| Back when some of our mothers were teenagers | | | | has a sturdy design. There are a variety of |
| they dreamed of having a hope chest. This was | | | | finishes you can choose and they can contain |
| generally a cedar chest that would hold all of the | | | | scroll work or other decorative designs. |
| things they needed for married life. In this chest | | | | Uses for Hope Chests-- besides the uses we |
| was the young girl's valuables and it was often | | | | have already described here are some other uses |
| part of their dowry. This was something that was | | | | for hope chests: |
| given as a special gift. | | | | As a place to store blankets --many people use |
| The hope chest was also made out of cedar | | | | them in the bedroom or living room as a place to |
| because it contained the linens, quilts and | | | | store extra blankets. |
| sometimes a bridal gown that was passed to the | | | | Give to your daughter -- even though it seems |
| daughter and cedar keep away bugs and fungus; | | | | old fashioned you can give your daughter a hope |
| it also added a pleasant smell to the items put | | | | chest in the traditional way. A couple of ideas for |
| into it. | | | | what to put into it would be baby pictures or |
| Today hope chests are usually not given as a | | | | albums or homemade keepsakes. |
| prize before marriage but they will keep similar | | | | Give one to your son -- if your son is going away |
| things. As an example, many woman and young | | | | to college or getting his first apartment this is a |
| girls use them for keepsakes from childhood. | | | | good sturdy chest to give him for special things |
| Some will use them in their first apartment as a | | | | from home. |
| decoration. | | | | As a decorative piece -- many hope chests make |
| The other way that these have changed is that | | | | beautiful decorative pieces in hallways or other |
| they are not only for girls today. Boys and men | | | | small rooms. |
| also use them as ways to keep special things | | | | Types of Hope Chests |
| from childhood, keep special clothing in or to keep | | | | In the past you had one or two styles of hope |
| important papers. The point is that these are | | | | chests to choose from and they were generally in |
| great pieces of furniture that have a variety of | | | | yellow because this was the color of cedar. |
| uses. | | | | Today, there are a variety of styles and colors. |
| Also, hope chests still come in cedar, but you also | | | | The type you choose will be a matter of choice. |
| have the choice of wicker and wood. Some have | | | | Shopping for a hope chest is easy because there |
| a cushion on top for sitting and can come with | | | | are hundreds of websites online. You can find |
| casters. This is a very important part of being | | | | many in some of the more contemporary |
| able to move them around. | | | | furniture stores and you may even find some of |
| One of the nice things about a hope chest is it | | | | the older ones at garage or estate sales. |