10 Creative Ways to Learn Your Family History This Holiday Season
The holidays are a time for family, food, and fun. But they can also be a time for learning about your family history and sharing family stories. The holiday season can be an amazing opportunity to engage with your family and learn more about your ancestors and their stories.
On This Page
Family History Holiday Ideas
Here are ten inspirational ways to engage with your family this holiday season and learn more about your ancestors, culture, and traditions:
1. Have a conversation with your parents or grandparents about their lives and families growing up. What was their favorite holiday tradition? Their earliest memories? What stories do they remember being told about their ancestors? These are moments you’ll want to capture!
2. Go through old family photos and ask your relatives to share stories about the people in them. Who are they? When was the photo taken? What was happening in their lives at that time? Photos hold a ton of wonderful memories and often have memorable stories behind them.
3. Research the history of your family surname online. Who were some notable people with your last name? What is the origin of the name? There are a lot of online genealogy tools and courses available. Try one out and see where your research leads!
4. Ask your relatives if they have any old family heirlooms or artifacts that you can look at. What do these items tell you about your ancestors’ lives? Ask your loved ones the story behind the heirloom or artifact. Why has it been kept or passed down for some many years?
5. Make a scrapbook or photo album of your holiday celebrations over the years. There is always a story behind how and why traditions and celebrations came to be. What traditions have been passed down in your family? What do these traditions mean to you?
6. Start or add to your own family history. Collect photos, documents, and stories to create your own family history scrapbook or album. This is a great way to bring your own perspective to family traditions or begin new ones.
7. Take some time to write down your own memories and stories about your family. What traditions do you remember from your childhood? What are some of your favorite family stories? Write it all down! Capture your personal experiences and memories as your piece of your family’s rich legacy.
8. Make it a game. Think family history bingo, jeopardy, or family feud. The aim is the same: see how many family history facts and stories you can learn this holiday season. It’ll be fun to connect with your relatives and get to know your family stories, traditions, and ancestors better.
9. Visit local places important to your family history. If your family has a hometown or ancestral village, take a trip there during the holidays. Walk the streets your ancestors walked and see the sights they saw. Visit the churches, cemeteries, and other places where they lived and worked. This will help you feel closer to them and connect with their lives more tangibly.
10. Get the younger kids involved in a fun way. Give your kids a mission: interview older relatives about their childhoods, favorite holiday memories, and what life was like when they were kids. The kids can then share what they learned with the rest of the family. You can also have them help you research your family tree or make a family history project to display during the holidays and beyond.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re just getting started in your family history research or you’ve been at it for years, there’s always more to learn. Engaging with your family and learning about your family history can be a fun and meaningful way to spend time together during the holidays. By taking the time to ask questions, listen to stories, and capture what you learn, you gain a better sense of where you come from and who your ancestors were. You may even discover where you got some of your personality traits and quirks! Happy holidays!
