The Legend of the Sand Dollar - Shell Themed Summer Dough Bowl

The legend is a story of hope and peace, something we all need right now.

The legend tells the story of Christ with symbolism found in the patterns and internal structures of the sand dollar.

The top of the shell has a symbol that looks like a star which signifies the Star of Bethlehem. This is the star that led the Wise Men to the baby Jesus. An outline of an Easter lily surrounds the star. Easter Lilies are a symbol of Christ’s resurrection.

There are five holes in a sand dollar – four around the ends of the star and one in the center. According to the religious legend, the four holes represent the four wounds of Christ when his hands and feet were nailed to the cross. The center hole represents the wound made from a soldier’s spear.

On the opposite side of the sand dollar, you can see the outline of a poinsettia, the traditional Christmas flower. If a sand dollar is broken open, it is said that five dove-shaped pieces appear. Doves are often used to represent peace and goodwill.

Isn’t that a sweet legend? The white color of the sand dollars come from being bleached by the sun. White is also a symbol of purity.

What Are Sand Dollars?

Sand dollars are actually the skeletons of keyhole urchins. These urchins are found in various places around the world including both the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States. They are somewhat fragile and resemble old American coins or old large Spanish coins.

Where did my Sand Dollars come from?

Some of the sand dollars that I now have were collected by my grandmother when she & my grandfather used to vacation in Florida in the late 1950s and early 1960. The others were collected by Dave’s Mom. His parents also vacationed in Florida and ultimately retired here as well.

How To Decorate with Sand Dollars

Since moving to Florida, I have often incorporated sand dollars, as well as other shells, in dough bowl centerpieces. If you have been following me for awhile, I am sure this comes as no surprise. I do have a bit of a dough bowl addiction!

What Exactly is a Dough Bowl?

Dough bowls get their name from their original purpose: making bread dough! An antique dough bowl was a great place for the bread dough to rise as the wood helped retain the heat which in turn helped the dough rise. Every kitchen had a least one dough bowl and they were often times handed down through the generations. Antique dough bowls are also sometimes referred to as trenchers. Now, instead of being used to actually make dough, they have become a decorating staple especially for Farmhouse decor.

Dough bowls come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The most common shapes are the oval and round. I have an oval 20-inch-long dough bowl as well as a few other shapes and sizes. I love to decorate them for the seasons. The majority of mine are reproductions. There are still many antique ones available.

How to Decorate a Dough Bowl with Sand Dollars

I love dough bowls so much; I have added a few more to my collection since moving to Florida! This rectangle one is also a reproduction. It is approximately 17 inches long and 8 1/2 inches wide. The width made it easy to decorate. To be completely honest, I don’t really care for the carving or the distressing but I think it actually blends in with the holes on the sand dollars. The carving/distressing isn’t nearly as noticeable once the sand dollars and other elements are in place.

The Elements

I am going to combine a few blue Christmas ornaments, sand dollars, two shell encrusted spheres and a candle. I forgot I had this battery candle with a sand dollar motif. I could have used it in place of the milk glass candle!

I found a postcard with the Legends of The Sand Dollar in with my Grandmother’s Florida maps and other mementos.

It didn’t take very long to put the dough bowl centerpiece together once I had all my elements collected.

Simply arrange the shells and ornaments in the bowl. I put the candle in the middle of the dough bowl.

The sand dollar dough bowl can be used as a Summer centerpiece all season long!

For more information on how to refresh your outdoor living area, please see this post! Let’s Celebrate Summer