Why the tradition of handing down family heirlooms is dying off |

By Steve Richmond via SWNS

The tradition of handing down family heirlooms is dying off as less than half of adults plan to pass on something of sentimental value, according to research.

A study of 2,000 people found 43% don’t think they have anything of true sentimental or monetary value.

Reasons include modern everyday items not having as much sentimental value (18%) and items being more “disposable” now (21%).

According to the research by Whitley Neill Gin, four in 10 would love to be able to pass on heirlooms.

Over a third (35%) cite keeping their family’s heritage alive as their main motivation for wanting to do this.

Almost four in ten possess heirlooms of sentimental or monetary value that have been passed down to them.

Jewelry is the most received item, accounting for 61% of the nation’s heirlooms.

It was also cited as the item that most people believe is worth passing on.

Books and household items including glassware, dinner service and cutlery were also listed as possible gifts.

Johnny Neill, founder of Whitley Neill Gin, which is hoping to reignite the age-old tradition of passing down heirlooms by giving 15 winners a diamond in bottles of Distiller’s Cut London Dry Gin, worth a collective £25,000 ($31,700), said: “As a family brand, whose distilling knowledge has been passed down through eight generations, we value the importance of heritage and legacy.

“This is why we want to help others have something lovely to pass on.

“In this case it’s a diamond which can be embedded into a piece of jewelry, watch, or precious item.”

The poll revealed people would prefer to receive something of sentimental value (28%) rather than monetary value (22%).

A third of women would prefer something of sentimental value, while just 20% would prefer something of monetary value.

By contrast, men were divided.

Almost a quarter (24%) claimed to prefer an item of sentimental importance and the same percentage chose something of monetary value.

Sentimental items are also valued amongst younger generations, with over a third (38%) of 18- to 24-year-olds stating that they would prefer an item which meant something special.

However, some older generations said otherwise, with 24% of 55- to 64-year-olds stating they would prefer an item of monetary value, according to the OnePoll figures.

Johnny Neill added: “Jewelry is the item that most people would like to pass on to loved ones.

“Premium gin and diamonds are both renowned for their quality and cut.

“So when thinking about what we could offer, diamonds seemed like a fitting choice.”