The holiday season brings lots of family together in one place. Take the time this year to really get to know each other and preserve your family memories.
While everyone is together, collect and document family history and silly stories about days past. Kids love to hear about what their parents and grandparents were like when they were growing up - especially when they may have gotten into some mischief!
Here are some simple, yet meaningful, ideas for all ages to cherish these priceless memories.
Create a family tree scrapbook.
It can be as simple or elaborate as you want and it's great project for small children up to teens. Scrapbooking supplies (patterned paper, stickers, glitter, etc.) can be used or plain paper can be hole punched and tied together with ribbon.
What you need: old photos and someone to identify who, what, when and where. Double sided photo-safe tape. Paper.
Give the little kids some crayons and let them draw pictures to decorate the book. Older children can draw and/or write as they learn about the past photos. Tell a story about each photo. (Everyone will want to know w why Grandpa is covered head to toe in pink paint!) Add favorite quotes. Embellish with stickers or stamps.
Include a page with a photo or drawing from the current day as an added keepsake.
Make a favorite holiday recipe book.
Ask family members to bring a recipe or several to the next holiday get together. Combine past and present recipes into one book. Include a page or two with meals gone bad and share the (now humorous) mishaps. Did Fido help himself to the pie before everyone else? Deep fried turkey didn't work out as planned?
What you need: recipes and a blank notebook.
If you want to make more than one book, you may want to type or scan recipes then create a photo book. Photo hosting websites such as www.Shutterfly.com or www.Snapfish.com are easy to use and multiple books can be ordered.
Have grandparents, relatives, and friends share memorable events and record on video or write in a journal.
Include children in this too. Ask them questions about what they like to do, favorite food at holiday festivities, and what they refuse to eat. Compare the answers with what parents and grandparents said they liked at that same age. Creating an archive like this is a true treasure.
These are only a few suggestions to get started. Involve everyone - grandparents, moms and dads, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Whatever you choose to do - make it fun and it will be memorable! After all, you are creating your family legacy!
While everyone is together, collect and document family history and silly stories about days past. Kids love to hear about what their parents and grandparents were like when they were growing up - especially when they may have gotten into some mischief!
Here are some simple, yet meaningful, ideas for all ages to cherish these priceless memories.
Create a family tree scrapbook.
It can be as simple or elaborate as you want and it's great project for small children up to teens. Scrapbooking supplies (patterned paper, stickers, glitter, etc.) can be used or plain paper can be hole punched and tied together with ribbon.
What you need: old photos and someone to identify who, what, when and where. Double sided photo-safe tape. Paper.
Give the little kids some crayons and let them draw pictures to decorate the book. Older children can draw and/or write as they learn about the past photos. Tell a story about each photo. (Everyone will want to know w why Grandpa is covered head to toe in pink paint!) Add favorite quotes. Embellish with stickers or stamps.
Include a page with a photo or drawing from the current day as an added keepsake.
Make a favorite holiday recipe book.
Ask family members to bring a recipe or several to the next holiday get together. Combine past and present recipes into one book. Include a page or two with meals gone bad and share the (now humorous) mishaps. Did Fido help himself to the pie before everyone else? Deep fried turkey didn't work out as planned?
What you need: recipes and a blank notebook.
If you want to make more than one book, you may want to type or scan recipes then create a photo book. Photo hosting websites such as www.Shutterfly.com or www.Snapfish.com are easy to use and multiple books can be ordered.
Have grandparents, relatives, and friends share memorable events and record on video or write in a journal.
Include children in this too. Ask them questions about what they like to do, favorite food at holiday festivities, and what they refuse to eat. Compare the answers with what parents and grandparents said they liked at that same age. Creating an archive like this is a true treasure.
These are only a few suggestions to get started. Involve everyone - grandparents, moms and dads, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Whatever you choose to do - make it fun and it will be memorable! After all, you are creating your family legacy!
