During the holiday season, as you’re pulling out those holiday decorations and serving pieces, take a few minutes to record the origins and significance of your heirloom and “special memory†pieces. Was that beautiful ornament made by a favorite aunt or a young child? Did that gravy boat once adorn great-grandmother’s table? Was that tablecloth hand-embroidered by Grandma? Or perhaps that centerpiece was from the first year you were married. Take photos of these precious heirlooms, and create a holiday book noting their significance. Include family stories and traditions to complete the album. Preserving your family’s holiday heritage in this manner will help to ensure that heirlooms and traditions are preserved for generations to come.
Click here for a printer friendly version of this article.
I have a china cabinet which is over 130 years old that has been in our family since 1940. I have many dishes, etc that belonged to my grandmothers and my parents. Several wedding gifts that my parents received when they were married as well as some gifts my husband and I received when we married. Even though we have talked about the different things in the cabinet, my grown children do not know where most of the pieces came from or the stories behind most of the pieces. For Christmas this year I have made books for my three children. I took pictures of everything and wrote stories about each piece. I did this all on the computer and used a company called “Heritage Maker” who printed the books when I finished. The above article is great and I hope more people will take the time to make note of items that are meanful to them. I enjoyed putting my book together and am really pleased at how it turned out.
Betty Gregory
Some of my Christmas decorations/tree ornaments are antiques, some belong to my children’s childhood (as well as my own) and some are just very precious to me. Last year, as I was packing away my Christmas decorations and tree ornaments, I created a list for each category with a short description of the item(s) in one column and in the second column a notation as to whether the item was a gift (including the giver and the receiver) or was a purchase (also from and to) and the date. This year I intend to add (in some cases) the name of the next person who should own this item. I did take pictures of some of my assembled decorations last year and this year plan on adding pictures of the tree ornaments. I keep a hard copy in folder (inside the ornament box) and on my computer.