Yesterday an ancient wooden trunk turned up at my house. This was what I found inside.
Now, you may (or may not) remember that I turned forty a wee while ago. At the time I told my family and friends not to get me anything: I am not one for birthdays, plus at that time we were in the middle of renovating and selling our old flat and buying our new house. There was lots to be getting on with. But my mum ignored my request and, over the past few months, prepared me a trunk full of forty things to celebrate my birthday. Inside the trunk, each thing was wrapped and numbered separately.
How exciting! I cleared my desk and spent an exceptionally jolly afternoon unwrapping all the packages. I found many lovely treasures. . .
A beautiful Meryl Watts print.
A blank book, bound in navy embossed leather, from Liberty’s.
. . . and things precious for other reasons
Castleton Library was one of my Grandad’s favourite hangouts, and was also where I first learnt that singular thrill of choosing a book.
Opening the packages reminded me that there are few people who know you better than your mum. Who else is aware that I am equally fond of jelly molds . . .
. . . chickens
. . . and Spongebob Squarepants?
My mum loves hunting things down on eBay, and I’m sure she really enjoyed herself bagging me some lovely vintage threads. . .
. . . buttons
. . . and this amazing antique tape measure, which is still in perfect nick.
All of these beautiful and useful items have already taken up residence in my new work-pod, along with this:
Now, I have looked at these old Patons & Baldwins bakelite yarn beehives many times myself on Ebay over the past couple of years, but have been unable to justify bidding on one. Now I don’t need to!
I love the old needle gauge on the bottom.
Finally, whoever invented Mint-Aero fudge is a genius.
What a completely amazing gift. Thanks so much, Mum.
That is sincerely the most delightful and thoughtful gift I can imagine! Kudos to mom.
LikeLike
What a treasure – the gift and especially your mum. She has been planning this for quite some time.
I’m sure she had as much fun gathering this gift together as you did in opening it. Thanks so much for sharing it all with us. What wonderful finds and all so special to you. Absolutely great idea.
LikeLike
You received a great gift.
LikeLike
There is nothing like a Mom to gather up a load of fantastic goodies to make you have continued smiles each and every time you come across one of the gems she’s sent. How wonderful that you have your Mom to remember the wonderful special day that is yours alone.
LikeLike
Happy Birthday indeed! Your blog was recommended to me by a friend, but I can’t find an email for you anywhere. Would it be possible for you to email me? qalballah AT gmail
LikeLike
Woah, this give me happy shivers reading and looking at this post. How utterly gorgeous. The Watts print is stunning and as for the buttons….sublime. Your Mum has given me a great idea that I will do for my own kids, thank you.
LikeLike
such a cool and amazing give, speaks volumes (slight pun intended) of both of you! happy belated birthday!
LikeLike
A truly amazing, wonderful gift.
LikeLike
Kate–How lucky you are to have such a Mum, and how lucky she is to have a daughter like you!
Wishing you Many Happy Returns of the day.
Also, thank you so much for your sweet and generous gift of your blanket kit to Jean Miles for her birthday. That was so much fun to read about, and made me happy to think of! You were so thoughtful to do that and I can’t think of a more deserving recipient
LikeLike
Your mom is a dear one and her idea is quite terrific, including that wooden trunk! I have two dear friends who could use this kind of attention. I will just have to adjust it to their particular ages which could make it quite an expensive undertaking…. but still worthwhile I think!
LikeLike
so like can we all sign a petition or something to persuade Patons & Baldwins (I know Patons still exists) to recreate those beehives? I know they wouldn’t be as cool as the bakelite but still….
PS Your Mum loves you and she’s a very cool lady to come up with such a great gift, Happy Birthday
LikeLike
A trunk full of treasure? Wow, how utterly magical! I can’t imagine it could have been any more amazing had it been filled with yarn. How lucky you are.
LikeLike
Such fun. Happy birthday!
LikeLike
What a great idea. I’d love to do that for my daughter. It would be so much fun looking for the gifts!
LikeLike
My mum is useless at gifts! I wish she could be half as good as yours.
LikeLike
Oh Kate! Your Mum!!! What can I say except how loved you are.
On my children’s birthdays I always feel like it is “my” day too. After all I was there. :) I have a feeling she feels the same way too.
LikeLike
What a fabulous and thoughtful gift. I will be stealing the idea for big birthdays in the future.
LikeLike
I just wanted to “ditto” all the wonderful comments here AND bring the number of comments up to an even 100 :)
LikeLike
Happy birthday, Kate! Good luck to you in your next 40+ years. It was truly a treasure chest that your mum gave you. New home, great family, a career that gives you satisfaction – much to be thankful for!
LikeLike
Hi Kate, having a quick catchup, sitting on our hotel room balcony in Portugal. I love your kitchen, a pixie hood was the second thing I knitted, age 7, and I want your Mum to adopt me ……. can she please do 61 presents for next Wednesday? Hope you are well, love Anne
LikeLike
What an amazing Mum you have! I’m glad you appreciate her. Happy 40.25!
LikeLike
Oh, all these great bits and bobs made me smile – what a most wonderful birthday present! Your mum is quite special.
LikeLike
This was wonderful. Started me thinking about birthday gifts for my sisters when they hit one of the big milestones. Your blog, is truly wonderful. I found great inspiration with your post about the shoes, I’m recovering from a spinal stroke. There is hope I can deal with the effects. I also loved Glove. I recently lost my beloved yellow lab and it brought back very fond memories. Just wanted you to know there are folks out here really enjoying your blog. Thanks.
LikeLike
The wooden chest looks really neat too!
What a great Mom. My mother would have enjoyed buying these gifts as well.
LikeLike
Wow!! Your mom is the absolute best!!
LikeLike
Oh my gosh…where on earth did you get that mother! Amazing!
LikeLike
Happy belated, of course! I think I enjoyed this post as much as your recent Bruce one, and that’s saying a lot. It made me think of my own mother, who loved finding treasures like the ones yours sent you! She did a lot of her seeking on Saturday mornings, biking around to garage and yard sales at a time when that was considered eccentric behavior, not “eco-friendly” or “upcycling.” I’m happy that she taught me that way of being in the world. Thank you for sharing this with us.
LikeLike
And your Mum’s gift multiplied so many many times when you shared it with us, of all ages. Be sure to thank her for us, and thanks to you as well. Many happy returns.
LikeLike
Your mother probably had as much fun putting this together as you did discovering each little gift. You’ll remember this birthday forever.
LikeLike
what a fab gift and an idea I may very well use for my daughter’s 30th in Dec. if I get cracking real fast. There is nothing like your mom. I miss mine so very much!
LikeLike
Wow. My dad had a workshop tape measure that resembled your Tape Measure treasure. His was a cloth tape, 25 feet long, and wound with a center crank. I wonder where it is …?
What a joy to get such a gift box!!
LikeLike
What lovely treasures! I’ve recently started to collect together ’40 things’ with my parents for my sister’s 40th and planned to wrap and number each one too – so it was very strange to see one already completed here today! My Grandma always used to make us boxes of ‘bits’ up at Christmas so I think I came up with my ’40 things’ idea as an extension of that. Many happy [belated] returns to you!
LikeLike
What a terrific idea, and what fun your mum must have had choosing 40 gifts. Did you open them in order? When my husband was 60 his nephew gave him 6 different teas!
Belated many happy returns.
LikeLike
wonderful, thoughtful mom, and lovely gifts! happy birthday!
LikeLike
What a lovely gift, especially the beehive. I had to bid for mine but I love it so !
LikeLike
Happy Belated Birthday from Downunder – am too ancient a cat to remember mine! You obviously have the most amazing and wonderful mother!
LikeLike
What a wonderful gift! She thought out each and every gift; a mother’s love is so comforting.
ps. Saw your Peerie Flooers knitted up in my favorite local yarn store today. My Sister Knits in Ft. Collins, CO. I was excited!
LikeLike
What a clever lady your mum is. Must be where you get it from :-)
LikeLike
What a gorgeous collection and the trunk is beautiful in itself. Aren’t mums just the very best things?
LikeLike
That is truly an amazing treat, what a Mum you have! I really like the brick :)
LikeLike
Happy belated birthday! What an incredibly thoughtful and creative gift!
LikeLike
What an amazing idea! Your mum is brilliant! I will have to borrow this idea for my daughter…one day :) When she turns 18 perhaps…so I have time to prepare…
Happy 40th…and many more to you…
LikeLike
What a totally marvellous present!! Your Mum is amazing. How many happy hours she must have spent collection the 40 gifts. Brilliant!
LikeLike
A truly lovely gift packed with love and meaning! I think your Momma is a great lady!
LikeLike
Ah, Happy Birthday Kate!
I ‘m thinking I can see where you get yourself from! Hahaha!
LikeLike
Yes, I think this helped me see that Kate didn’t fall too far from the “Mum” tree!
LikeLike
Your mother loves you!
LikeLike
Oh, WOW! What an outstanding gift! You deserve it, to be sure!
LikeLike
Wow, what an amazing gift, great idea!
LikeLike
Happy Belated Birthday. What a lovely gift.
LikeLike
How absolutely lovely!
LikeLike
What a mum! Lots of lovely carefully chosen gifts. My favourite is the P&B beehive yarn holder – I have a blue one inherited from mum. I love it. Well done, Kate’s Mum. Your timing is perfect.
LikeLike
What a wonderful gift!
I love the chicken toy. I think I had one when I was little ;)
LikeLike
Just, what a lovely gift and mother!! Congratulations, 40 is such a wonderful place to be in life!!
LikeLike
What a beautiful idea. I actually got a bit teary reading this post, so I can only imagine how you must have felt opening up all the lovely little gifts. Time to add a Patons Beehive to my list of “someday” knitting related items…
(happy belated birthday, btw.)
LikeLike
I actually teared up reading this post. What a lovely gift your mother gave you. I’m not one for birthdays or gift-receiving, but if someone did this for me, I’d be a blubbering mess of gratefulness.
LikeLike
What an absolute gem, your mum! On top of all those treasures, picturing her excitement and glee as she found of them must be such a joy. I’m glad your place is now ready to receive such bounty!
LikeLike
When I saw your post..and the start of the pictures. I knew. I turned 50 Sept 4. My family sent me 50! gifts in a big big box. Chicken material. A tray, apron and sweatshirt from St Bartholowmews Hospital in London where I started as a Theatre Nurse in my young 20’s. In a new and exciting country. And it has since closed. Yarn. Running socks. All things that reminded them of *me*. A box of rocks??? I stood on a side street with my younger sister and we threw rocks at cars. At 7 and 4, it sounded like a perfectly fine thing to do! Oh, such a treasure..
LikeLike
Your Mom is the best. I have tears in my eyes as I am missing my mother (gone 9 years).
LikeLike
I absolutely love this! The trunk is gorgeous and the presents seem perfect. Mom knows best definitely worked here.
LikeLike
Happy belated, Kate! I am turning 40 myself, next week. My mom died 5 years ago last week. So this post was especially poignant for me. Cherish your mom, she certainly cherishes you!
LikeLike
I think I had almost as much fun as you “opening” all the surprises!
What an awesome gift, your Mom is spectacular!
LikeLike
My mum is ..(how do I put it delicately?) “not gifted at tasteful gifting”. What a marvellous truck of treasures
LikeLike
What wonderful gifts from obviously a wonderful Mother to a wonderful Daughter! Happy Birthday Kate and best of everything to you.
LikeLike
happy belated birthday….what a stunning gift!!!!!
LikeLike
What a fun package! Amazing mum.
LikeLike
what a beautiful and lovely gift kate. a happy belated birthday and blessings for many more to share in happiness with friends and family.
LikeLike
What a lovely gift, Kate. Treasure your Mum. As much as I love my Mum, I’m not sure that she would know me well enough to put together something as fantastic as your trunk. Is this her problem or mine? Not sure!
Happy belated Birthday and may your Mum be around to celebrate may more.
LikeLike
What a lovely, special gift! Mums do know best :)
(PS happy birthday!)
LikeLike
Happy belated birthday ! I completely missed the discreet announcement on that post last June… however, I see now , all the things your family collected for you are to inhabit your new home in just the right moment worth waiting for. It all just seems so delicious and delectable !
LikeLike
What a lovely, lovely gift! And what a lovely Mum :)
LikeLike
What an amazing idea and an amazing mum. You are very blessed Kate and thank you for sharing. As someone who sadly has no contact with her mum I was thrilled to read about such a loving bond between a mother and a daughter. I shall definitely do this for my own wonderful daughter.
LikeLike
What a beautiful and thoughtfull gift… wow… Big ups for your mum !
LikeLike
Mums are just the best, for knowing what makes a heart sing. Blessings on your milestone!
LikeLike
Oh, this is wonderful — she must have been planning this for a long time and having so much fun. I think she needs a special new sweater. . .
LikeLike
What an amazing gift! How incredibly sweet of your mother to prepare such a gift for you. The wooden trunk already is something precious, let alone the little treasures it is filled with. Yay for amazing mums!
LikeLike
These are items given a precious daughter from the heart of a precious mother. I’m sure you will treasure them forever!!
LikeLike
That may be the best birthday gift I have ever seen. Hooray for moms!
LikeLike
The best gifts are from the heart. I can imagine the fun you had opening them! Moms know us best, don’t they? I miss my mom so much…give your mum a big hug when you see her next time! Happy birthday!
LikeLike
A trunk full of love and special memories! Your mom knew exactly what to do, as most moms do. I wish you a blessed belated birthday!
LikeLike
What an amazing present from a woman who sounds like an amazing mum. I hope the 40 little gifts warm your heart for years to come!
LikeLike
Wow! Happy Belated Birthday – 40 is an amazing age! Your Mom sounds absolutely wonderful and this post brought me to tears. What a beautidul gift she gave you, and so much thought went into it. It’s nice knowing that you were present in her thoughts so much as she planned and executed it. (not that your NOT n her thoughts that much). :-)
LikeLike
Kate, your Mum is special, this brought tears to my eyes. I’m tucking this idea of “forty things” away for when my daughter turns forty (in another thirty yrs!). Thank you for sharing, it’s clear you are truly loved and cherished.
LikeLike
What a loving and thoughtful gift!
LikeLike
How lovely for you!
LikeLike
Wow. Those gifts are all so beautiful. Way to go Kate’s mum! It actually reminds me of my mom, who is always finding wee treasures such as these and understands my love of the old and quirky. I learned to dream in libraries and as a result they are always my favourite places. Oh and I adore anything chocolate mint. Are we related? ;)
LikeLike
What a wonderful gift idea, and wonderful mum you have. It must have been so much fun opening them all, and so much fun to find places for them in your lovely new home.
Bruce made me giggle the other day with his g(love) affair.
LikeLike
That´s an absolutely wonderful gift idea! I´m knicking it straight away. One year from now my daughter will turn 30 – so I´ll only have to think of 30 things to put in my granddad´s old trunk. Tell your mum thanks and enjoy your gifts. I´m sure she has chosen them with her whole heart and imagening how happy you would be :) Happy birthday…
LikeLike
Cor! what a fantastic mother you have! A lovely idea. My daughter coming up to 18, better start shopping now :o) thanks for sharing
LikeLike
What amazing gifts. I’ve heard of people doing a similar thing before but never choosing as many gifts that actually relate to the recipients journey through life.
Your mother must have had such a wonderful time collecting them.
LikeLike
What a wonderful present, with so much thought going into it. Your mum is so amazing to have found such wonderful personal gifts. I had just been thinking of how to find things that are different, and not necessarily expensive, for my girls. A couple of years ago I gave one of my daughters an old leather writing case of mine – she had asked for nice stationery and I suddenly remembered I had this. (From the seventies, not really really old.) I found a poem inside it, from one of my university friends, and decide to leave that in place. Also found a teeny tiny address book from Moleskine to fit in the case. I have never seen one of my children so moved by a present.
LikeLike
Oh my, what treasure – the trunk, the gifts (and they all fitted inside, a feat in itself), and the deafness to your instructions – all give a wonderful insight to your mother’s love.
Thank you, so much, for sharing.
LikeLike
How beautiful! I love every thing in there. The beehive is a new concept to me, but now I want one :)
Also, the blank book from Liberty is the living end.
LikeLike
Have now bid for a beehive on ebay. Didn’t know they existed!
LikeLike
What a lovely gift! Truly original! Belated Happy Birthday.
LikeLike
What a lovely and touching present.
LikeLike
Fabulous idea! Love the beehive especially…….
LikeLike
Priceless….oh, the love packed inside that trunk. God bless Mothers everywhere today.
LikeLike
The time and energy your mother put into this gift is much more precious then the costs of this gorgious presents. I will remember it for one of my 5 daughters.
LikeLike
LOL If you do it for one, you will have to do it for them all, I think!
LikeLike
Oh that is wonderful, what a brilliant idea for a birthday, so much thought and love in there :-)
Patons could probably do well starting to make those beehives again
LikeLike
Yes, I echo Kristina. Here’s to long-lost mums. And daughters who know how beloved they are.
LikeLike
Oh, yes!
LikeLike
What a beautiful mother you have! Treasure her.
LikeLike
I used to work at Cassie library ! in fact all those old Rochdale branch libraries as relief assistant and I loved them all, they each had their own character, and now they are probably all shutting.
Your Mum did a great job with your birthday present, it must have taken a lot of looking for things, but what fun when she found something she knew was just right for you ! That trunk is rather nice too, is that one of the 40 gifts ?
Belated many happy returns !
LikeLike
yes! Its a really lovely trunk. Nice to hear from someone who remembers those libraries!
LikeLike
I haven’t fallen far from the tree, I still live in Heywood ! where I was born and brought up. I went to work for Rochdale libraries straight from school and it was such a great job ! Lots of young people working there and we used to make reservations for lunch at the town hall at least once a week or when in funds ( though it was not expensive) and eat in splendour in a large hall there, with spotless white linen and heavy silver! Talk about perks of the job !
LikeLike
You made me cry for my long deceased mother. What a nice thing to do.
LikeLike
it’s moving to read about such love and care for a daughter ♡
Glad you had such a pleasant surprise for your 40th and many happy returns :)
LikeLike
This brings a lump to my throat. What a thoughtful and creative and just plain LOVELY present. Just wow, Kate’s Mum!
LikeLike
Your mother is a marvel. Treasure her.
LikeLike
How wonderful! Happy Birthday and lucky you : )
LikeLike
What a divine, thoughtful and heartfelt gift well done Mum!
LikeLike
Wow, what an amazing present. I’m 40 next year and would love such a thoughtful gift. You very much deserve it.
LikeLike
What a gorgeous idea for a milestone birthday, and all full of such wonderful thoughtful presents! Including mint aero fudge, which sounds like manna from heaven!
LikeLike
A treasure indeed…and not the gifts, but your Mother. A true blessing.
LikeLike
Wow! Your mum really got it right!! Happy belated 40th indeed.
Love love love the beehive and the ancient trunk.
LikeLike