Cook Street Interiors: is it an "heirloom" or a "hairloom"

In my family, we have a joke about hand-me-downs from days of yore. If it’s a keeper, then it’s earned the “heirloom” moniker. If it’s a doozy, but must be retained due to some type of familial guilt, then it’s dubbed a “hairloom”. We’re sure you have a few hairloom gems in your holiday storage bins. Here are some of our favorite heirloom/hairlooms on display this season, but really, the distinction is all in the eye of the beholder.

This collection of musical angel ornaments was from my maternal grandmother. Apparently they moved over to make room for our elf on the shelf, Jingley, this morning. I dub the angels an heirloom for sure. Jingley, not so much, but my kids would beg to differ. He sits at the right hand of Santa after all — translation: ROCK STAR!

This trio of crystal trees belonged to my dad's mom. I scored them at Granbe’s Great Giveaway a few years back. It was the ultimate heirloom/hairloom festival, and Granbe’s five grandchildren (and subsequent great grandchildren) were the lucky recipients.

My aunts made these disco balls long before Studio 54 even opened with styrofoam balls, sequins, pearl pushpins and pipe cleaner hooks. I nabbed four of them at Granbe’s Great Giveaway, and they’re heirlooms to me for sure.

Here’s an heirloom that starts with our generation. It was a gift from my oh, so generous sister-in-law as we spent Christmas at home for the first time after our big renovation. I have to put it up high on the top of the china cabinet so little fingers don’t try to make the reindeer really fly.

This collection has become a modern-day heirloom for our family. We drink egg nog served in these mugs on the night we decorate the tree. My lame illustrations inspired Lucy (7) to upstage me on the cabinet door nearby.