On the 10th day of Christmas,
I sent to all my relatives
this year's Family Journal to read.
1) What helps you remember Christmases past?
My Christmas gift to my aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers and children is a 16 page (usually) family journal, called the "Seaver-Richmond Family Journal." This was my 20th year of doing this family journal. I end up sending about 25 copies out every year to the extended family. I print them on my own color inkjet printer two-sided, which is a major production.
Fred Seaver and Bessie Richmond married in 1900 in Leominster MA and had seven children, 6 of whom lived to adulthood and married, five of whom had a total of 11 children. This family line is 3/4 New England colonial immigrant (Seaver, Hildreth and White), and 1/4 English immigrant (Richman/Richmond, immigrated in 1855).
The content of my family journal has changed over time. I used to print more lines of descent from famous or notable people, and more lines from immigrant ancestors to my grandparents generation. However, I ran out of these types of articles several years ago - I had covered all of the family lines with 5-generations or more.
In recent years, I've added more family photos - both of the older generations and the new generations - young families with babies and the like. I've also written more memorials as the aunts and uncles have died.
Last year, the Table of Contents looked like:
* 2006 Family Search - page 1
* What's Inside? - page 1
* The Ancestry of Fred and Bessie (Richmond) Seaver Book Project - page 2
* Seaver and Richmond Photo Collection - page 2
* Seaver-Richmond Ancestry on the Internet - page 2
* The "Genea-Musings" Blog - page 2
* Charles Alvin Seifert (1945-2006) - page 3
* Seaver Family News (1900 to 1950) From The Fitchburg Sentinel - page 4
* New England Vacation Pictures - page 5
* Smock Marriages (by Sidney Perley) - page 6
* Seaver/Hildreth Gravestones - page 7
* Earthquakes in Colonial New England - page 8
* More Seaver Newspaper Articles From The Fitchburg Sentinel - page 8
* Immigrant Ancestors - Caleb Carr (1616-1695) of Newport RI - pages 9,10
* Immigrant Ancestors - Giles Slocum (1623-1683) of Portsmouth RI - pages 11, 12
* Immigrant Ancestors - Simon Stone (1586-1665) of Watertown MA - pages 13, 14
* Logan Scott H*** Born - page 15
* Megan Seifert Weds - page 15
* Lewis Soule Weds - page 15
* Picture of the Soule Girls - page 15
* Answers to the Family History Quiz - page 16
* Finis - page 16
The 2007 Edition Table of Contents includes:
* 2007 Family Search - page 1
* What's Inside? - page 1
* Aunt Gerry's Photograph Collection - page 2
* Seaver-Richmond Ancestry on the Internet - page 2
* Geraldine (Seaver) Remley (1917-2007) - page 3
* James Howard Remley (1912-2007) - page 4
* Remarks at Aunt Gerry's Service by Randy Seaver - pages 5,6
* Gerry's Young Life in Pictures (Wasn't she cute? And beautiful?) - page 7
* Thomas Code Seaver Adopted - page 8
* Beth Soule Marries - page 8
* Pictures of Isaac and Lucretia (Smith) Seaver - page 8
* The Seaver Family Homes in Leominster and Fitchburg - pages 9, 10
* Colonial Ancestors - Job Card (1653-1739) of Rhode Island - pages 11,12
* Barack Obama is a Seaver and Richmond Cousin - page 13
* Mitt Romney is a Seaver Cousin - page 14
* Mary and Jonas - Love Rather Than Money - page 15
* Another Seaver/Richmond Family History Quiz - page 16
* Finis - page 16
The production process is pretty simple. I use last year's MSWord document as a template - but delete the content and save it as a new document. Then I add content over a 7 to 10 day period, based on family papers and photographs, material from my blog, the Internet or my genealogy databases. When the content is completed, then I print off 25 copies (16 pages, in color, two-sided). I save it also as a PDF file to put on CDROMs to give to family members who want one.
It's funny - even though I ask the family for pictures and stories, either by snail mail, email or in person, I never receive anything from them. Maybe they are bored by it all; maybe it slips their mind or they think they don't have anything to contribute. I do get compliments in the Christmas cards I receive, so I think they appreciate the effort.
I sent the Family Journal, along with our family Christmas letter, off to the cousins yesterday. I have copies at home for my brother, my niece and my daughters and will gift them with it on Christmas Day. Hopefully, we will share a bit more about Gerry and Jim, and memories of our parents and grandparents.
This post will be part of the "Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories" carnival - organized by Thomas MacEntee at the Destination: Austin Family blog. Please go to Thomas' blog and read the submissions for each day.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
1 comment:
Mind if I "steal" your idea next year? I think it is much better than the ubiquitous and self-touting holiday newsletter. And it might elicit submission of info from my family members.
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