A shattered Christmas ornament turned into a surprise time capsule after a family discovered decades-old handwritten notes hidden inside a vintage bauble, according to a report by the New York Post.
The story emerged from Reddit’s r/FoundPaper forum, where a user shared how their mother, a longtime collector of Shiny-Brite Christmas ornaments, accidentally dropped and broke one of the fragile decorations she had thrifted over the years. Inside the shattered ornament were small slips of paper filled with jokes, predictions, and messages written by a child named “BJ,” dating back to the 1960s and 1970s.
The Reddit user said their mother had been collecting the vintage glass ornaments for nearly four decades. While the breakage was initially disappointing, the discovery inside quickly changed the mood.
Among the notes were holiday messages addressed to the future, including one that read, “Merry Christmas to the future. ’71,” and another dated 9 December 1962. One message appeared to be a hopeful note to a future self, while others contained simple jokes and playful lines, offering a glimpse into a child’s imagination from more than half a century ago.
Shiny-Brite ornaments, now considered prized vintage collectibles, were popular in the mid-20th century and known for their colorful, delicate glass designs. Reddit users reacted warmly to the discovery, with many saying they were inspired to create similar time capsules for their own children.