I attended a Sip-and-See this past weekend and was reminded why I like these types of showers so much. First, you get to meet, hold, and gush over the new baby. My second, more selfish reason, is that it’s such a nice outing for me (sans children and husband): chatting with friends, enjoying good food and drinks, and engaging in lots of laughter. What could be better?
I found this photo on Pinterest and couldn’t find the photographer to properly credit here, but I LOVE this and it’s definitely on my To-Do List!
As the new mother opened gifts, her mother (the baby’s grandmother), gifted something that blew my mind (and inspired me to blog about it). A close neighbor of the grandmother had hand-knitted a beautiful ensemble as a gift for her when she had her daughter back in the 70s. It included a beautiful white dress, romper, bonnet, and matching blanket. My friend actually sported this adorable outfit as a child! Well, the grandma had kept this whole set in mint condition (I didn’t know it was possible for fabric to stay so white!) and packaged it beautifully to present to her daughter and new granddaughter at this sip-and-see. It literally brought me to tears. It was such a thoughtful gift, and it was just another reminder how much mothers (and fathers) love us and think so deeply about their children.
I came home and began thinking about what I would want to pass on to my own daughters at their sip-and-see’s. The whole concept of family heirlooms and family traditions is so special. They stand for so many things – the immense love and caring within a family, family values and culture, a family’s beliefs and ideals, their history, etc. I come from an immigrant family that’s been uprooted several times, and I feel like a lot of “stuff” has gotten lost with each big move. Yes, I grew up hearing amazing stories and seeing photos, but I don’t have much in the way of tangible heirlooms or even traditions. I am determined to start my own traditions with my family and maybe one day, my daughters’ kids will be blogging about their own beautiful family traditions and heirlooms.
Well, I got the following idea from someone in a Parent Ed. class I attended when my daughter was a newborn, and the reason I love it and have been able to follow-through with this particular tradition is because I love everything about the Christmas holiday. So, I buy 1 ornament for each daughter every Christmas and label it with a tag noting the year and why I chose that particular ornament. The plan is to have a complete “collection” of ornaments (that tell great stories) to present to my daughters as a wedding/shower gift.
Do you have any favorite family traditions or any ideas for those wanting to start some? I’d love to hear what other families are doing!
lollaland 