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A Family Tradition - The Bluebird of Happiness

child wearing bluebird broochAre bluebirds a tradition in your family story? For some families a Bluebird of Happiness brooch or bracelet is a delightful part of each new baby's Christening or naming day celebrations.

We were as happy as bluebirds to receive a photo of little Aubrey's Christening brooch alongside her mother and grandmother's bluebird brooches, but we were beside ourselves with giddiness when Aubrey's Mother Bec also sent photos of the brooches actually being worn at each of the Christenings!

different bluebird styles

 

 

Each photo is a precious snapshot in time. A chapter in a family story. Little Aubrey is a third generation Bluebird wearer and her photos were taken recently.  Her Mother Bec is pictured wearing her blue bird brooch and bracelet at her Christening in 1983, and Aubrey's Grandmother is pictured at her Christening in 1959!

 

 Different Bluebird Styles

While you can see vast differences between the fashions and styles of each era, the bluebird brooches themselves haven't changed too much. The Bluebirds may vary a little in colour or shape, but they are still very clearly the iconic bluebird we all know and love. And we really love the 'open book' on Grandmother Helen's brooch - truly a keepsake to tell a story!

Different Hand Engraving Styles

Bec's family brooches also demonstrate slight changes in engraving styles.  All three brooches are engraved in the traditional script font that is still used today for hand-engraved name brooches and ID bracelets. 

Helen's name brooch looks to have been engraved with a hand held graver - no electricity! Baby brooches are also hand-engraved with a hand held electric burr that still requires the skills and experience of a real person.  Many years later you can still 'see' a little of the human hand behind the work. With hand-engraved names, just like the wearers, there will never be another exactly the same.

Over the years, some things change and some stay the same.  Traditions also change or adapt over the years and it is never too late to begin your own family tradition.  Bec says, "We don’t have many, if any traditions like this in my family so it’s extra special to me and hopefully my son and daughter will continue on with it if they have children." Your Giddy Aunts hope so too. 

While many traditions may have disappeared over the years, we've also seen the beginnings of new traditions.  As the old saying goes: The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.  The second best time is now.

Long may the bluebirds bring happiness to the chapters in family stories, whenever and wherever their "Once upon a time..." began!

 


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