As my mother was getting ready to leave my house Christmas night, we noticed one more gift still wrapped under my tree. Oh yeah, we remembered, my sister had dropped off a Christmas gift for my mother from her sister, my aunt Janet. The wrapping paper ripped a little as my mother went to pick it up, and she decided to open it then. Inside the large box were 5 smaller boxes and a note from my aunt. It read something like, “This isn’t really a gift, it is more a trip down nostalgia lane.” The 5 smaller boxes inside were addressed one each to my mother, my sister (who had unfortunately already left for the evening), myself and my two daughters. Inside each box, there was a pretty pink sack like this,
a copy of this photo of my grandmother
(my mother estimates this photo to be from possibly the late 1930’s or early 1940’s when her mother was around 30; my mom had not yet been born when it was taken)
and a handwritten note of explanation from my aunt.
My grandmother, Grace Marie, passed away in 2006 at the age of 98. She was a young girl when the Red Sox won the World Series in 1918 and was pleased as punch when they broke that 86 year drought and won it again in 2004. They won it again what would have been the day after her 100th birthday in 2007. But I digress.
Of a very different generation than the one that currently finds it acceptable to go out in one’s pajama pants, my grandmother always dressed up whenever she left the house whether it was to run errands or visit family. She loved costume jewelry and to match it with whatever she was wearing.
She left behind a rather sizeable collection of it when she died. My aunt decided that a nice way for her mother to be remembered would be to pass along some of the pieces to female members of the family. She sorted through and chose pieces for us, often picking ones that resembled our birthstones.
The four of us marvelled at the amazing thought behind this gift of nostalgia. There was much “ooh-ing” and “ah-ing” as pieces were tried on and questions asked by my daughters who do not remember her well, due to their young age at the time of her death.
I received these, since April’s birthstone is diamond:
Meghan’s birthstone is an amethyst. There are some purple drop earrings here in the jewelry received by her.
Even Sarah, my tomboyish daughter, enjoyed receiving the glittery gift which included the green necklace close to August’s peridot. She thinks maybe she will be able to wear some of the treasures she received when she goes to the prom next June.
Thank you, Auntie Janet, for your thoughtfulness and this beautiful gift to the women of our family.
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