Heritage Book for the Holidays
As we headed into fall, I created heritage books for several clients for holiday gifts. What is a heritage book? Unlike a traditional photo book documenting your year or vacation, a heritage book documents your family history. I usually try to include multiple generations of family photos, and the content can be grouped in various ways, including by family (mother’s side, father’s side) or by event (weddings, military service, school) across generations.
The wonderful thing about these books is having your entire family appear in front of you. Pictures that usually sit in boxes or tubs are now front and center to enjoy. I love seeing how a current family member’s baby picture looks, so like a relative several generations back! I’ll include old school papers, drawings from art class, even cutouts of dogs or paper dolls carefully preserved over time. I’ve scanned varsity letters and mortar board tassels to supplement those graduation photos. Newspaper announcements, invitations and cards also add details to the collection.
The other aspect of having a heritage book is watching how kids take an interest in them. There is always a “family tree” topic in elementary schools, and I know for my own children they enjoyed simply grabbing the heritage book and flipping through their history (again and again!).
As families gather for the holidays, think about asking everyone to bring their old photos to start building a complete family history. What a gift to give next holiday season...a digital collection of these preserved photos, and a beautiful heritage book to enjoy!
Are you overwhelmed by the photos the family is giving you to store? Not sure where to start? Let’s talk!