It all started one Thanksgiving in 1997 when Grannie spilled cranberry sauce on a brand new, white tablecloth. She gasped in disgust of her fumble and embarrassed, she dabbed her napkin in ice water to blot the small red stain. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry!,” she repeated to my mother.
Being the care-free, go-with-the-flow, amazing woman that she is, my mother assured Grannie that her cranberry mishap was truly no big deal. “There’s always a stain or two to be had on a brand new tablecloth!,” she said…or something like that (I was 12, the details are getting a bit fuzzy). Seeing the truth in that, someone decided that for each stain on the tablecloth, the person causing the stain should sign and date the stain, with the name of the occasion (i.e. Easter, Thanksgiving, birthday, etc.). And that is where the tradition started.
Shortly thereafter, people were spilling on purpose in order to get the opportunity to sign the tablecloth. So before long, the tablecloth was to be signed by all at any major family gathering, and added personal touches are always welcomed.
Being home over this Thanksgiving holiday, I reflected on the importance of that tablecloth to me and my family…it’s like our version of scrapbooking and I think it is so, so special.
It’s hard to believe this tradition is over 13 years old. Volume 2 may be needed as time goes on, the space available on the cloth is sparse! 😉 Friends and loved ones have adopted this tradition because of the meaning it can hold. Love, memories, and togetherness are what family and friends are all about…celebrate that by way of tablecloth scrapbooking!
Question: What’s one tradition your family holds that’s near and dear to you?
Lots of love from Champaign, Illinois (GO ILLINI!),
wow what a wonderful tradition love it
that is so cool!
I love that tradition!
Great tradition…I love it!
That is adorable! I love this tradition!
What an awesome tradition! This is something your family will treasure forever!
I think this is by far the best tradition I’ve heard of–love it!
Aw- that’s really cute! Sounds like something I would do, too… 🙂
Happy weekend!
I love that tradition!!!!! I want to start one myself!
I LOVE THAT!!! Such a great idea, and I bet your grannie really appreciated that your mom was so calm and turned the spill into such a great tradition.
The tradition on our family is to sit around talking about nasty things after we eat. lol, seriously, my dad’s Italian sisters are so full of it! They are hilarious and they just start the most hilarious conversations. We spent an hour telling fart stories and laughing so hard we were all crying. Good times 🙂 hehe
Oh that is so fabulous. I’m jealous that I don’t have any traditions up that par of adorableness! We don’t see our families for holidays, but my husband and I have a tradition of being nontraditional for holidays. It started with our first Thanksgiving when we drove up to Maine for lobsters. Then the next year we went out for Chinese food on Christmas. This year we had Bison for Thanksgiving dinner. Its very very fun to break the mold.
OMG I love this. My aunt used to pass around a journal and have everyone write their thoughts in it and I thought that was a cool idea. Unfortunately the tradition died when she passed away. I love this though! Where do you guys put it? On the main dining table? Does it get washed?
this is an excellent tradition. my family is working on one, so we might be obliged to steal this idea.
though i am an osu buckeye, i can appreciate your illini reference. urbana champaign is a great venue for football and basketball
That does look like a really nice tradition. Haven’t heard of something like this before. It interesting how traditions start. 🙂
What a great tradition!!! Thanks for sharing! I may just have to create my own tradition similar to yours… 😉
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
My family has never been one to have traditions…I wonder what I’m missing! This is such a sweet tradition…13 years! Wow! I hope it’s kept for generations!
Oh wow, that’s such a cool tradition!
That is such a cute and awesome family tradition!
Aww, this is such a great idea – love it!