Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Capture family memories on video during the holidays

An interview with my mom - it's been something I've been wanting to do for a long time. And this year I finally did it. Mom came out from New Jersey to celebrate two November milestone birthdays (I turned 50 and she reached 70) as well as Thanksgiving, which was sandwiched in between. We had a great visit, and on the day after we celebrated her birthday, we sat down for an interview that celebrated her life.

I'm so glad I took advantage of her holiday visit to preserve my mother's stories on video. And this holiday season I urge you to do the same. A holiday visit can afford you the time you need to interview family members you may not see during the rest of the year. If you have a relative whose memories you'd like to record, give them a call and arrange an interview while he or she is in your neck of the woods.

Here's another idea: We all have lots of memories centered around the holidays. Think about grabbing short interviews with as many family members as possible - interviews that focus solely on their remembrances of past Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice, Kwanzaa and/or New Year's celebrations. Then use these interviews to create a "family holiday memories" DVD that you and your family will treasure.
Whatever holiday you're celebrating this month, have a wonderful time - and don't forget to capture some of your family storytellers on video!

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