One person’s discarded item can become another’s cherished holiday find. Such was the case for a family who stumbled upon a heartwarming historical snippet hidden within a thrifted Christmas ornament.

In the r/FoundPaper community on Reddit, a user recounted the serendipitous discovery. The story began with a vintage Shiny-Brite ornament, part of a collection the user’s mother had been curating for over forty years. The collection was amassed from various thrift stores over the years, embodying a timeless charm.

However, fate had a surprise in store. One day, the ornament accidentally slipped and shattered, revealing an unexpected trove of nostalgia. Tucked inside were notes, jokes, and predictions, penned by a child named BJ from the 1960s and 70s.

The Reddit user, amazed by the find, shared images of the treasures inside. Among the papers was a note wishing “Merry Christmas to the future,” dated 1971, alongside another from December 9, 1962. The discovery sparked joy and fascination, as the family imagined a child returning to the ornament over the years, leaving behind a glimpse of the past for future strangers to uncover. A simple thrift store find had transformed into a touching connection across generations.

The OP shared pictures of some of the found gems inside, which consisted of little pieces of paper that read, “Merry Christmas to the future. ’71.” Another was dated “Dec. 9, 1962.”

One seemed to be a little note to one’s future self: “… you will become happy soon…”

Even an old-school joke made its way in there: “Fred: Hey Joe, who’s the nut that keeps putting these notes in Christmas bells? Joe: I don’t know Fred but (takes?) a nut to read (what?) a nuts wrote.”

If you’re unfamiliar, Shiny Brite ornaments, now highly coveted vintage ornaments, are colorful glass Christmas baubles that were widely popular back in the 1940s and 1960s.

Reddit users flooded the post’s comment section to share their excitement with the OP.

“I’m going to do this with my kids,” one comment read.

“This is so sweet and wholesome!. What an incredible find, due to a drop,” someone else pointed out.

“I wonder if at some point in the past BJ went to add his note and found the box missing, asked his mom about it, and discovered she’d donated them. I bet he’d be tickled they’re still around,” an inquisitive commenter asked.

While some vintage finds transport their owners back in time, others are making people rich.

An Illinois thrifter purchased a decorative plate for a measly $4.99 from a Goodwill store, only to later find out it was a “Chinese export armorial chamfered rectangular platter” from the Qing dynasty’s Qianlong period, around 1775, estimated to be valued between $4,000 and $6,000.

“What makes my plate stand out is the condition — it was never eaten on or used; no scratches. It’s pristine,” the thrifter, named John Carcerano, told Newsweek.