Old Fashioned Holidays

Remembering the days gone by used to be reserved the 1930s and 1940s for some, the tough times, or traditions that may have gone on the wayside throughout the years. I guess our little group is truly getting "old", all to often we hear; "when I was young....".

Rose, who is among the oldest of our motley crew, will often find something that "rots her socks off". Recently, the tantrum of an 8 - 10 year old at Walmart, swearing up and down to her mom that she had been good, was demanding that Santa bring her some overpriced toy whose value would diminish by the New Year, left Rose's feet bare. How sad, Rose wondered if this little one would ever understand - Christmas and the Giving of one's self.

Out her bag of wisdom and things, Rose pulled out a stack of Madeira and Swiss-made linen hankies, as well as some hand made by a great-aunt or close friend of the family and given to her, her mother or grandmother years ago. Tucked among these treasures was one that Rose had embroidered "sometime during the Depression", for her father at Christmas. The family dog, a Retriever named McGregor, meticulously embroidered by an 8 - 10 year old Rose, each stitch containing love and a treasure of memories. Each hanky in the stack had a story, the tea and coffee pot was filled at least twice as we listened. The younger of our friends was searching for the perfect vintage hanky to make a bonnet for a friend's baby shower, a tradition of our group for many years. It was Rose's task to teach today, and she did, much more than the folds and carefully placed stitches, bows and ribbons. At the end of this day, as with many others, we will always treasure our "daily dose of Rose".

Over the years, our little shoppe ladies have made many bonnets for treasured hankies brought in by customers or by hankies found at estate sales. We have started listing our collection of hankies at our online store. Take trip over, and even if you don't buy one, hopefully you will catch a glimpse of one that may remind you of one that was carried by a loved one long ago.

Choosing a hanky for Mom or Great-Aunt Lou, is something anyone over the age of 50, perhaps even younger, can remember. In fact, somewhere, tucked away in a drawer, you will eventually find one of these pieces of cloth, and when you do . . . will you know the story behind it?