Our New Year's Eve Tradition: Memory Box by Debbie

New Year’s Eve Tradition

Research shows that creating/keeping family traditions helps keep your family close.  (http://www.genealogy.com/9_famtrd.html)

This year, one of my resolutions is to write more blogs.  Today’s blog will let you in on one of our New Year’s Eve family traditions.

We started the tradition of the “Memory Box” in 2004.  All of my four siblings and their families were together on New Year’s Eve.  I purchased a wood trunk (photo below) for each family.  I also printed photos of every family (cousins, grandparents, etc.)  The children went through the photos and chose ones that they wanted to include on their box.  Using fancy scissors, they cut out the photos.  Next, we placed the photos around the box and then used Modge Podge (found in craft stores) to glue the photos down.  The Modge Podge can be brushed over the photos to ensure they will seal down the photos.  The children also wrote their names and the date on pieces of paper and sealed them to the box as well. 

When the box was drying, each child was given a paper titled, 2003 Year in Review.   On the paper, she/he answered 10+ questions related to the past year.  Some questions included:  favorite book, TV show, movie, sport, school subject, etc.  The paper also included goals for the future:  Something they want to accomplish in the New Year, a resolution, and one way to help others.  I’ve included the link to the form we used.  Feel free to adapt it to your family’s needs.

We have continued this tradition every year.  The children love opening their Family Box and looking through their papers reminiscing about their favorites and seeing if they accomplished their goals.  This box truly has become our “Treasure Box.”  We hope it will become one of your family’s treasures!