The use of the written word in communication has become far from that of our ancestors. Today, people send quick messages via email and social messaging sites that are instantly received and just as quickly deleted from existence. Family historians love to read hand-written letters that have been saved in attic boxes and diaries. Are you leaving this type of legacy to your children and grandchildren?
Letters can be simple. Postcards are handy, quick to read, and treasured by many! These inexpensive items can be found in stores, entertainment venues, even gas stations. Postcards aren’t just for vacations anymore. Purchase a stack, and keep them accessible for when the writing mood strikes.
Letters can be short. Handwritten notes can extend beyond a signature and birthday wish without taking up too much of your time. Instead of sending an email, write a quick note telling a loved one that you are thinking of them or that you’d like to see them soon. The gesture will go into their heart instead of into their trash folder.
Letters can be interesting for the sender as well as the recipient. Purchase some new stationary or a special pen that will encourage you to write by hand. Were you enamored with the wax seals on letters of the past? Purchase some! Are you writing to a child? Decorate the page with colorful stickers. Do you like to scrapbook? Pull out some interesting papers and use them as a background for simple white paper cut to an appropriate size for your envelope.
Letters can tell a story. If you’ve been inside a post office recently you’ll be as surprised now as you were when you were little that new stamp designs are released regularly. Find a stamp that tells a story, shows your hobby, or reminds you of an event from years past. Choose someone in your family who hasn’t heard the story (or would like to hear it again!) Write a letter explaining the significance of the stamp. You’re giving them a piece of you, a piece of family memorabilia, and a piece of social history if you choose your stamp subject well.
Monday Memories is a series that aims to help you record your family history in fun and creative ways. Check back each Monday for more ideas and inspiration.
Enjoy this article? Receive email alerts when new genealogy articles are available! Just click the "subscribe" link above.
Comments