The Weirdest Things You Could Only Find at Your Grandparents House

Tomato Pincushion

This must be the thing women are given on the day they pass their Grandmother's acceptance exam because literally every single one had this strange little pincushion. There's actually an interesting story behind it, though. According to folklore, placing a tomato on the mantel of a new house guaranteed prosperity and repelled evil spirits. If tomatoes were out of season, families improvised by using a round ball of red fabric filled with sand or sawdust. The good-luck symbol also served a practical purpose—a place to store pins.

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Post originally appeared on Upbeat News.