True Love

gim·crack: n. A cheap and showy object of little or
no use; a gewgaw.

The girls and I looked up this word when I came across it in Vanity Fair because I had no idea what they were talking about. I'm not a fan of gimcrackery and these may be the closest things to gimcracks in our house (outside of the girls' rooms).

A few months ago a friend gave me these charming salt and pepper shakers, thinking of me because of their inherent Dutch-ness. Aren't they cute? I love them.


I tried to find some information about them. There have been versions of them around since at least the 1930's, kissing on spice racks and beside the garden gnomes in a more romantic setting outside. I thought it must be true love between these two, but look again.



Is he rolling his eyes?? This may have been a one-sided relationship for years and years!

How sad. 70-odd years of pleading for a kiss from an eye-rolling beau. I still prefer to think it's true love and I'll overlook his expression.

Try as I might, I couldn't take a good photo of our old shakers. They are just not very photogenic and I'm happy to have filled them with less useful herbs since the kissing couple has entered my home.


I have filled my new little lady salt shaker, but my husband prefers his pepper fresh-ground. That means that my set is neither gimcrack or gewgaw. They are very useful and very sweet.