I recently inherited a large collection of tea cups with matching saucers.  They belonged to my mother-in-law “Mimi.” I plan to display them in my dining room as soon as I get proper shelving.  Unfortunately, they have made their home in box for the past year and half.  However, just recently, I decided to honor Mimi in a very special and unique way.  I invited my daughters, nieces and sisters-in-law over for a tea party.  I unpacked the bubble-wrapped tea cups and saucers, gave them a good rinse, and displayed them across my kitchen table.  Each guest got to pick a cup and saucer set to use for the occasion.  We all enjoyed an afternoon of tea, cookies and taking turns sharing memories and reminiscing about Mimi.

The tea cup and saucer collection used to be  displayed in a corner cabinet of Mimi’s dining room.  Hidden, in a sense, but I always admired their beauty. Each on is unique and beautiful in it’s own way.  I know that Mimi collected these dainty treasures for a very long time, however I don’t know the history behind each particular one.  Now, I regret not asking more questions about them.

I plan to make our girls’ afternoon tea an annual event.  I want to create new memories for our next generation while keeping Mimi’s spirit alive.  Maybe one day, I’ll send each guest home with their chosen tea cup and saucer set to keep –  a family heirloom for each to treasure.  Or heck, maybe I’ll pass the entire collection on to a special relative who will carry on the annual tea parties for years to come!  Either way, I’m happy to own this lovely collection and will cherish it, recall fond memories of Mimi and do my best to keep it in the family forever.

This story and the history of the tea cups will also be added to my Heirloom Vault.  So my loved ones will always know how special they are to me.  And who better to tell this story now, so it’s not forgotten in the future?

Don’t leave loved ones guessing about your legacy