As the years go by, you’ll realize you have much more to be thankful for than you ever imagined. Your family is one of those things. Preserved memories remind you of how far you’ve come and the people who made it all possible. They keep your loved ones close, even when they’re far away. Most importantly, you have something to laugh about when feeling down. To achieve this, find a way to keep your family memories alive like a keepsake urn or family tree. Here are the top ways to do it:
Convert Old Family Films to DVD and Digital Forms
The old family films that have been gathering dust in the attic could be your next great family project. Dig them out and convert them to DVD or a digital format. Create a family movie night where you all gather and watch the films together. 8mm film transfer to digital enables you to repair, enhance, and convert your family memories into a format enjoyed for years.
Gather Old Photos And Create a Photo Album Or Scrapbook
Creating a photo album is a great way to preserve family memories while getting everyone involved. Have each family member gather their favorite photos of themselves, their parents, grandparents, cherished friends, and other relatives. Put them all together in an album or scrapbook.
You can also add old family recipes, clippings from newspapers or magazines, and anything else that would make the album more personal. Have separate albums for special occasions such as weddings, births, graduations, and anniversaries.
Creating digital photo albums is also an option if you’re not into the scrapbooking scene. It also makes sharing the album with family and friends more manageable.
Scan Old Family Documents
If you have old family documents such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, and letters, scan and save them in a digital format. Doing this preserves and makes it easier to access and share with others. You can also create a Family History Book by scanning old family photos and documents and adding them to a photo book or scrapbook. Include descriptions, captions, and anything else that would make the book more interesting.
Record Family Stories
Get the family together and start recording stories. You can do this with a video camera, tape recorder, or a good old-fashioned pen and paper. The stories can be about anything, from childhood memories to funny family anecdotes. Have each person take turns telling their story. You can also have different family members share their stories about a specific relative or event.
Build a Family Tree
A family tree enables you to learn more about your family history and preserve the information for future generations. Start by interviewing the oldest living members of your family. They can tell you about their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
Write down everything they remember and try to verify the information with other family members. Once you have the basic information, fill in the tree branches. There are many software programs and websites that can help you with this.
Make Family Videos
You can create awesome family videos with a simple camcorder or your smartphone. Record family events such as birthdays, holidays, and vacations. You can also develop montages of family photos set to music. These videos make great keepsakes and are valuable to current and future generations.
Start a Family Blog or Website
Starting a family blog is a thoughtful way to share family news, photos, and stories. Create a private website or blog for your family, or make it public for anyone to see. Talk about anything that interests you, such as recipes, gardening tips, or travel stories.
You can also create a family tree on your website and add photos and documents. Letting other family members update the blog or website keeps everyone involved.
Collect Family Recipes
Food always seems to bring people together. Why not start a collection of family recipes? Ask family members for their favorite recipes, write them down and add photos if you have them. You can also include stories about the recipes or the people who gave them to you. You’ll preserve family traditions and pass them down to future generations.
Have Fun Preserving Your Family Memories
As you will realize, many fun ways to preserve your family memories exist. Choose the ones that work best for you and your family. The important thing is to get started and to have fun doing it. Choose options that preserve the memories for long, making it easier to pass your history to the next generation.