For some time, I had been harbouring the idea of giving my wife and three sons something that would connect the five of us in a special way. When I finally spoke to Christoph Wellendorff, whom I have called my friend for over 35 years, the idea quickly became a reality: a Wellendorff bracelet for everyone. A symbol of our bond. An unforgettable gift for Christmas. It will be a Christmas Eve that we as a family will remember forever. After I announced that I would like to gift them something lasting, their joy was unmistakable. My wife was delighted with her yellow gold bracelet. My sons, ages 21, 19 and 10 at the time, and I were over the moon with our pieces of white gold jewellery. But the valuable gift came with a small test. Two letters are engraved on the clasp of each bracelet: a B for Blecher, our surname, and an F. This F, I explained, not only stands for family, but also other German terms that are important to me and to a family, terms that they should know and identify. The answer immediately bubbled out of the children: Freude (fun), Fleiß (hard work), Freunde (friends), and Feiern (celebrations). However, the word I liked best, because Julian, our youngest, said it, was Fürsorge (care). We have been wearing Wellendorff bracelets almost every day for years now. The bracelets and these two letters constantly remind us of what unites us as a family. It is important to us that we can rely on each other, help one another, and that nothing and nobody can pull us apart – that we care for each other. Fleiß (hard work) is key to achieving something in life and giving life meaning. Feiern (celebrating) and Freude (having fun together) allow us to feel this happiness. It makes us realise that we are not just parents and siblings, but above all, five friends.

Jörg P. Blecher, Hagen