Some of the most interesting stories that families pass on from generation to generation involve the circumstances surrounding the arrival of new family members. Babies bring great joy to families, and apparently so does telling stories about things that happened in relation to their births. Some of these stories involve where the births took place. Many families have family members that live at least a few hours away, if not much farther than that. This results in new family members being born in new and different places than the generations that were born before them. For example, when my son … Continue reading →

It is getting towards the end of holiday shopping season, and despite your best efforts, you can not seem to find any good gift ideas for some of the people on your list. Before you give up, why not think about whether there are some special family photographs that each of those people would like to receive as gifts this year. Perhaps one of your relatives just had a baby. Chances are that he or she has been very busy taking care of the new bundle of joy and may not have had a chance to print out any of … Continue reading →

The Ancestry.com Facebook page is filled with plenty of interesting things for genealogists to check out. They have a customizable holiday card that you can create and then send a digital copy of to your family. It has a vintage, retro, look to it, which contrasts nicely with the modern concept of an eCard. Earlier this week, there was an uproar on the Ancestry.com Facebook page. The popular genealogy website sent out email to its thousands of members that informed them about a contest that involved the “Warhorse” movie, and a trip to London. The problem was that when people … Continue reading →

It is wonderful to be able to gather together with your relatives, and celebrate the holiday season. However, not everyone is fortunate enough have all of their family members living in the same, nearby, location. You can still get together through your computers, if you use Skype. I’ve heard it said that the majority of Americans stay near the location where they were born. Families tend to live somewhat nearby each other, (if not in the same town or city), and there are plenty of good reasons for people to want to be near their relatives. For one thing, it … Continue reading →

Old family photos are always fun to look at. This holiday season, why not try identifying some of the unfamiliar faces that appear in your family photographs – you know, the ones that various relatives have stashed in shoe boxes in their closets. Looking at the pictures is entertaining in and of itself, but if you or other relatives are able to put names to some of the faces, those old pictures will become a clearer part of the story of your family. If you are hosting family this holiday season, why not invite your guests to bring those shoe … Continue reading →

If your family celebrates Christmas, chances are that your family photo albums have many pictures of your family’s Christmas trees throughout the years. Each family that gets a Christmas tree for their home every year has a slightly different ritual for doing so, too. When I was younger, my parents would usually get a tree in mid – November. We had a wood stove in the room where we would put the tree, so getting it earlier was not really an option because the stove would dry the tree out and result in needles all over the floor. Some years … Continue reading →

The holiday season is often seen as a good time to connect with your relatives. It is a time filled with traditions that have been celebrated for generations within the family. Despite this, Consumer Reports finds that many Americans dread specific things about the holidays. Soon, families across America will be celebrating Christmas, Chanukah, Winter Solstice, Kwanza, or perhaps a combination of some of those holidays. There will be traditions that have been celebrated a certain way for generations, combined with new ones that are unique to each family. On paper, it sounds like a lovely time of year. Realistically, … Continue reading →

Whether you support the Occupy Movement, are against it, or are somehow unaware of its existence, one thing remains true. This is a historic event. Generations from now, genealogists will wonder if any of their ancestors were part of the 99%. This year, Thanksgiving was celebrated in a different way. Holidays, and the way we celebrate them, are important. Thanksgiving is usually a day that people spend with their families, in a warm and comfortable home, surrounded by plenty of good food. It is a day to give thanks for everything that we have. Genealogists can learn a lot about … Continue reading →

Yesterday, I wrote about one specific item that will be appearing on our Thanksgiving table and the story behind it. We all know that one turkey does not a complete Thanksgiving dinner make. There will be many other things on our table this Thursday, and thanks to my wonderful family not all of them are coming from my own kitchen. Part of the family dynamic that has been emerging since my husband and I joined forces to start our own little family (and even before that) is a spirit of helping each other out. Whether it is my parents, his … Continue reading →

Sometimes, a family’s Thanksgiving memories are as much about the food on the table as they are about the people around it. While the staples of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner are pretty standard, each family prepares the meal in a slightly different way. Also, every person at the table has a favorite item or two. It is no secret that I love food. I also love Thanksgiving because of the meaning of the holiday, the focus on family, and, yes, the food. This year, Thanksgiving is at our house for the first time since our son was born. As I … Continue reading →