Celebrate family

Family celebrations, such as holidays, anniversaries and birthday parties bring joyful family occasions for all — often the only time we get to see some family members. And when families get together, they talk. The stories may focus on today — or reminiscences of the past.

Family gatherings with relatives and loved ones may be more important than you may think. Do you sometimes consider that your family was the first school that you entered when you arrived on this earth? More importantly, family gatherings provides our children an opportunity to meet relatives, learn about the family ancestry, medical history, family values and relationships.  Developing positive relationships with family members actually plays an important role on just how successful and happy you might become later on in life. In addition, did you know that people with extended family connections tend to be more literate and often times reach out to get more education and better jobs? Family gatherings can often times be a lot of fun.

Most of the time, the older ones seem to benefit more as they become the centre of attraction particularly when one starts to tell his own stories. But what about the young ones trying to catch the attention of their older relatives? For the older ones, why no take a backseat, for a change, and let the little ones have their share of spotlight? They also deserve attention. 

For the children too

 Children need to be familiar with their family tree. Mentioning the names of their relatives is not enough and meeting them only once is not also doing them good. It will not create the kind of relationship one has to have with other relatives. Letting the children spend good times with other relatives constantly, helping them get along with others as well, produce good rapport with almost all members of family tree.

Children look up to their older relatives

 As children listen to the stories being narrated to them by older relatives, they get to understand each person comprising the family tree. What they hear gives them insights as to how they will live their lives later on and how they will handle challenging situations that may come their way. Older relatives may serve as their idols or models, who they can turn to when problems come up.

Time for older ones to welcome new generation

 During family gathering, children are too shy to approach other relatives particularly when it is their first time to meet them. Some hide at the back of their parents, others prefer to sit at the corners of the living room. They should not be ignored. Talking to them casually like asking about their interests, make them feel truly recognized and appreciated. But it should not end there. Children love to be in the center stage and they should be encouraged to be active during family gatherings. They may be asked to sing, dance or perform some acts that showcase their talents and skills. This may help children decide what they really want to do later in life.

Teach only good things to children

Since older relatives cannot be with the children all the time, they should be reminded of the kind words older relatives utter during conversations with them. If older relatives want the children to have good and bright future, they must bless the children always and treat them with tender, loving care. Since they are at a tender age, they go with the flow and mimic every action of older people. To ensure that only good acts are picked-up by the children, older relatives must behave properly in front of the children. As the children embrace this kind of actions and the good words that are instilled in their minds, they will posses an aura of success, confidence and power necessary to help them full fill their dreams.

The following are ideas to help celebrate family and encourage and save the precious flow of memories from your family. 

Record the Family

• Tape recorders, cameras, or video cameras are useful for recording a family. Practice using them. You should know how to use the equipment before you go.
  
• Don't be afraid to let your older children use the video equipment. They have a unique view of the world that will come through in their recordings.
  
• It is not necessary to sit interview-style with individuals in order to obtain information and memories. A video camera can be set on a tripod in a corner of the room and a tape recorder can be placed on a TV tray behind the dinner table, ready to catch the flow of conversation.
  
• You can't be everywhere at once, so purchase several disposal cameras that you can ask people to use and leave for you to develop.
  
• Don't be afraid to let the children take some of the pictures.
  

Family Pictures

• It's never too late to start an album of extended family pictures.
  
• Ask family members to have copies made (or allow you to do it) of some of their  pictures from past holiday or reunion events. These pictures can be displayed at future gatherings.
  
• Albums are available that will allow pages to be inserted in chosen sequence for easy inclusion of older photos.
  
• Have the children draw pictures of something important to them, like their houses, pets, friends. Include these in the album. The drawings might not seem like much right now, but in a few years everyone will enjoy looking back at them.
  
• Bring your genealogical photos of houses, of people.
  
• Don't show too many photos (or unrelated photos) at once.
  
• Everyone will become interested in viewing the photos and sharing their own memories. Allow the memories to flow freely.
  
• When the holidays are over, transcribe some of the stories for inclusion in the family album.
  

Family Tree

• Create large pedigree charts of direct lineage and family group sheets.
  
• Many computer programs have wall-size charts that are great conversation starters.
  
• One genealogist I know brings his laptop and printer so he can enter the data on new babies and print out their lineage back to the earliest known ancestor.
  
• Bring articles, stories, or books that you or others have written on the family. If possible, make several copies to pass around.
  

Stay in Touch 

• If you have access to a scanner and a word processor, send a letter to family members after the event. Include bits of interesting stories, family news, and some of the pictures, both old and new. The letter will be a wonderful addition to the album for future seasons.
  
• Do you have family who cannot make it to the family celebration this year, but they have Internet access? If you subscribe to an Internet service, set up a private chat room.
  

 
Children are a blessing. They readily obey someone who makes them special. They will be role models later on and will be the ones initiating family gatherings soon. Why not let them do a little of their share now so that their future family reunions will be fruitful, fun, loving and truly enjoyable ones too. All the older ones have to do is teach them the right way, to entertain all the guests present in the affair.

Celebrate family!