These are my mom's nesting dolls that she has been collecting for my entire life. She is of Irish-Lithuanian descent. Even though nesting dolls are not technically from Lithuania, they have been a part of her cultural experience in having something to hold onto outside of necessary household goods. These specific dolls were imported from Ukraine as a gift from her sister, but she has dolls that have been made in Alaska, have cultural designs, dolls that depict fairytales, dolls that are characters or animals, and even dolls that are themed from contemporary movies. Most of the dolls, including the one pictured here, tell some sort of story. For both her and my father, a first generation Italian American, cultural objects before their families immigrated had either been lost or deprioritized in turn for necessary objects because of financial strain over the course of generations. I really love the nesting dolls because they can represent our own stories, and how each component stacks to create who we are as people. Cultural and hobby objects, like the nesting dolls, signify the ability to save money for something joyful that represents the idea of "making it." 

– RR

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more