Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The Old and New MUsic Collection

One item that I had as a child that I wish I still had is my music box. The one I had was simple, yet was a treasure to me throughout the younger years of my life. It was small, made of wood, and had a tiny ballerina that rotated to music when it was opened. I have seen many a music box since that time, but none can compare to the one I had. Perhaps it’s special to me because this particular music box was a gift from my grandmother, and something like that can never be replaced.

Memories of my music box have come back to me recently when I took my daughter to see the Wiggles. They do a song called Music Box Dancer, and I can’t help but think that is the same music that was once played by my own music box. The song is beautiful, and I remember sitting mesmerized the first time I heard it. Perhaps the feeling is from another memory, but I don’t know. Whatever the case, the song Music Box Dancer reminds me of my treasured box, and I often wonder what become of it. I do know it is no longer around.

If you had a music box like mine when you were young, you may no longer have yours either. There are many places you can look, but if you want something just like the one you had, you should look on eBay first. There are so many different things on eBay; you never know when you may run across the very same music box you had when you were a child. You may find other items from your childhood as well.

You can also find a music box in an antique store. Many stores that sell antiques also sell vintage items from the sixties, seventies, and the eighties. While I was in one such store, I saw the same brush and mirror set my mother had presented to me when I was young. She had it from when she was a child, and she saved it for me. Sadly, I don’t have this set anymore either, and when I went back to get the one I had found, it was gone. So if you find your music box in a store like this, you should buy it right away. Chances are good that you are not the only one looking for that particular music box.

Music - Old And New Populars

The union of two lovers has understandably been steeped in tradition for centuries. Over time, some wonderful and interesting customs have sprung up around this important rite of passage.

One of the nicest may be the tradition of the bride's gathering "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue." These four items each represent a special symbol, and the very act of carrying on this tradition provides a real connection with past and future brides and the people close to them at the time of the wedding.

The meaning of the item for "something old" has to do with the bride's heritage. Usually, a treasured family heirloom will be chosen, often a piece of jewelry.

Almost anything can be designated as "something new," including the bride's wedding dress. But to make it meaningful, many mothers or fathers give their marrying daughters a new piece of jewelry or another special gift, such as a brand-new Bible in which to record the family's names.

The significance of the "something borrowed" is usually interpreted to symbolize the support the bride can count on in her new life from her family. A very nice borrowed token can be as simple as a pair of lace gloves, worn by the bride's own grandmother at her wedding, especially if that lady was happily-married.

For "something blue," the hands-down favorite choice of most brides is still a blue garter or a pretty blue ribbon tied around her thigh and hidden under her wedding dress.

There is another part to the old rhyme, which is fast becoming history these days:

"And a silver sixpence in her shoe."

The sixpence symbolizes good fortune with money and a prosperous life together. One could substitute a penny.

This wonderful four-part "something" wedding tradition is often a last-minute scramble, which—far from diluting the significance of the wedding ritual—only adds to the fun and provides a lighthearted way to deal with the high emotion of the moment.

We're of the opinion that every little bit of luck helps, and it certainly couldn't hurt!