I’m Vanessa, a 38 year old stay at home mum of two children, a daughter who is nearly nine and a son who is five. I’m a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter, a knitter, a muser, a camper, a collector, an admirer, who is currently in the throes of finding somewhere else to live as my husband has accepted a job offer to move closer to Canberra, which means leaving Sydney by mid January …
Come and see what I knit on my blog and whatever else I write about …
Hope Chests (or glory boxes), in many ways, are something that has disappeared from the family scene of modern day life.
Many of my girlfriends had nothing put aside to prepare them for leaving home and had to put the necessities together when they got married, or moved out (assisted perhaps by kitchen teas, engagement gifts and wedding gifts.)
When my sister and I were growing up we each had a bottom drawer in our room where we put things for when we grew up and met our dream man and got married. Ideally, we would have had a cedar chest, because the oils in the cedar are considered to protect materials from moth attack (but, that didn’t happen and it didn’t matter much. Moth balls do assist!)
Anyway, from about the age of ten, my sister and I got as part of our Christmas present (from Mum and Dad and also from other relatives) part of a Royal Albert (an English brand) dinner set each. I got Peach Rose pattern, which is now discontinued and she got Memory Lane.
My mother helped us select our pattern on a shopping trip to the china section of David Jones (an Australian Department Store) when we were about 10. I don’t remember much about showing interest in any china!
My parents bought most of the dinner set at once when it was on sale and then gave bits with each occasion, such as at Christmas, which ensured the pattern didn’t discontinue before we were finished completing the set, with a large proportion given to us at 18.
Other things included in my chest were hand towels, tea towels, bath towels, and even somethings my mother had taken from her own collection, because they didn’t suit her or she had an excess. Some of these things were used initially when I did get married and some I put aside because they didn’t suit me or my taste at the time. But guess what, tastes change and they suit me now. In fact, I am quite happy to still have them.
In fact, at my holiday house I have a green and blue genuine ’70’s tablecloth that very much suits the styling we have chosen for our cottage. It came from my Glory Box!
My own daughter is nearing nine years old now, and I’m starting to think of what to put aside for her…
When I was married, my husband and I were given a Sosume “Terracotta” dinner set from his direct supervisor at work, which I have used nearly every day. Unfortunately, this use everyday has meant that I am now down one plate and one bowl, but I still have four tea cups and four saucers, a sugar bowl and a milk jug. Guess what? I am considering putting this aside for her as a tea set from the ’90’s, and purchasing a new dinner set to use by the whole family when we move in January.
Hopefully, one day she might pull it out of storage somewhere and memories of family meals using that pattern will come flooding back to her and fill her with love!
Ideas for Hope Chest Contents
Linens/Quilts
China/Dinnerware
Christmas Ornaments
Blessing Dress or Childhood Clothing
Baby Blankets
Heirloom Items from Mom/Grandmothers
Cherished Items: Photographs, Videos, Favorite Childrens Book, Toys or Baby Items, etc.
Cookbooks, Aprons, Mother’s Recipes
Pots/Pans
Picture Frames
Journals/Scrapbooks
Love Letters
Jewelry
Dolls
Did you have a hope chest?? What was in yours??
~ Vanessa
* For more gift ideas for everyone on your list, check out the Gift Ideas tab and be sure to pin Gift Idea Central, to keep the whole collection in one place.
