Paper Flowers

I’ve written here before about our beautiful, Southern tradition of Decoration Day. And, we know that with all of our traditions, we enjoy them in unique ways based on the day in which we live.

I have many times heard the stories from Decoration Days gone by of how the flowers were all homemade.  Like so many things, I understand the words of those stories, but I don’t really have a true understanding.  Well, I recently had occasion to work with a friend and make paper flowers. These were just a craft, and not intended to go to the cemetery. Still, I couldn’t help but remember those stories.

Now, I wasn’t particularly skilled at this craft – perhaps skill is something that develops with use and this was my first attempt.  If I made the bouquets for all of my loved ones graves, maybe the product would improve.

These flowers would be dipped in paraffin wax to help them last a little longer. Certainly, they still wouldn’t have the longevity of our modern, plastic bouquets. I wonder, though, in sacrificing longevity, would we add sentiment?

It occurs to me that as my grandmothers sat around the table with your children and created these works of art, did they talk about the loved ones who had already passed on?  Did they tell stories and share fond memories? Did those children come to ‘know’ their ancestors from their mother’s memories?

I would love to commit to you that I will make all of next year’s decoration flowers by hand – teaching my children to remember their family and learn valuable lessons from those memories. However, I always want to be honest with you… so I’ll just leave the plan open as an option.

At the very least I’m glad to have an inkling of the labor of love those who went before me.