This Way To My Blog

This Way To My Blog

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Do Girls Still Get A Cedar Chest For High School Graduation?

Jack from Shipslog many times gives me ideas for a subject for my blog. Hope he doesn't mind. When our neighbor's daughter graduated years back she got a cedar chest for her hope chest. I was about seven years old and I was in awe. Through the years I couldn't wait to graduate and get a cedar chest and start saving things for a marriage I hoped to have. When I graduated in 1954 my mama and daddy gave me a Limed Oak cedar chest. Not the most expensive but I still have it even though it isn't in great condition but still has that wonderful cedar smell inside. It's in the garage and I haven't looked in it in years. The only thing I remember is some things Mel sent from Japan when we weren't married yet. Besides those things he sent a beautiful 12 place setting of china. He later said it cost more to send them home then the china cost over there. It has beautiful Orchids on every piece and I've never seen another like it. He couldn't have known how important it was to send a 12 place setting. We have two girls so I was able to divide the set into two six place setting for them to each have a full set. The other things such as serving plates and gravy boat were also added. I must take a picture the next time I go to one of the girls homes or get them to send me one and I must look into that cedar chest to see what I have stored in there, don't think its anything important other then some things from Japan when Mel was in the army. A cedar chest was important to girls back then but I never hear of any girl saying she wants a cedar chest or of making a hope chest. Another way times have changed.

9 comments:

Jon said...

I think cedar chests and hope chests are a wonderful tradition. Unfortunately they don't seem to be popular any longer. It's amazing how long the scent of cedar endures...
I think you'll have fun looking in your cedar chest again!

Sharon said...

I think they still advertise them, but don't know anyone who gets or gives them anymore. Personally, I'm nosy, I would love to 'see' what's in yours. There may be some memories in it that you have forgotten. Your china sounds lovely.

jack69 said...

My sister has mom's cedar chest. I fell in love with them as a kid. There was a cedar chest factory a block away from our house in Albermarle, NC. I was there once with my dog A worker told me if I took some shaving home and put them in Ace's dog house he would not have fleas. The shavings were free and Ace slept in cedar shaving for a few years. The smell takes me back.
Yep you will enjoy opening it again. I am still debating this one here.

Rose said...

I was just thinking the other day that no one gets them any more...I wanted one but didn't get one. Then a friend of my sister gave me hers...and before I had it very long, I met Roger...actually had said hello as we passed in the hall at work a time or two...then we started dating, dated for a month and got married. Didn't have time to put much in it at all.

Now kids all seem to just go get what they want.

TARYTERRE said...

my nana had a cedar chest. and i have one too. we called them HOPE chests. the perfect place to store goodies away for a marriage. times they have a changed.

Barbara In Caneyhead said...

China from Japan can be VERY valuable now, depending on whether it is from occupied Japan, pre-occupation or Post-occupation. Mam had a cedar chest. I had a small hope chest (box) with stoneware, silverware and a set of mixing bowls. I inherited the hope chest after Mama passed. I still have Mama's "josey party" dress in it. She took it out, washed, starched and ironed it for me to wear one Halloween to be a gypsy.
Perspectives at Life & Faith in Caneyhead

salemslot9 said...

I didn't get one
for graduation
I don't remember
my Mom having one either
did your daughters
each get one?

Paula said...

No my daughters didn't ask for one, but for the life of me I can't remember what they wanted. I know it wasn't a new car like some get now days. They each had to work and save to get their first used car. They both had a first job at Century South the movie theater in San Antonio.

Lori said...

When I graduated in 1984 a furniture company in a nearby town gave each graduating girl in our class a cedar jewelry box. I still have it, and it still has that wonderful cedar smell.