Making The Most Of Christmas

It's Christmas time..... a time when we catch up with old relatives, long lost cousins, aunts and in-laws.

It’s the perfect opportunity to seek out those who can contribute to your genealogy bucket list for 2017. Perhaps you will be in contact with the oldest members of the family, those who have incredible memories of things past or the  holders  of the "family valuables" and by that  mean the photos and the memorabilia. This is your annual opportunity to engage people in conversation about visiting family townships, graves etc. Don't be put off by those rolling their eyes and running a mile from you.

I took some photos of my Grandfather when I visited my Aunt and she recounted his death (several times LOL)

Here's a few tips on how to gain interest and information.

• Seek out the oldest relatives.
• Talk about family traditions. How did they come about?
• Ask who was here in the past. 
• Take along a  piece of memorabilia to share/get the conversation started.
• Bring a plate of something grandma used to make or use her old tablecloths, bowls etc. That might get the memories working.
• Engage the cousins, auntie's and uncles. It may jog their memories, remind them of facts, fire up their interest.
• Ask people to update your tree with births, deaths and marriages.
• Make up bonbons with family history facts or questions inside.
• Laminate some placemats with fun questions such as "Who is the practical joker of the family?" "Who got into the most trouble?"
• Pull out the old photo albums.
• Take a pen and paper handy write everything down and check the facts with some others who were on the conversation.

To all my readers- Many thanks for your interest and Merry Christmas. Plenty more family stories, World War One stories and hints to come next year. Feel free to comment or contact me with any special requests.

Enjoy Christmas as a special family time and have a Happy New Year. What are your 2017 family history resolutions?

Robyn xx