I used to love my family reunions as a kid. Getting together with all my cousins was always a highlight. Now, it seems that I live too far away, and life is too expensive to hop on a plane back to Texas every year for this special occasion. But, I wish it wasn’t. Those reunions were a special part of my childhood, and it is something that I want my children to be a part of one day too.
Do you have family reunions? If so, are you scrapbooking them?
One of the things that we always did at our family reunions was take a photo of everyone that was there. Looking back at the photos in the album is sometimes frustrating because we often wonder, where was so and so, or who is that person (usually an old boyfriend that was along for the ride). If we had scrapbooked all about our family reunions, there would be far less questions.
When taking a group photo, make sure that you find a convenient way to write down everyone that is in the photo. If there is a boyfriend, include him too and who he belongs to even if he is no longer in the life of that relative. If there is someone that is not there because they are away at college, or live too far, or whatever the reason is, make sure you document that too.
Many times, there are activities that always take place at these family reunions that turn into traditions. We usually played games, and horse shoes, and did a white elephant exchange. Many families do things like a family talent show. It might be fun to journal on your layout about the activity. What was funny, or unusual, or will always be remembered from that particular year?
What are some traditional foods that you have at your reunions? Does Aunt Sue always make a chocolate cake that everyone loves, or is there a food that has to be there, even if no one eats it? Those types of memories will be forgotten if they are not documented.
Do you always have your reunions in the same location every year? We did. It was always at an Aunt’s house in my family. She still lives there, but since I don’t get to visit often, I find that details about her house and farm are fading from my memory as I get older. Taking pictures of your family’s favorite spot is a way to make sure that those memories are not lost forever.
Family reunions are a special part of family history, so they should definitely take a special part in your heritage scrapbook.
Meredith Ethington is the author of this blog. To learn more about Meredith, and her history with Scrapbooking and Genealogy, go here.
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