Wednesday, April 8, 2009

THIRD TIMES A CHARM........An Easter Story.

Remember these cool charm bracelets from the 1950's.......Little state charms that you always got as a treat when the folks took you on vacation....shiny enamel charms on sterling silver............they sold for a couple of bucks in gift shops all across the country.....friends and neighbors would pick one up for you in their travels.....if you were lucky.....
I had one of these coveted bracelets back in the 50's and can't remember what ever happened to it....I was the kind of kid that lost everything......
But this is how it all started......
It was 1958 and we used to go food shopping at an old A&P in Linden New Jersey......
Every time I would go with my mother I would oogle at an end cap display that had the coolest plastic charms in a big bag......probably just a couple of dollars back then.....but I just had to have them..... I think there must have been a miniature Statute Of Liberty in the bag that caught my eye......

They looked something like these........
I asked and asked and asked and my mother would never give in....So Easter was coming up and I thought if ever there was a time I could score these cute little charms now was the time....So I asked for the "Charms" in my Easter basket......and then I waited...........
It seems my mother sent my older brother...... who was 20 at the time and you think he would know better.....to the A&P to buy me the charms.....
On Easter morning this is what I found in my Easter basket.......



Not this whole box........no..... one small package of "Charms"......the candy.
Years later when I was a teen I guess the fam felt bad that they had stiffed me and I started getting the little state charms..........but as I said.....it became lost....or misplaced
Walking home from high school one day I saw something glistening in the grass near the sidewalk and there unclaimed was a beautiful gold charm bracelet....just sitting on the ground....Yes....it came home with me....It had a "Sweet 16" charm on it and since I was 16 at the time I knew it was put there just for me......
Never seeing any signs that anyone had lost it I had it up until last year when I finally sold it on E-Bay......awful I know......
But with the money I started buying back the old 1950's state charms that I so loved.....
The picture above is the new bracelet.....charms bought one by one....
Thanks to the wonder of E-Bay..... and their motto.....

If we don't have it.....you don't need it


12 comments:

Anna Lefler said...

I love this post!

Happy Easter!

XO

Anna

Daryl said...

Oh I wish you'd told me this .. my friend Vera sells those charms at the flea market for really cheap ...

http://verabattemarco.com/

a quiet life said...

what a cute story, and i too love charms~

Susie Q said...

What a great post sweet lady! Love the state charms. I have thought about making a bracelet like that for Grace...of course, they just are not sparkly and pink enuff for her! *smile*
I still have my silver charm bracelet. It is SO heavy! For years, every holiday or special event meant a new charm from Grandma or Mom. i DO love the ones given to me after my first NYC trip!

I never wear it anymore but often think about removing the charms and adding some to a necklace.

Love,
Sue

KBeau said...

Great story. I had two charm bracelets, a silver one and a gold one, but I can't find either along with the diamond I found at the diamond mine. They are together somewhere, but I just don't know where.

Salmagundi said...

What a fun story!! Good for you fulfilling your dream. I'm like Susie Q - I have my silver charm bracelet. My Dad was the one that always gave me different charms for my birthday and Christmas. Some of those are 63 years old now. The bracelet is so heavy and loaded, I rarely wear it anymore, but I love it. Sally

nikkicrumpet said...

I'm glad you got your charm bracelet back...ya gotta love Ebay!

Deb said...

I must say, Sue, that I am not aware of those little bracelets or the charms. How did I miss that?
Lovely post there, Girl!

Joyce said...

Your brother and his charms candy story was way too funny. I have not thought of an A&P in years. I hope the Easter Bunny brings you some charms in your basket this year but don't ask you brother for any:)
Joyce

Magnolia Street Style said...

That is such a cute Easter story. Does your famly know this? Well I guess they do now.

Mari @ Once Upon a Plate said...

What an endearing story Sue!

I'm glad you're finally getting your bracelet with the state charms. xo ~m.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

We are kindred spirits Sue! These little charms were my favorite playthings when I was little. They were in the gum ball machines and i always hoped I'd win one instead of the gum. Every Sunday as we walked home from church I would get a nickel from my Mom to use in the gum ball machine and I collected quite a bit of the charms and kept them in a basket. The stories I would make up playing with them! I loved them. Sadly of all the things my Mom saved in her home those charms are missing and she doesn't know what happened to them. I guess someone is making a fortune selling them on E-Bay!