We just gave my mother-in-law a Memory Book for her 70th Birthday. We sent emails and letters to everyone in her email, address list and phone book. We asked them to write letters remembering funny or touching stories about her and how they met her.
Most of the people we contacted included photos; some even hand wrote the letters on beautiful stationary. Then we sorted them by category: childhood friends, family, business acquaintances, cultural group members, neighbors, young parents together, etc.
For each group, we selected a border for the letter based on that group. For example, the childhood friends had a border of children holding hands. Then we printed each letter on card stock with the borders, placed each in a page protector, and added to a three ring binder.
We received over 200 letters in all and it was well worth the time, and not much money spent. Needless to say, she loved it!
Source: A family project that was given as a gift.
By elle from Columbia, MO
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What a beautiful, thoughtful gift--truly priceless! So much better for the recipient to receive memories from others while still living and able to appreciate them.
I have a large family and many grandchildren and some great-grands. Several years ago I asked my family to start writing down a record of family events and funny things that happen, like the time my granddaughters co-workers were discussing what they would give up for Lent. Cam, not to be left out, said she would give up speeding (she is not Catholic).
Now I have a pretty good sized family book of things that will be precious to others yet to come, and a source of much fun now. It is amazing to see how two people will describe the same event. Pat
I took on a big project for my Mom and Dad's 50th anniversary - I decided to do 50 years of "newspaper" front pages. Spent a lot of time online and used a lot of information from my family tree work.
Each year included what was happening in their lives that year; the birthdays, weddings and deaths in the family; prices of some of the usual things during that year; what things were "invented" during that year; television programs from that year... and so on. I included appropriate pictures, printed it all up and put it in a large binder, titled appropriately "Memories".
We sent letters to family and friends requesting memories from them. These were added. At the party, we had individual "year" guest sheets and invited people to sign on the year when they met Mom and Dad and add memories if they felt like it.
They enjoyed the book, and now that they are gone, I have it.
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