Memory lane….who got a small cedar box at graduation from a local furniture store?

[Ottakee]

I am doing some deep cleaning today and one thing I am cleaning out is my small cedar box I got at high school graduation from a local furniture store.  I think it was in hopes of getting us to buy a Lane cedar chest.

Anyone else get one?   Still have it?

i graduated late 80s

[Scarlett]

I did.  I graduated in 1983.  I also received a full size one as a graduation gift.  I still have both. 

[Dmmetler]

I did, as a late 1980's graduate. I also now have my mother's. They look the same. I was kind of disappointed that L didn't get one in 2021. 

[saraha]

Me! 1995

Do they still do that?

Edited January 7, 2023 by saraha

[Terabith]

I did!  I graduated in 1994.  

I don't think they're still doing it though.

[Ottakee]

Likely not doing it as I doubt many high school girls are asking for a cedar Hope chest for a graduation gift anymore.

[TechWife]

I did & I still have it. It’s on my nightstand. I use it as a keepsake box, editing it down every ten years or so. 
 

ETA: If you look carefully you can see my blue & white high school grad tassel! 

Edited January 7, 2023 by TechWife

[historically accurate]

Huh. I've never seen one of those - I graduated in 92. I do have a full size hope chest though - I think I got it for my 16th birthday. 

[ScoutTN]

25 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

Likely not doing it as I doubt many high school girls are asking for a cedar Hope chest for a graduation gift anymore.

We are giving Dd a lovely hope chest, made by close friends we go to church with, for graduation. Medium sized, cedar lined. 
 

Dh had a small cedar lined box. He gave it to Ds, who keeps letters and small keepsakes in it.

[katilac]

I have cedar-box-related trauma. 

For some reason, I really wanted this thing. You had to go pick it up from the store, and my dad was being cranky about getting me there. The sister who graduated two years ahead of me said something to the effect of, you want that stupid thing? You can have mine (tosses dusty box in my direction). 

I didn't want her graduation box, I wanted mine. Yes, I wanted my own completely identical wooden box that had very little utility, lol. 

I have no idea why this was important to me, but it was. It's the story I tried to remember when my kids placed importance on things I didn't understand at all. 

Edited to add: mid 80s. 

Edited January 7, 2023 by katilac

[Annie G]

I graduated in 1979 and yes, I received one! 
Wonder what happened to it…

[Karen A]

Mine has lived on my dresser for the last 35 years. It has ticket stubs, some love letters :), and extra jewelry. 

[fairfarmhand]

I have one that was my mother's. I don't know if she got it for graduation. She graduated in 1974.

[elegantlion]

Wow, I don't think I've ever heard of that. Graduated in 85, obviously don't have one. 

We did own Lane cedar chests (full-size) but my mom & dad bought them together. 

[Amy in NH]

Graduated in 89.

It is on the dresser in my bedroom.

 

[Danae]

1990. I still have it around here somewhere . . . 

[Corraleno]

I've never heard of this or ever seen one before! I graduated in 1973.

[vonfirmath]

4 hours ago, Ottakee said:

I am doing some deep cleaning today and one thing I am cleaning out is my small cedar box I got at high school graduation from a local furniture store.  I think it was in hopes of getting us to buy a Lane cedar chest.

Anyone else get one?   Still have it?

i graduated late 80s

I did not get one at graduation (Graduated 1991)

But a friend bought me one a few years ago when we met in Dallas and found it. I keep my bookmarks there and love the smell everytime I open it.

 

(I hope to find one for my daughter in the next few years since I don't really want to let go of mine)

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by vonfirmath

[maize]

I've never heard of this but I love it! I have a full-size cedar chest that belonged to a great-aunt; I keep blankets in it.

I didn't graduate in the US, so I guess not surprising that I haven't heard of the mini chests before.

[Scarlett]

Now the question is…..is the furniture store where yours came from still in business? 
 

Mine is.  

[J-rap]

Yes, I have one!  It's one of the few things I've kept from my childhood and still keep out and actually use.  I keep important notes in it. 

ETA:  I checked online to see if the furniture store is still there, but it is not.

Edited January 8, 2023 by J-rap

[TechWife]

19 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Now the question is…..is the furniture store where yours came from still in business? 
 

Mine is.  

I don’t think so, but I’m not entirely sure. 

[Ottakee]

57 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Now the question is…..is the furniture store where yours came from still in business? 
 

Mine is.  

Yes it is 

[Dmmetler]

Mine is-it's a regional chain that has been around since 1897. It's not downtown anymore, though, and looks a lot less upscale now than I remember it being as a kid, when it was down by the old, art deco movie theater and the Woolworths (that whole block seriously looked the same in the 1980's as in photos from the 50's except for the cars and clothes)..but now is unrecognizable. 

[Calm37]

3 hours ago, fairfarmhand said:

I have one that was my mother's. I don't know if she got it for graduation. She graduated in 1974.

Ackk! I'm your mother's age! My oldest grandchild is 3, though. Yes, went with my 4 girlfriends to get one.

[Just Kate]

Oh my gosh…I had one of those! I completely forgot about it, so I must have gotten riding it in one of my many moves. I graduated in 1994. 
 

(love the trip down memory lane!!!)

[popmom]

I have seen these, but I didn't get one. Graduated in late 80s. I don't think I ever realized this was a graduation thing. 

[Elizabeth86]

Hmm my sister graduated in the late 80’s and my parents have a small cedar chest like that since I was little. I bet that’s where it came from.

[KungFuPanda]

I graduated in 1990 and had one. It might be around here somewhere but I haven’t seen it in years. 

[KeriJ]

Even though I am old enough,  I didn't get one because I have always had my mom's. I still keep old family jewelry in it.

[Carrie12345]

1995!

[kbutton]

No. 1994. My dad found one and spiffed it up for me when I graduated. We got one when we signed up for our wedding registry; I want to say JC Penney maybe gave them out. DH uses that one.

[stephanier.1765]

I graduated in '83 and didn't get one. Now I'm feeling robbed (LOL) because I would have loved one of those. That's pretty awesome that they gave those away.

[Ottakee]

I found this article on them

Lane graduation boxes

[Guest]

1989 grad, here. I never had one and didn’t have a Lane hope chest, but I have my grandmother’s cedar chest (still). I definitely remember when that was a thing, though. All the magazines hawked Lane chests too. I was the third daughter in my family and, while I think the idea was that we would all have hope chests, only the eldest got a real one with things in it. 
 

I do remember some of the silly things I was given to go in my hope chest (the one that was my grandmother’s). I remember one thing was a Tupperware jello mould with interchangeable toppers for different holidays, lol! No kitchen would be complete without a green jello with a Christmas tree figure at the top, lol! 

[Jaybee]

Graduated in 1978. I have one sitting on my bookshelf, but I had forgotten how I got it. I think I used to have my mother's as well, but I don't know what happened to it. My dad made each of us a "hope chest," so I didn't have a bought cedar one. Mine is chock full of photos that need to be sorted and organized, and I'm putting it off. It also serves as an end table between the couch and a chair.

[YaelAldrich]

My sister got one at her high school graduation in 1996. I never got one but I went to a boarding school out of the area. I only saw it again after my sister passed away in 2015. She kept jewelry in it and my dad gave most of that to my daughter (who very much resembles my sister).

ETA:  The furniture store has been in that small town FOREVER it seems.  Still there.

Edited January 10, 2023 by YaelAldrich

[klmama]

I got mine in the early 1980's.  It's had many uses over the years; right now it holds some sewing supplies.

[rebcoola]

I never heard of this but I didn't graduate until 2001

[TexasProud]

Yes!  To be honest, I am not sure where it is. We may very well find it in the attic.  I also got a full size Lane Cedar Chest ( hope chest) for graduation from my parents. I have old prom dresses, costumes, grandfather's naval uniform, wedding dress in it. 

But yes, everyone got those boxes for graduation at my school.  I graduated in 1985.