The yellow dress often shows up when least expected, although we should all have learned by now to expect it. It has come to be a part of weddings, birthdays, graduations, births and other family celebrations. I was fortunate to receive the original yellow dress a time or two. Unfortunately it disappeared, and was recreated, I'm grateful to those who helped the tradition continue.
Hannah passed it on to Chad when he was visiting for Spring Break. We hid it in a new black hoodie we gave him.
I'll let Oma share the story of the yellow dress. The following was in a letter that Oma wrote for me to give to Elizabeth and that I gave to her at her wedding shower.
Hi!
I wish I could go with you. story below:
Once when Margaret was visiting one of her (our) cousins, for the day, was asked to stay the week and Margaret didn't have any clothes with her. So, they decided she could wash the clothes she had on at night and they found this old yellow sack dress that our old aunt had left there (Aunt Polly) that she could sleep in at night and wear until her other clothes were dry. Aunt Polly was never a fashion plate and had made this dress from cheap, tacky material and when she didn't have enough cloth, she had faced the hem with red and white checked gingham. Margaret wore it so much when there that when she got back home she received it in the mail as a joke gift from our cousin. Months later, when Jerry our cousin was having a birthday, Margaret sent it to Jerry at her work place. She worked for a Judge. Well, Jerry opened it up in the office to see what it was, and then had to try to explain to everyone in the office including the Judge. So, for awhile they sent it back and forth between the two of them, (always being surprised at the contents of the gift) but somewhere along the way, it started showing up with the rest of the family. Whenever there was a shower, b'day, anniversary, wedding, it would show up and the most amazing part is that it ALWAYS surprises the person.
Morgan was the funniest when he was about 10 years old he said, "I can't understand what people are so surprised about that yellow dress. It looks like if they were having a birthday or something that they would know they were going to get it. How are they always dumb enough to be fooled?" Well, he had come to see me in Sebring the day he said that and his birthday had been a few days earlier and I had told him I would save his presents until he got there. I had invited Eunice and Tom over for dinner that night and after we had eaten, I said, "Oh, Morgan, I haven't given you your birthday present." So, I got the real present and gave it to him, etc., and then after he had opened it, Eunice said, "Morgan, I have a little gift for you. I know kids don't like to get clothes for their birthday but I didn't know it had been your birthday until today so I had to get something in a hurry." He said, That's all right, Aunt Eunice, I like clothes."
Well, when he opened it at the table I've never seen anyone laugh so hard at something because only a few hours earlier, he knew he had said "Everyone must be dumb to be fooled by it."
Another time that was funny was I really knew I was apt to get it when I got married. I didn't want it to show up in the bag I took on our short honeymoon so I kept the key to my suitcase on a ribbon around my neck for weeks. I kept the bag locked at all times. Well, imagine my surprise when I opened my bag, there it was packed between my things. Margaret had found the key in the bedroom while I was taking a bath and had slipped it into my case and quickly put the key back where I had left it. And so the story has gone one year after another for over 60 years.
And now, it's our little Elizabeth's turn to open it at her wedding shower. I really wish I could be there. I'm sitting her with tears running down my face wondering where the years have gone that my precious little girl is all grown up. What a wonderful relationship we have had and will continue to have and I knew she would marry a nice young man like Chad. Have a great time!
Love,
Mom
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