Grandpa's Trunk

For 10 years, we lived in an old 3-story house. It was built in 1912 and we filled it with antiques appropriate to the period. One of my favorite pieces was my great-grandfather's trunk. I'm not sure how I ended up with it, as he and my great grandmother lived in my home state of North Dakota while I was in Nebraska. How did it get here? Did we ask for it on one of our trips home? Or did Mom and Dad bring it down, thinking I would want it in memory of my great grandparents?

However I got it, I loved it. I loved the dark green color, the musty smell, the old yellowing paper peeling away from the back and sides. I loved its heaviness, the worn leather straps used to haul it. But mostly I loved it as a backdrop for my seasonal decorations.

I set it in the corner of the foyer with the lid propped open. Mr. Man cut a piece of plywood that fit across the top and I'd layer it with holiday and other seasonal fabrics, and then arrange monthly decorations and lights on it. White cloth with red cardinals in January, red cloth with an assortment of hearts in February, green cloth and clovers in March, and so on.

We no longer live in that old house and this summer we said goodbye to the old trunk. But I still love to decorate each month.


With Halloween fast approaching, I decorated a hall table with my usual assortment of fall items. It's not the same as Grandpa's trunk, but it still makes my heart sing.