Old Photos + Family Reunions = FUN!

Sack races with cousins, Grandma’s famous potato salad, and Uncle Bill’s “quarter behind the ear” trick…

Reunions are not just a fun summer activity but are an important tradition in keeping families together. They create unity, re-establish connections and encourage the sharing of family history. If you’re planning a reunion why not add genealogy to the list of activities to ensure that future generations will learn about their unique heritage! Genealogy might seem like a hobby for the older crowd but there are some great ways to ensure it can be enjoyed by all with sharing stories, records, scrapbooks, folklore and especially our favorite… old photos!

Here are some ideas we have found around the web that can help bond your past to your present with photographs!

Photo Name Tags

Ask people to RSVP by mailing in a photo or emailing a jpeg of themselves from their yesteryears. Print them out wallet size in black and white, fit to a larger card with name printed on it and attach to shirts with safety pins! Have photos ready at check in, perfect for breaking the ice and conversation starters! What a great way to see which members of the family resemble each other as children!

via Scrapbooksetc.com

Photo Family Tree!

To do: Wrap twine around a tree trunk and have clothespins to hang the photos. Ask members to bring a copy of their favorite family photo. It might be an interesting photo that they have come across in a shoebox that they know nothing about or it might be a recent one of the grandkids jumping into a lake all at once at the family cabin! The best part will be to see what memories and stories each photo will spark as people pin their photo and see others. We also like that this photo idea has a dual purpose! Not only as a great way to display treasured photos and let people reminisce with one another but also as party decor! The ultimate centerpiece!

via Holly Mathis Interiors

Family Recipe Book

Collecting family recipes is a tradition that is no stranger to reunions but how about taking it a step further and connect handwritten recipe cards and personal photographs together. Seeing a picture of your mom when she was a young mother next to her recipe for monkey bread will sure bring up loving feelings which you will be able to pass on to your children and grandchildren as you cook together and share sweet memories and stories from your youth.

via My Mix of Six 

Restoring and Recording

The saying goes that ” A picture is worth a thousand words.” We have to agree and think that it’s important to not only share the stories behind your family photograph but also record them in order to preserve them for others. One popular ways is to write down your memories in a journal. Although you don’t have to get to fancy, make sure the journal is printed on acid-free paper, can be stored in a clean, dry area, and that others know your requests of who it gets passed down to in the family.

Another way is by recording your family stories with the help of media. If you know someone with a recording studio book some time for as many who would like to come and share stories of growing up, the past, and their family memories. Think about creating notecards or ask a family member to write down questions and interview you so that you don’t miss anything that is worth sharing.

We also highly recommend using our Picture Story Service as well to record your family history. With over 20 years of photo restoration experience we can repair and restore even the most damaged photographs. We include that with our unique way of recording your story on film to capture the history in your photographs in order for everyone in your family to enjoy. Not only do they get to learn about their family, see old images get restored, but also they get to hear it exactly from you, in your own words and voice!

If you have a photo in need of restoration and would like to share your story in time for your family reunion…

Please contact Sonia at
(801) 653-0873 or
sonia@restore.tv
130 West Main, Lehi, UT 84043

Andrea