Issue link: https://www.cominghomemag.com/i/1308487
Share recipes. Some of the best memories are made around the kitchen table — nothing brings loved ones together like a shared meal. However, as time passes and families grow, tracking down those treasured recipes can become quite the task. The next time you're together, ask your relatives for handwritten recipes. Keep them safe and turn them into something you can actually hold on to. Getting a handwritten recipe engraved or printed on a kitchen staple, like a cutting board or tea towel, is a practical and beautiful way to preserve recipes that are not only tasty but also close to your heart. It makes a great gift, too! Record stories. Storytelling is the ultimate form of tradition. But through the years, stories can get forgotten, and details can get lost in translation. Keep these tales alive (and accurate) by creating audio recordings of your family members sharing them. You can use a video platform like Zoom, or just hit Record on your phone. Being able to listen to a story — or even a voice you haven't heard in a while — whenever you want is truly something to cherish forever. Go digital. Properly storing original photos, documents, and letters is hard to do. Without the right methods and protection, they can fade, get lost, or become damaged or destroyed. Leveraging modern technology to produce and back up digital copies of these irreplaceable mementos is a must. Using a free platform, like Google Photos, will make it easy to store everything in a central location, and allow anyone with the proper credentials to quickly and safely access them. Not totally tech-savvy? There are services like legacybox.com that will digitize everything for you. Save the unexpected. While fancy family heirlooms, like furniture and jewelry, have immeasurable valuable, passing down often-forgotten items can be just as cherished. Create an archive of the unexpected heirlooms, like concert tickets, newspaper clippings, journal entries, or favorite toys. When these novelty items get revisited and rediscovered down the line, it'll be fun to reminisce and talk about how much these things — and times — have changed. Keep a guest book. Guest books shouldn't be reserved for significant life events. Keeping one in your home is a great way to thoughtfully chronicle all visitors, celebrations, and memories. When people visit, ask them to write a personal note and something they want to remember about their stay. A guest book will keep stories alive, and it'll encourage you to continue hosting loved ones and making new memories. Turn a photo into a piece of art. With the number of pictures we take nowadays, they can often be taken for granted. The next time you take a frame-worthy photo, consider having an artist paint it instead. Painting is one of the oldest art forms, used to tell stories since the beginning of civilization. This non-traditional medium can increase the photo's significance and give it a deeper meaning. Plus, it'll also serve as a one-of-a-kind piece of home décor and ensure the memory is an integral part of your space. If paintings aren't your style, you could also get a silhouette, needlepoint, or a basic sketch. Etsy.com is a great place to connect with makers who can bring your vision to life. 27