okay now please don't think I am insensitive...but I wanted to get opinions of those that cherish or not cherish items that were made in the family. I am having a hard time deciding what to do. I have two blankets that were knitted by my grandmother who passed away in the late 80's. They are not a type or color I would ever use or have used. But kept them for all these years as my dad did not want them, my mom did not want them. I could pass them to a retirement home with that the aged women that may enjoy them from that time. Or can keep them for my children. They never known this grandma or have any idea if they would Appreciate them. I am just torn. What do you guys do with all these pass down, hand made things that you collect or are given over the years??? I have doll clothes, blankets, and pillow cases. Thanks for the input.
If you have the room--I'd keep them
Normally I'm a "pitcher outter" of "things" but something handmade like that...I couldn't get rid of.
My son (now 9) would be THRILLED to have something that was his great grandmothers--whether he knew her personally or not. He's big on family history, etc.
Even though my younger two have never met their grandma after hearing stories about her they still love everything I have that belonged to her. So long as they are not taking up a lot of room I would hold on to them for your kids.
You could even donate them to a womens shelter or something like that. They will be appreciated by someone, and that is the important thing. :)
If they dont have a real special place in your heart, then take a photo of your kids with them and then get rid of them so they dont sit unused. Dont let them go to waste, but dont keep them if you dont care about them. Show the kids the photo some day and tell them who they came from. They wont care if they have them or not, but the photo will be nice.
I keep those that I like and donate those that don't fit my sensibilities. Those that I keep, I use. I have a full sized quilt made by a great aunt and a baby quilt started by my grandmother and finished by a family friend. Both are packed away now but I've used the full sized quilt for years. AI would like to find a way to display the baby quilt. It's so cheerful and never been used.
I have kept my own doll's clothes in a small doll suitcase, in hopes that my daughter or granddaughter would play with the doll and her clothes. It hasn't happened. My third grandchild, a girl, will be one next month. So there's still hope. lol
I have a few dishes that belonged to my grandmother and I use those.
My mother's parents both passed by the time she was 12, and she was then raised by an aunt and uncle. About a year ago she showed me some beautiful embroidered handkerchiefs that belonged to her aunt, and she said I may have them when she passes. I plan to give them to my now 10.5 year old granddaughter in time, who though she never knew her great-great aunt cherishes things like this, and treasures like this mean so much to her...she is the one who is going to carry on the family tree for me when I'm gone.
If you have siblings, aunts or uncles ask if any of them would like the items, or pack them away in acid-free tissue paper, away from light and moisture, and save them for your children, they can then choose what to do with them and will hopefully treasure them.
I say get rid of it if you are not using it. Its just a thing not the person.
Give them to someone now who can use them. Yes, I understand it's stuff made by your grandma, but she probably had lots of stuff that could have been saved, so would you have kept all that stuff as well? I personally, am not into keep "stuff." I like to decorate with things I like, things I find. I do not like to keep things that are scentimental to others, so why would I expect my kids to keep things and perpetuate a stash of stuff they do not use? Let go of all the things you don't use and give them to someone who will. In the long run, you'll be better off carrying less stuff.
I say keep them til the firm decision to chuck 'em or keep them forever comes to you. Dunno why, but sometimes you don't know what to do about anything, and sometimes you're making life changing choices like snapping your fingers, least I'm like that. I mean I have days of great clarity and days of stuck-in-the-mud indecision. If you decide on a day when it's easy (clearly today is not the day), then you won't regret it.
Least I think so.
:)
The fact that your mom and dad also did not want them and that you are saying they aren't your taste tell me that they probably won't be wanted by your kids either,
If you could look at it and say it had some worth in it's own right beyond just being made by grandma that would be one thing.
I say pass them on to someone else that actually needs something warm and cuddly to help them through.
and i am super super sentimental so the fact that i'm telling you to pass it one to someone else and not keep it means alot.
I struggle with this too. I have been given handmade stuff by relatives that just really doesn't fit my taste as all. I have either found a inconspicious place to put it or packed it somewhere out of site.
