Cherished Blogfest | The Little Paperweight


It doesn't look like much does it?  It's tiny, just under 4 cms in diameter, and it's the smallest and cheapest of all my paperweights.  Before I tell you why it is so special, I need to explain the background to my collection of glass paperweights. 
 
Glass paperweights had always fascinated me so they were added to a list of suggestions for gifts (because I was always the difficult one to buy presents for) and within a few years I had quite a few.  From being a suggestion on a list it had changed to be known that I collected paperweights!  I'm not complaining.  I think they are beautiful and I get a lot of enjoyment from the ever growing display, now grown to over 200 paperweights. 
 
Back in the early 1980s when I received this little paperweight, my sister had three children,  then aged about 7, 6 and 2.  As is the case with young children they liked to be shown my treasures, which included the paperweight collection.  They weren't allowed to touch them (glass + young child = recipe for disaster!), but sometimes I'd let them choose and allow them to hold their favourite one.  They'd point at each one and I'd have to tell them who gave it to me; the collection was made up of gifts from every family member ... except for one from the three children, a fact that bothered them more than any of us realised.
 
These small paperweights were on sale in the market for 50p each. They're not good quality and I can remember shopping with my mum and saying I hope I'm not given one of those as they're cheap and nasty.  Mum just laughed and we carried on past the stall and neither of us thought any more about it.  A few weeks later, the three children presented me with a gift; it wasn't my birthday or anything but their mum said they'd wanted to buy me something and they'd saved up their pocket money to get it (at that time they only got 10p each every week). So they helped me open the present and there it was ... the cheap and nasty paperweight I'd seen when I was out shopping with mum.
 
Of course, all the paperweights had to be rearranged so that this one could have pride of place at the front.  Then we had to go through the list of who gave each one to me, finishing with the one from them. I could feel the excitement building as we got to towards the stage where I said their names ... they were so proud, and as for those grins ... well, you can imagine!
 
So, my little paperweight was given to me with more love than any other gift I've ever received from anyone. When I look at it I can still recapture their excitement on that day and I wouldn't part with it for the world.
 

 
Thanks to the hosts of the Cherished Blogfest.
 

Comments

  1. Brilliant! This is my favourite of all the posts I've read. I welled up, but it also made me laugh :o) Special indeed!

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  2. Eilleen - I kept checking your site, hoping you hadn't forgotten about the Blogfest! Now I say 'This was SO worth the wait." You told this story in such detail that I could picture everything from the relatives breathing a sigh of relief that they could purchase a paperweight and cross "that difficult to shop for Eileen" off their list to the excitement for those three young girls that they could participate in something that lifted them to the realm of an adult activity.

    Being on the receiving end as children learn to give - not out of obligation but out of the true spirit of giving - is one of those special tugs at the heart, and the memory will last for each of you (and perhaps grow in legend as it's retold through the years!)

    I received such joy from reading this - definitely one of my top two Reads during the Blogfest. It speaks to the reality that objects themselves are rarely as important as the meaning behind the acquisition. Thank you for such a delightful story.

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  3. Good morning Eileen, beautiful story of the paperweight. Worth the wait! I find it very beautiful! I love glass paperweights, but lately haven't seen for sale! Before, there were beautiful collections. Hugs and good Sunday. Ailime

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  4. Lovely story . Gifts from children are so special. I have gifts my children have given me that I find houseroom for simply because they are from them! I know also that being an auntie is a very special thing.

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  5. I've always been drawn to glass paperweights! Want to start collecting them - but the only ones I tend to see in shops are so pricey! And all the neat antique stores around me are now closed down and gone!

    Linda in VA

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  6. This is such a sweet story. I like how the kids knew the stories of the other paperweights as part of your collection. Nice thing to share with them :) I don't think I have ever known anyone that has collected paperweights before; wonderful hobby!

    betty

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  7. Oh Eileen that is so lovely. xx

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  8. It really does show that it isn't money that we cherish, it is the memories! What a wonderful story, a gift so wonderfully given and received! xx

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  9. Eileen this is SUCH a beautiful story and SO well written. It made me teary. Treasures of the heart know no value because money could never buy. Great photo.

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  10. Memories make a 'gift to cherish'. Thanks for taking part in the Cherished Blogfest.

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  11. slowly, very slowly working my way through the cherished blogfest. enjoy your site, both this post and your pictures. Thanks
    John
    A Northeast Ohio Garden

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