Before you realize it, the greatly anticipated summer (and summer vacation) has come and gone and all that’s left are the memories to carry you through until next year. For many, vacation photographs wind up unorganized and tossed aside into empty shoe boxes with a promise of “I’ll label them and put them in order this winter when I have nothing else to do!” Right. The only winter visit that box of photos will receive will be when the new, equally disorganized, box of holiday photos joins it! For those who have successfully migrated to the electronic option of digital photos, simply replace “shoebox” with “hard drive” on your home computer or laptop and consider yourself among the mass of procrastinators.
With that in mind, why not take some time at the end of your summer and organize your family’s vacation experience, photographs, and memories into a vacation memory book? With a few simple items and an afternoon, you can assemble a wonderful keepsake that will preserve and protect memories of each family getaway for years to come.
Scrapbooking has become a nationwide obsession and it is easier than ever to find the basic elements for creating something a bit more personal than a photo album. First of all, find a scrapbook or photo album that suits your style and needs. You can find one at almost any department store. While you’re at it, browse the scrapbooking materials for little items like stickers and lettering that will enable you to “dress-up” your vacation memories.
Next, gather together your family vacation photographs and select the images that most effectively represent your vacation experience. Make sure you include all family members and try to include a nice variety of vacation activities in your selection. If you have digital images on your computer instead of actual photographs, select the images you would like to use and print them. Also take the time to “journal” your photographs, indicating the “who, what, when, and where” of each picture. This is a great help for both people viewing your memory book and for you in later years when small details slip from your memory.
Although you have complete creative control over how you assemble your vacation memory book, the easiest way is to assemble things in chronological order so those looking at the scrapbook can experience your vacation from start to finish (that way your spouse’s sunburn won’t mysteriously appear and disappear throughout the pages!)
Ask your children for input and let them help you. Collect some small items that you may have picked up along the say (i.e., a drink coaster with a resort’s logo, maps, tokens, airline ticket stubs, brochures from attractions, beach sand, leaves, etc.) Such items can be scattered throughout your memory book and provide a more personal touch to the project. Add some sand to a small plastic envelope or other container add a flat seashell to a page with some of your favorite beach photos, or use your ticket stubs from the theme park to give a different look to your family’s latest roller coaster excursion. Even a copy of that speeding ticket your spouse so wrongly received can make a great addition and helps complete the vacation memories.
Organizing photographs and vacation trinkets in this way also helps keep them in one place where they can be easily found and enjoyed. No more spending hours looking for your brochure on the Grand Canyon so you can settle a disagreement during Trivial Pursuit. Just grab the vacation memory book—it’s all in there!
If you enjoy the little extra touch those vacation items add to your memory book, make a special effort during your next weekend getaway or vacation to pick up additional items that can add a little extra flavor to your memories. Remind your kids to do the same—you’ll probably be amazed at some of the things they find along the way, and each will add a wonderful new perspective to the way you remember your latest family outing!
Share this Site on:
Twitter Facebook