Passing down family heirloom from one generation to another isn’t just a tradition but a promise that one is never willing to break.
A woman shared a story of how this beautiful tradition turned ugly because of her new husband’s demand.
Asking whether she was right or wrong, she turned to Reddit and explained that there was this precious piece of jewelry, a green emerald necklace, that has been passed down to the eldest child of the family on their fourteenth birthday. This tradition existed for many years.
The 35-year-old woman further added that her daughter Emily would be turning 14 in January 2024, and that she has been planing to give the necklace to her, as she always wanted.
However, some two years ago, OP tied the knot to her husband Joey, who also has a daughter, Sophia, who’s around the same age as Emily.
Pexels
One day, while discussing Christmas gifts, Joey mentioned something that made OP’s blood boil. He suggested that she give the necklace to Sophia and that it would mean a lot to his daughter because it would show that OP truly accepts Sophia as her own daughter.
The woman explained that Emily knew of the tradition and that she was already looking forward to the necklace, but Joey insisted.
What’s most, he called her self-centered and told her that if her daughter really wanted a necklace she could simply order one on Amazon for her.
Despite his constant insisting, OP said she won’t be giving the necklace to Sophia, but her husband got mad and gave her the silent treatment. He even shared what happened with his mother and sister who supported him and told him his wife was selfish and biased.
The woman asked fellow Redditors to give her advice, and as expected, most of them were in her favor.
“You’re not favoring one kid over another. Emily is your kid and the necklace is hers. Your [stepdaughter] is not entitled to anything. I would have told him that his daughter can get the knockoff from Amazon if it’s that important to him,” one user wrote.
They then added: “That being said, you need to put the necklace in a safe place like a box in the bank or something because trust me, as soon as Emily has it, it’s going to ‘disappear’ or be broken by ‘accident.’”
Pexels
“It needs to be locked up in a safe place so that neither your [stepdaughter] nor your husband can get their hands on it. I would sit down with Emily and explain why you are doing so and that while you consider it hers, it’s best to keep it safe,” another person wrote.
What are your thoughts on this?
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
Having a sibling is a true blessing. Brothers and sisters are always there for you when no one else is. You share with them your joy, your sadness, your accomplishments, and you turn to them when things get hard.
Ryan Suffern is an 8-year-old boy from North Carolina who has a twin sister. He loves her dearly…unconditionally. In fact, he loves her so much that he’s willing to trade some pretty cool toys for her happiness.
Source: Facebook/Karen Lynn Suffern
As it turns out, his sister Amer weights more than Ryan and the rest of the children in their class. That, unfortunately, made her a victim of bullying. Children often tease her and pick on her, and Ryan wants that to stop.
This kindhearted boy wrote to Santa and his letter touched many hearts. In it, he wrote how he wanted a remote-controlled car and a helicopter, but changed his mind because he now has a much important thing to ask for, his sister not to be picked on any more. He explains that Amer does nothing to provoke her bullies and that it’s not fair for her to be teased. That makes Ryan really mad.
Source: Facebook/Karen Lynn Suffern
When his mother Karen read the letter in order to see what toys her children asked for, she couldn’t stop tears from running down her face.
The truth is that she has been aware that he daughter experienced bullying at school, and no matter what she did to prevent it, things didn’t really change. “She would tell me things that kids would say at school,” Karen explained. “They would egg her on to do different things: she would crawl on the floors on a bus. You know, she would eat things off the chairs…It hurt me because I’m like, ‘I hope she’s not feeling how I used to feel when I was her age’? And it was a pattern.”
Once the story of Ryan’s letter and Amber’s bullying came known to the public, the two were invited to Good Morning America.
GMA
Speaking to Josh Elliott, who was the co-anchor of Good Morning America, Amber explained how kids at school pick on her but said she didn’t know why.
“They say I’m fat. I’m stupid. I’m ugly. And I’m hideous. I don’t really believe them,” the girl explained. And when it came to her sweet brother, Amber described him as fun, active, and protective.
Besides asking Santa for his twin sister not to be bullied, Ryan also asked if it would be possible Amber’s favorite band, Big Time Rush, to attend her birthday party and make it even more special. This was like an early gift.
GMA
As you are guessing already, the crew at Good Morning America made this dream come true by inviting the band to their program too.
Not only they played for Amber that day, but she and her loving brother were also invited as VIP guests at a weekend concert in New York City.
Luckily, after this story went viral, Karen was allowed to start a dialogue with her children’s school, which made things better for Amber, who suffers from ADHD, depression, and mood disorder.
“The school has been in touch and they’re making sure my daughter feels comfortable and safe. They moved her on the bus because about 98 percent of the bullying takes place on the bus. She’s now sitting with her cousin who’s much older than Amber is”.
“Today and yesterday she didn’t wake up begging me to let her stay home, so I guess that’s a good sign,” Karen said.
GMA
We truly hope this boy’s wish come true and that all the bullying in the world would stop because it is a very serious matter which affects many young children.
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
Oscar winning actress Helen Mirren attended Jeanne du Barry premiere during Cannes Film Festival opening night and stunned everyone with her new looks.
Once again, the 77-year-old actress, who has given the world of film so much over the years, showed her unique sense of style when she decided to dye her hair blue for the occassion.
The color of her hair, which is usually grey as she embraces her natural looks, matched her outfit, a gorgeous gown designed by Daniel Del Core.
Mirren swept her newly dyed locks high into a Marie Antoinette style Pouf. She did this to match the movie’s French historic theme. The Queen star accessorized her outfit with a silver choker and a fan that had “#WorthIt” written on it, a nod to her role as a L’Oreal ambassador.
Many agree that the actress managed to outdo herself once again with her splendid and glamorous looks that made her appear as though she came right out of a fairytale.
Mirren’s stylist, Lee Harris, who shared a photo of the actress’ new look, wrote, “She knows how to make an entrance,” and we can’t agree more.
Back in 2019, Mirren attracted attention when she appeared with her hair pinkish.
Last year, again for the Cannes Film Festival, she donned extra-long white hair extensions and heavy eyeliner for a screening of the movie Mother And Son (Un Petit Frere).
Back then, she opted for a beaded silver gown and danced alongside actor Andie MacDowell.
In 2021, the actress told Vogue that going gray wasn’t a difficult transition for her. “I have to say it was very easy for me because my hair was always blonde. I was a natural blonde and although it was quite dark at times, in the summertime when I’d spent time in the sun, it would basically go white,” she said. “So the process of me losing the color of my hair was very easy—it just looked more and more as if I had been in the sun, but year-round.”
One thing is certain, Mirren does follow the fashion trends and always looks spectacular.
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
Jay Leno, one of the most famous television personalities who hosted NBC’s ‘The Tonight Show’ from 1992 to 2014, has endured some hard time during the last couple of years.
The host of the TV series Jay Leno’s Garage, streaming on Peacock, suffered serious burns which required a hospital stay and two skin graft procedures following a gasoline fire which took place at his Burbank garage.
“I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire. I am ok. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet,” Leno told The Times in a statement after the incident.
Sadly, some time later, he went through another ordeal when he got involved in a motorcycle accident.
He was again taken to the hospital as it had been determined that he broke two kneecaps and two ribs and fractured his collarbone.
Luckily, Leno isn’t someone who gives up easily so despite the severity of his injuries he shared with his fans that was feeling fine and back to work.
When it comes to his job and his passion – he’s a huge classic-car enthusiast known for his extensive car collection which consists of 160 cars and 130 motorcycles – Leno doesn’t plan on slowing down.
Asked if he has any plans of retiring, Leno says it would need something very serious like a stroke to take place that could slow him down, otherwise, he won’t stop working any time soon.
During the Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge premiere, the famous host said “That’s when you retire when you have your stroke.”
Shortly after his hospital stay, Leno was quick to return behind the wheel and even visited the sites of his unfortunate collisions.
Reflecting on the car fire incident, Leno spoke of the risks of working on cars.
“When you work with cars, you have a lot of accidents,” stressing that the accident he was involved in was of a bigger size.
“I knew how close I was to the pilot light, and I thought, ‘Uh oh,’” he added and compared the experience to getting the worst possible sunburn.
While at the hospital, he received an outpouring of love and support from his family and his friends.
“John Travolta gave me a big Italian basket,” she said, “Tom Selleck sent me an exquisite bouquet, and Russell Crowe took the time to reach out from Australia.”
Both Leno and his wife Mavis were deeply touched by the gestures because they showed the depth of friendships the couple created over the years.
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
A solid relationship is based on mutual support and understanding, and if these aspects lack, things often turn heated.
On the “AITA” subreddit, a woman posted the story of how her relationship with her boyfriend crashed and she’s now wondering if she’s the one who’s in the wrong.
Namely, she shared that the two dated for around three months and when she realized he was having troubles paying rent and was unwilling to return to his parents’ home, she suggested that he moves in with her.
However, she didn’t mention the fact that she owned the place. She didn’t ask him to pay rent, they just split the expenses over the groceries.
The two lived on the second floor of the home her father gave to her while the first floor was rented to other people.
One day, the tenant from downstairs looked for the woman to tell her that the fridge wasn’t working properly. She said she would go and check and she would have it repaired. If that wasn’t an option, she said she would buy a new one.
Listening to this conversation, the woman’s boyfriend just stood there, confused. He asked why would she offer to either fix someone’s fridge or even buy a new one. That’s when she told him that she owned the place and that the people who were looking for her about the issue with the fridge were the tenants.
The boyfriend got extremely mad at that point and started yelling at her. He called her evil for not telling him she was the owner and demanded that she give him half of the rent money she was receiving.
This came as a crazy demand. The woman didn’t think he was entitled to a portion of her rent, but when she told him that, he became even more mad at her.
In the days to come, the boyfriend acted weirdly so she decided to call the relationship quits. But he had a hard time accepting the reality.
It was then that OP’s father got involved. “My boyfriend just laughed and told us both he never wants to see us again and that he was out.”
Some Redditors advised the woman to change her locks.
What are your thoughts on this?
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
The Prince and Princess of Wales released their annual family Christmas photo.
With the celebrations being over, the royal children are back to school following the well-deserved break. This year, they were given the chance to accompany their mom to the Carol service at Westminster Abbey which the Princess hosts on December 8 for the third year in a row.
The siblings were actively involved with the service and learned a lot about the importance of volunteering. Among the rest, they shared messages and wishes for children who might be struggling with Christmas by writing them down and placing them in a special card box. They also got to enjoy singers Beverley Knight and Adam Lamberg perform.
Regarding the service, the Palace announced that “the service will be a moment to thank all those who work to support babies, young children, and families in our communities across the UK and a celebration of the golden opportunity that the birth of a new baby brings.”
The event significantly adds to the Princess’ popularity.
“What Kate has done brilliantly is elevating her status and position within the broader royal family brand. Having a slot on Christmas Eve, it’s evidence of her appeal,” PR expert Andrew Bloch told Mirror.
“If ITV didn’t think there would be any audience interest in that, they wouldn’t give her that slot, which is a prime time slot over the Christmas period. Not necessarily consciously a power move, but she is positioning herself as a key member of the royal family and developing a brand in her own right.”
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The Prince and Princess of Wales are always keen on celebrating the most magical day of the year with the rest of the family. This is because they want to give their three children a yearly family tradition.
“It’s important to them that their kids share childhood traditions like their school pals,” an insider told Us Weekly in 2018.
“They’re going all-out to make it extra special.”
They, however, always attend the formal dinner on Christmas Eve, often including Norfolk shrimp and lamb.
The morning, as per tradition, is reserved for a classic English breakfast consisting of eggs, sausages, bacon, and beans.
Following the traditional visit to St Mary Magdalene Church, the royals have their Christmas lunch, the main course of which being a roast turkey.
As per US Weekly, the family members also have upheld Henry VII’s tradition of “weighing in before and after Christmas lunch.”
At 3 p.m., the family sits down to watch the annual Christmas speech on television. Over the years, late Queen Elizabeth’s annual speech was a highlight for many, but as of last year, it is the new head of the monarchy, King Charles, who is giving a speech.
Samir Hussein – Pool/WireImage
The truth is that tradition is the core of the royal family, and of course, Christmas at Sandringham is one of them, and apparently knowing what order in which to arrive is essential.
“The royals usually arrive the day before Christmas, and they arrive in order of seniority. The least important members arrive first,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told The Sun.
Another one is the annual Christmas card which the public waits for with a huge dose of anticipation.
This year, the photo of William, Kate, George, Charlotte, and Louis was black and white and lacked a festive background and ornate settings.
The caption under the photo taken by photographer Josh Shinner was simple, “Our family Christmas card for 2023.”
Josh Shinner/Kensington Palace via Getty Images
“Those children look pretty happy with life,” the palace insider told People Magazine earlier this year. “A lot of it is the stabilizing normality Kate brings — and that’s how she grew up. William absolutely loves it.”
“Coming from a different background, she appreciates the importance of having family time,” a source close to the royal household added. “She wasn’t brought up in that aristocratic setting where you see the children for a short time each day.”
Shinner, who has taken a few more photos of the family, emphasized the theme of ‘normality.’
“It was such a pleasure to photograph The Prince and Princess of Wales and their family for the Christmas portrait this year,” Shinner shared on his Instagram page. “Without doubt one of the most relaxed and enjoyable sittings I’ve ever had, and I now have a whole new set of jokes that are right on my level thanks to the children…”
One of the photos featured George, Charlotte, and Louis sitting on a bench, with Princess Charlotte embracing her brothers with her arms. “Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, from our family to yours! W & C,” the message read.
The cute photos of the siblings were widely shared and commented on and one thing many noticed is that Charlotte seems to be ‘the boss.’
“Wonderful photo of the young princes and princess. Merry Christmas to you all, your Royal Highnesses,” one user wrote on X, formally known as Twitter, as reported by Express.
Another added: “What a beautiful child! You can see that Princess Charlotte is going to be the glue that will keep the brothers together.”
A third commented: “Aww what a beautiful picture and surprise!!! Thank you so much. Merry Christmas to the entire Wales family! We all love you very much.”
Except for the royal fans, royals experts also noticed the same thing. Body language expert Judi James spoke to The Sun and said, “It’s so easy to see who is in charge of this sibling group. Sitting in the middle of the pose between her two brothers, Charlotte sits splayed in signal of confidence.”
James added: “With an arm round each brother, suggesting she sees herself as not only in charge when necessary but also in the role of protector. Her body language role mirrors both her mother here, but also Princess Anne in the look of perhaps being the strongest and most grounded member of the sibling group.”
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Charlotte’s facial expression says that she’s proud of her brothers.
“Louis leans in show his affection and respect for his big sister. That one swinging leg between them suggests he also sees her as a playmate,” James added when speaking to The Sun.
“George is increasingly the grown-up in the trio: his torso is a little more distanced but his body language has the most symmetry. His smile is even, and his legs are splayed, showing he is increasing in confidence as he gets older.”
Aren’t they a beautiful family?
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
Scandals have always followed the British Royal Family, but one of the greatest of all, which shook the monarchy to the core at the time, was the affair between then Prince Charles and his now-current wife Camilla.
At the time the country and the entire world learned of their affair they were both married to other people.
The wide public condemned their affair, as they believed it was Camilla who was to be blamed for the failed marriage between the heir to the throne and Lady Di, the princess who captured millions of hearts, not only of Britons but people from all over the world.
Speaking of the troubles in her marriage and the reasons for its failure, Diana told Martin Bashir during a televised interview, “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
The love between Charles and Camilla, which started before he even met Diana, is a genuine one, and that is apparent.
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
The two were introduced to each other by a mutual friend, Lucia Santa Cruz, the daughter of the Chilean ambassador. They started dating, but the relationship didn’t last long as Charles left to serve in the Royal Navy. When his duties there came to an end and he returned home, Camilla was already engaged to her now-ex husband Andrew Parker Bowles.
However, they never stopped being close. Even when Charles married Diana, he and Camilla stayed in touch.
Royal author Penny Junior claimed that Charles was aware he wasn’t in love with his future wife Diana, but it was already too late for him to call off the wedding.
“Charles was not convinced he was doing the right thing in marrying Diana but there was no way out and, bolstered by the hope that things would be different once they were married, he put a brave face on it,” she wrote, as reported by the Mirror.
What’s most, Camilla and Diana knew each other and got along, but then things changed.
“I met [Camilla] very early on. I was introduced to the circle, but I was a threat, I was a very young girl, but I was a threat,” Diana explained in the book Diana: In Her Own Words.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Fast forward to this very day, Charles is the King of Britain and Camilla is Queen.
Over the years, the people of Britain learned to love Camilla and her reputation has been growing. The two are now the head of the country and are still happily married but there was a time when Camilla was afraid to leave her home because she was afraid of the backlash of the public following the revelation of her affair.
Speaking to OK Magazine, royal expert Angela Levin, author of the 2022 book Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall: A Royal Survivor, revealed that Camilla had to endure “torrents” of mistreatment from the public as the affair was revealed. She didn’t even go to stores but had her friends running her errands for her.
“It was very difficult for her, as she was portrayed as the most wicked woman in the world. She was constantly called nasty names like ‘rottweiler,’ and it must have come as a huge shock that people were so vile about her,” Levin said.
In order to protect her, it was revealed that Charles paid for Camilla’s security for years, or until 2005 when the two tied the knot. “I don’t think Charles realised how awful it was for her. He was often away on engagements and working hard for the country and Commonwealth, and at the time, Camilla didn’t have protection officers because she wasn’t part of the Royal Family. But when Charles finally realised, he did get protection for her, which he paid for himself,” Levine revealed.
Tim Rooke – Pool /Getty Images
While Queen Camilla’s way to the royal family has been filled with adversity, she always had her husband’s support.
Another person who always stood by Camilla’s side was Annabel Elliot.
Annabel and Camilla are more than sisters; they are greatest of friends. Annabel has run her show Annabel Elliot Interior Designand Antiques in Dorset for more than 30 years, becoming the fifth most influential female interior designer in the UK in 2014.
It was on Annabel’s 50th birthday party that Charles and Camilla first posed together in public and stole she show. Later, amid the divorce of Charles and Diana, it was Annabel who drove the car that whisked Camilla away from public view and the notorious paparazzi press.
Chris Jackson – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Over time, Annabel became close part of the royal family, especially with Charles, with whom she had been reported to have clashed from time to time, especially when she felt like he was trying to do most of what she was paid for himself.
“He always likes to be completely involved and know what’s being suggested,” Annabel said in the 2012 ITV documentary The Royal Restoration.
“He’s looking at every piece of material — ‘What’s this for?, Is that for a chair? Where’s that sourced from? Has it got nylon in it?’ He doesn’t like duvets.”
Recently, as the new BBC1 documentary, Charles III: The Coronation Year, was released, Annabel opened up about her family, Charles, and Camilla, describing her sister as King Charles’ “rock” during many tough and challenging years.
“She is his rock, and I can’t actually emphasize that enough. She is somebody who is completely loyal, and she isn’t somebody who has huge highs and lows,” Annabel said in the documentary.
The queen’s sister added: “He brings to her everything. I’m not talking about all of this, but you know he has such a knowledge and interest in so many different things which she wouldn’t really have been open to if she hadn’t met him. They are their yin and yang really, they really are polar opposites, but it works brilliantly.”
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
Annabel was employed to carry out work on the then-Prince of Wales’s new home in Wales, Llwywormwood, which he bought in 2006 for more than £1 million.
The Telegraph reported at the time that Charles’ sister-in-law was paid over $380,000 for her work between 2005 and 2008, which some politicians thought was a matter of cronyism, but that’s not how Charles viewed it.
“There was no tender. The Prince knows her and likes her work. Annabel Elliot is an established interior designer,” a Clarence House spokesperson said at the time.
This wasn’t the only time Annabel worked for the royals. She also designed 12 Duchy of Cornwall cottages and ran a 2012 project to convert a “run-down barn building” into an elegant guesthouse on the grounds of Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, becoming Charles’ chief interior designer.
Antony Jones/UK Press via Getty Images
Even today, Camilla and Annabel are extremely close.
Annabel has been married to her husband Simon Elliot since 1972 and they share three children together, including Ben Elliot, a businessman and fund-raiser for the Conservative Party who served as Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party from July 2019 to September 2022.
Of course, Annabel and her family were in attendance at the coronation of King Charles last year.
“When I thought back to being two years old and watching the Queen’s Coronation on a tiny black and white television and there goes this golden coach with my sister in it. I can’t explain the feeling because it’s so surreal. This cannot be happening. It was quite a moment,” Annabel said.
“Going into the Abbey, I think I had that nervousness all the time, she’s quite a bit smaller than I am. I’m feeling: ‘Is she going to be all right?”
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
Ever since the devastating diagnosis of Stiff Person Syndrome, a neurological disorder that leads to muscle rigidity and excruciating spasms, singer Celine Dion has been on a roller coaster of ups and downs.
Sadly, this condition forced her to step down from singing and performing, and pretty much from a number of things she has been doing her entire life.
In the past year, the singer posted two videos on her social media, one in English and one in French, in which she explained that due to her serious sickness, she is unable to “sing the way I’m used to.”
She added that the muscle spasm impacts every aspect of her everyday living. “It’s been incredibly difficult for me to face these obstacles and talk about everything that has happened to me,” she continued. “I’ve had health problems for quite some time.” Her tours have been postponed again. “I can only sing,” Dion added. “I’ve done that my whole life. And it’s what I’m most passionate about.”
Shutterstock
Recently, her sister Claudette provided a health update on Dion.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed in the quest to find a remedy for Celine’s distressing ailment. The spasms are uncontrollable,” Claudette said.
“You know how people often abruptly wake up due to a leg or calf cramp? It’s somewhat akin to that, but it affects all her muscles. There’s little we can do to ease her suffering.”
“She’s putting in every effort to regain her health. She’s a resilient woman,” she added, appreciating her sister.
Claudette revealed that Dion is taken care of by her other sister, Linda, and that her children are also by her side.
In November of last year, Dion made a rare public appearance at a hockey game in Las Vegas. She looked positively radiant and that gave her fans hope that she would be even better and that her health would further improve.
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 22: Singer Celine Dion performs onstage during the 2015 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 22, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Sadly, the All by Myself singer is now experiencing issues with her vocal cords as well.
According to Radar Online, Dion is desperate to perform again, even if that means her being on stage in a wheelchair.
At the moment, Dion is undergoing extensive treatments. Sadly, her sister revealed that the prognosis isn’t promising.
“She doesn’t have control over her muscles — and vocal cords are muscles,” Claudette told the National Enquirer last year.
“It’s true that in both our dreams and hers, the goalis to return to the stage. In what capacity? I don’t know,” she added.
Reports are that those living with this syndrome can end up being confined to a wheelchair, but this isn’t what bothers Dion the most. In fact, she’s mostly concerned because of the possibility of losing her voice.
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 14: Singer Celine Dion is seen on June 14, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/GC Images)
“Celine would be content to just sit in a chair and sing to entertain her audiences,” an insider told Radar Online. “But her voice is just not coming back the way that would allow her to perform or record again.
“She has spasms in her vocal cords. She can sing fine — just like you know Celine for a few notes, then a spasm kicks in and throws what she’s singing completely out of whack.
“Sadly, it’s doesn’t seem to be repairable — whether through surgery or therapy.”
We are so very sorry to be hearing this. Our thoughts and prayers are with Celine Dion and we all hope she would be able to perform again in the future, just as she wishes and hopes.
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
