much of the stuff is old and run down. Off the top of my head there is nothing that I "want".

I don't think sentimental items have to be big ticket items

My favorite one is the shoe horn key ring my Dad kept in his draw.
This is why he kept it. It was on my mother's key chain when I was a baby. It teethed on it. It has my baby teeth marks. It was special to him so when mom took it off her key chain he put it in this drawer.
He told us why he kept it and that it was special to him. So when He died I wanted it but mom wasn't ready to let it go so it sits in the drawer right where my dad placed it.

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 01-07-2011, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by valerian

I'm sentimental about stuff from my family, but not from my dh's family unless it's a pic of him or something that was his as a baby. I don't care about anything else from his family 'cause I don't like them. They are pretty evil!

This is exactly how I feel about my husband's family (they have been AWFUL to both him and me). So, I've gotten as many childhood pictures of him as I can and avoided everything else.

I love antiques from my side of the family. In fact, my mom has been sorting my Gramma's stuff and she just gave me quite a bit of it day before yesterday.

Good times!

**pinecone** · 01-07-2011, 11:04 PM

I am the family archivist/curator it seems. Love family history and my DDs are selectively interested. Not so much growing up but now into adulthood the game has changed. There is a good book that brings up some thoughtful points about family items. Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate? An interesting read.

piney

**rosey7415** · 01-08-2011, 09:55 AM

i'm going off topic in my own thread, is there a rule against that? lol

piney....i took a quick peek at that website and put it in my favorites to check out later. thanks!

my question to you and all on here......how do you find these interesting websites??? i admit that i am very, very, very far from being computer savvy.....hehehe