no, but we bought our daughter one for christmas when she was 16. she loved it. still has it, at the foot of her bed, and she is married with 2 kids.

I never had one, got married before I had started thinking about "hoping". Daughter got a pretty one for high school graduation, and we filled it with sheets, towels, tupperware, china and flatware, and pretties. She still has it and stores her keepsakes in it. Youngest son and his then girlfriend bought one at an estate sale and they were busy filling it. Not with practical things, but she loved homemade crafts , and they would go to craft fairs and flea markets and buy Xmas decorations and and house decor, things like that. She and I made a lot of the tree decorations together. They didn't marry each other, my son still has the chest, and the decorations go on his Xmas tree, but she has a lot of them too and uses them in her home. I often wonder what they think when they are decorating their trees. Now girls move out, go to college and have their own apartments right after highschool and parents( and grandparents) are buying everything they need to set up housekeeping, but not really buying the things that will be kept and treasured for years. Sort of sad , really.

I still have it - in it NOW?? Polyester - double knits...........................

I have one! It is in use. It is a lovely chinese carved cedarwood chest, about 80 years old.

Nearly three years ago I remarried and do not yet have my own home. My DH told me to start collecting bits and pieces for the time we get our own home. He has encouraged me, despite it being rather expensive to buy some lovely glassware from Dartington Glass. This is it in Henna, whereas I bought Indigo

http://www.dartington.co.uk/store/OW...age.asp?id=180

We have been also been given some beautiful gifts for our wedding and birthdays and christmases since and these have been added to my chest.

It makes me feel young again and I vowed to be a recycled teenager!

Only Hope Chest I had was the one were my parents "hoped" I would make all the right decisions after giving birth to my 1st son at 16 and starting my own company at 17.

I did not, but my best friend, whose family was much more well off than we were, did. And she would show me stuff in it on a regular basis. I wanted one so badly! Now I wonder why.

I had my first one at 16 too. What sort of business did you start at 17? And were you a success with it? That intriques me!At that age with a baby, it seemed like everyone expected us to fail at everything. I guess the only thing I succeeded at was being a good wife and mom, got 56 years to be proud of.

I had Anthony at 16, my Dad said I would be a welfare Mom with no education. So to prove him wrong I graduated early from High school, and started an Upholstery business. I ran it successfully until I sold the name and business and retired at the age of 37.
It was a lot of hard work, and through the lean times I worked at other Upholstery shops who accommodated my need to have my young children on the premises. They cleared a storeroom out and made a place for the kids to play and nap while I worked.

I couldn't see myself being on welfare, the neighbor lady next door was. It made me sad that she was a unkept, druggie raising her two kids in squalor. (No offense meant to anyone) Some people live like that, I guess Dad in his own way was pushing me to better things. It worked!! I was a success, raised my kids, never asked for a handout and still won't.

ROFLOL!! Funny! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I didn't actually have a "chest". My stuff was just stored everywhere in my parents house. I had kitchen utensils, waterless cookware, Oneida stainless, luggage, towels, sheets, sofa, dining table and chairs, sewing machine, blankets, tools, etc. I pretty much had everything but small appliances when I moved out into my own apartment when I was 21. I started making and buying things when I was 14 so every one of these things I paid for with my own money. It was so fun to gather up stuff.

My brothers called it my "hopeless" chest. I showed them. I may have been 31 when I finally married but I did eventually marry! :D

Sure did enjoy those 10 years of living alone! Kind of miss it sometimes.