Many parents hold on to stuff, thinking it’ll mean just as much to their kids. But it doesn’t. The truth is, lots of those old treasures come across more like chores than gifts, and many kids would rather not have them. We spoke to a few readers about the heirlooms they wish they’d never received. Here are twelve of them. Which ones would you hate to get?
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Sterling silver flatware sets
While a velvet-lined box of forks & knives does look fancy, owning them means constant polishing. You can’t put them in the dishwasher without regretting it. Even though the sets usually serve twelve, when was the last time anyone sat twelve at a dinner table at home? Most of the time, they’ll sit in the drawer, unused and unwanted.
Leaded crystal punch bowls
Crystal punch bowls were the star of every holiday party back in the day. But the problem is that they’re heavy & fragile. They also come with a dozen little cups that nobody wants to wash by hand, while the leaded glass stops you from being able to throw them in the dishwasher. Drinks usually come in cans or pitchers anyway, so there’s no point in getting a whole set.
Oil portraits of unknown relatives
Sure, huge framed paintings of relatives from a hundred years ago may have had a place once. Yet they’re just a hassle now. Nobody wants to hang a giant canvas of someone they’ve never met, as these pieces don’t match most décor & they’re also tough to clean. No personal connection, no painting.
Grandfather clocks with weights
It doesn’t matter how cool tall clocks with swinging pendulums may seem. They’re way too high-maintenance, as you have to keep them level and wind them regularly. You may have to call a specialist whenever the chimes go out of sync. And let’s not get started on the hassle of moving them, which is mostly because the glass doors & weights make them fragile.
Cuckoo clocks
Grandfather clocks aren’t the only problem. Anyone who’s had a cuckoo clock knows that they don’t just tick quietly, as the bird bursts out loudly every hour, sometimes every half hour. Keeping one running is a hassle because you have to wind it up every day. Worse still, you may need to get occasional repairs from clock shops that aren’t always easy to find.
Cedar hope chests
So many people hold onto big cedar chests and fill them with linens, hoping they’ll last for a future household. Now they mostly smell like cedar & take up valuable floor space. Instead, most people would prefer using bins or baskets, perhaps even closets, for storage, meaning that a huge chest usually gets shoved aside.
Porcelain figurine collections
Of course, having rows of delicate figurines, whether they’re Hummels or Lladró, looks incredible. But the truth is that they’re much too fragile for most people to care about, and insurance companies sometimes make you list them separately. Unless you have the original boxes, they’re tricky to resell, since younger people don’t have curio cabinets.
Silver tea services
The big trays & tall pots, as well as the sugar bowls and creamers, are all shiny until they aren’t. Polishing them takes an afternoon. It also feels rather useless since most sets start looking dull within days, while lugging one around is hardly easy. The majority of people want coffee in a mug or maybe a kettle of tea when they come over, not an elaborate silver setup.
Wedding dress and veil
Family heirloom dresses often come packed in a giant box and are preserved with special paper. But that doesn’t last very long. Years later, the fabric may still have yellow spots, and the lace tears far too easily. Updating the style can cost a small fortune that doesn’t always seem worth it, which is why most couples today would prefer to pick their own cuts & fabrics.
Hand-knotted wool rugs
Yes, wool rugs are beautiful, but they’re also heavy & difficult to clean. You can’t exactly throw them into a machine. That’s not all, as pet stains linger and the colors fade in sunlight, while vacuuming the fringe may damage the threads. They also tend to be too big for smaller living spaces.
Fur coats
Fur coats come out of storage bags weighing much more than they seem. That makes finding space for them difficult, as closets get crowded fast & professional storage costs can be quite high. Regular dry cleaning also isn’t enough to keep them in shape. Plus, most people don’t want to wear fur anymore, so these coats sit unused, regardless of the original high price tag.
Antique baby cribs
Unfortunately, old wood or iron baby cribs simply aren’t safe. Paint can chip & the slats are often too far apart. Some even have drop sides that aren’t legal now, and restoring them to modern standards costs a lot more than it’s worth. Even then, they can’t be certified for baby use.
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