Heirlooms And The Essence Of Forever

By David Bungay

Family heirlooms capture the essence of family traditions, beliefs, culture and familial ties. Various cultures have practices of handing down ornaments and objects with significant meaning to their families or tribes with hopes that the meaning would be preserved through generations.

Heirlooms might come in different forms. For instance, some Irish families practice a Christening tradition where the most cherished heirloom to be handed down is a white christening gown. The gowns are usually white which symbolize purity, happiness and a new life and have been previously worn by predecessors and older members of the family. The christening gowns are said to be the first and one of the traditional "three white dresses" that a typical Catholic daughter wears in three milestones of her life.

The gown may preserve the sacredness and joys of the occasion and may be shared by coming generations of daughters when they receive the dresses as presents from their mothers. Other heirlooms might include the ornate dream catchers from North American Indian tribe families and even jewelry and rings are not uncommon. Because heirlooms are a valuable piece of family history and tradition, they should be well taken care of and valued and jewelry would probably be one of the most lasting forms of heirlooms because they can withstand the external elements and even grow more precious over time.

Platinum wedding ring sets may also exemplify long lasting and ornamental heirlooms. Platinum is not only elegant and beautiful but is also said to be more precious than both silver and gold. This valuation is fit to do justice to the sacredness of family ties and the traditions family members manifest. Like the chastity symbolized by the whiteness of traditional Irish christening gowns, the silvery-white surface of platinum wedding ring sets also reflects the purity of the newlyweds and they joys they are about to share. Platinum wedding ring sets being tarnish-resistant can, thus, last through time and preserve the joys of the momentous event.

Heirlooms are valuable articles a semblance or fragment of family history or reminiscent of a particular event. They also play a significant part in passing down traditions and preserving memories because they are a physical manifestation of these abstract ideals. - 29959

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