Experiencing history within the context of your family is perhaps one of the greatest and most meaningful adventures of all. Seeing the photos of humble beginnings and how a family changes with time is extraordinary.
Families are busy and often people forget these fundamental truths of how we got here. It’s not a fault thing… it’s just the way it is. Modern life is busy and shows no signs of slowing down. Is it any wonder so many wonderful family stories have not been passed down, not for lack of love, but simply not a priority in the rat race and day to day of survival.
Family History is the one thing your whole family shares. It’s a way to connect with people you might not otherwise know. It’s also the one thing no one else shares with you. DEEP THOUGHTS BY JEN TOUSEY.
Being American
Sometimes I think we don’t know what it means to be American. We equate consumerism and capitalism with being American. Being excessive and brazen too… but the truth is we are a a beautiful bunch of humans that all have terribly interesting stories! We don’t have a common language or religion but we agree collectively to unite under one flag and what it stands for. I have a LOT of blog posts on how and where to adventure under this umbrella. Today, it’s all about one of those things America holds dear FAMILY.
And don’t forget… this blog is about fun and adventure! (And history and genealogy and travel and magic but I digress) How can you have adventures in Family History? Wellllllllll THIS is my JAM! my FORTE! You can’t see it but I’m doing my happy dance right now! Here are a BUNCH of ways for you to get started!
Read: Adventure 101 Series from the beginning
Watch your family history
Pick a family theme, grab snacks and some blankets! Not sure what I mean?
Fiddler on the Roof, Gone with the Wind, Coco, Moana …
These are all great examples of cultural films that can instill or awaken a sense of pride in you and your family. You don’t have to know all the deep details of your ancestors. We’ve watched Dances With Wolves with our kids and it sparked some GREAT conversation about our ancestors. (We have both Native and Caucasion) Even if you don’t know a lot, you just know someone in your family was there at that time, you can learn a lot and empathize with that family member’s story just by watching what was happening at ‘that’ time period. It can give insight into who your ancestors were and why they made the choices they did.
Cook your family history
I don’t know about your family but in This Family, it seems like all our traditions are centered around food. Seriously. Every holiday we look forward to some delectable treat. Christmas isn’t Christmas without my Grandmother’s striped jello. Every August I can pickles for the whole family using a generations old recipe. Every St. Patrick’s Day it’s corned beef and cabbage. Every pow wow season, the magic of Fry Bread comes alive. Great. Now I’m hungry.
Read: The Delicious History of Popcorn
As you cook together or eat together, share the traditions or the stories behind the meal or treat. My youngest is a fiend for anything Scottish. That’s the genealogy she relates to most and she adores it when we cook anything Scottish even if it turns out somewhat disastrous (like The Great Cranachan Debacle)
My oldest is a Fry Bread monster. My fry bread has never won awards (and it may have broken teeth) but my husband makes it wonderfully! When we make it at home all the stories of fry bread past come back to haunt me. But I don’t mind, it’s these adventures and stories and laughter that bond us all together. It’s the memories amplified by the food itself that last and last. Plus, I don’t have to cook.
Read: Our Native American Roots
Chart your family history
If you DO delve into your family history, make a project of making a chart! There are some absolutely beautiful ways to chart family history. You can specialize in one particular line, a culture, one side of the family. There are so many ways to do it in gorgeous and readable ways.
They also make thoughtful and well received gifts for family members!
COMING SOON AN EASY LINK TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN
Visit your family history
Think of it as Genealogical Tourism! (If that is such a term…if it’s not, I just patented it) This can be as simple or complex as it needs to be for your family. Take a Sunday drive to see where Grandma or Grandpa grew up. See their home, their school, where they had their first job and their first date. Seeing is believing and this is a great way to get to know family members in a new and meaningful way.
Of course, there is other end of the spectrum to plan a trip overseas to see the towns the forefathers and foremothers came from. (Speaking here to Canadians, Australians and Americans) It’s fascinating to learn where they came from, when they came over, and why. We have military personnel, prisoners, and a couple of the original pilgrims who came over. We have scoundrels and even one ancestor that was born at sea. There are amazing stories waiting to be brought to life and remembered in the family!!
Live your family history
Have you ever been to a historical reenactment? In the US, they can be found in just about every state. I have even been to a civil war reenactment in southern California. I went in with a bad attitude because how could they possibly do a proper civil war reenactment when it wasn’t even fought there. Well, my youngest got to be a soldier and went through a crash course in training and then participated in a skirmish. (She fought for the North) She lost her hat, had trouble with the reloading of the kid friendly musket, and came back filthy.
Well, you can’t teach that from a book or in school. She got a first hand experience of what it was like for the soldiers and she remembers it. After we watched the reenactors do their skirmish an Abraham Lincoln came out and walked the body littered battlefield in silence. Then we listened to him give the Gettysburg Address. I cried.
Get Adventuring
There is truly no limit to how Adventures in Family History can happen or how it can enhance your family. For us, we’ve learned so much about our country’s history and the roles members of our family have played in it. I am continuously in awe of their stories and completely inspired by their tales. I’m still absolutely terrible in the kitchen but that’s part of the legacy I will leave to my children and grandchildren. They will have great stories of my incompetence in cooking but also ones of memory making at its best!
How will you adventure in Family History? Share your story!!
I was talking with my husband today about how awesome it was to go to Gaeta, Italy where his ancestors came from. He told me he checked on his DNA test from ancestry.com and that it said he had Scottish and Irish in him and wants to go see those places now!
Such great ideas!! Of course, I especially love “Cook your family history” so much involved in telling a story with food, wonderful post thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed! Hope you are inspired!
Oh, this would keep us busy for awhile with the different countries from which my husband’s and my ancestries all came. LOL. It’s a brilliant idea, though – to watch, cook and visit places that are all a part of your heritage. (PS – I just saw Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway – love that story!!)
I love it! Celebrate them all!
I love the idea of “cook your family history”. How many times have you heard: “grandma’s ___ was the best! I wish someone knew how to make it.” What a great excuse to spend time together too.
You totally got it! Yes! Its keeping tradition alive and people’s memories. 🙂
This is great! My grandpa passed away a few years ago and im realizing that I only rememver bits and pieces of stories. It makes me sad! But my grandma made us a family tree photo album and i just treasure it!
I’m so glad you have that to treasure!!
I love this idea!! My great graduate to cane through Ellis island and I’ve been there. I share Jewish traditions with my kids and we’ve watched Schindler’s List and the book thief. We have lots of roots in Utah too.
Stupid auto correct 🙂 my great grandparents came through Ellis island. 🙂
hahahaha the bain of my existence
Awesome! I’m so glad you are teaching your kids where they come from!
This is such a great idea! I love digging into family history and adding food and movies to make it more fun! Thanks for the idea!
If you do one of these nights, please share! Would love to hear how it went!
This is such a wonderful idea, to connect history with family history. Imagine how much more interesting this subject would be in school if children realized their ancestors were part of it?!
I KNOW RIGHT?!?! I wish somehow they could make it mandatory to take personal family field trips. I suppose that is what home school is for.
What wonderful ideas to combine family time and family history.
Just add coffee and it’s all my favorite things.
When my mom passed away, I got all of her recipes and cookbooks. I have loved going through them and cooking all of my favorites from childhood.
what a treasure!!!!!
This is such a cool idea! We don’t know much about our family history but I would love to do something like this with what we do know!
ooo let me know what you do!!
LOVE this idea! We love doing educational adventures and what better way to teach the kids about their ancestry!
me too!!!! It’s my jam!!
These are great ideas! When our daughter was born, she had 8 grandparents and 9 great grandparents living (my husband and I both have divorced and remarried parents). She loves learning about all of them and the history of our families. I think it is great for kids!
YES it totally is!!!
Very interesting and insightful posts. Never thought how focusing on family history could help plan better travel and activities. Thanks for sharing.
– Divya
thesavingsaddict.com
Glad you are inspired!
This is such a great idea! My family was so into their history and now no one (me) seem talks about it. I have noticed since my daughter had my first grandchild I talk about it a lot more with her. I would love to do this type of trip though!
I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I love these ideas! I need to plan a family movie night with family food. I do love traveling to historic places. I need to plan some more road trips!
whoo hoo!!! Can’t wait to hear where you go and what you do!
These are such great ideas. And the family is so important! We should get creative to spend more time with them so the amazing memory stays.
Let em know what you guys end up doing!
Great ideas!! I love learning about my family history, some I would never brag about, but it was fun finding out some of my family members were a little seedy!
ooooohhhh but sometimes those are the very best stories!!
Thanks for the great ideas. I especially like the idea of living the family history!
me too! We’ve had more fun this way!!
These are really great ideas. Awareness of family history is severely lacking in our family since neither of my parents were close to their families! I did just do an Ancestry DNA test, though, to see if I could find out more.
Ooooo you’e speaking my language! Would love to hear what you find out!
Wow, that was an amazing post! We should try something like this in my multi-ethnic family! We are a family of four and none of us are blood-related. I’m a single mom who adopted three boys. As we trace each other’s heritage that should be interesting. If we do. Now that I think of it, it could be painful for some. So maybe we will just come up with our own traditions.
I think adventures in family history should be fun. There may be a pain point but doing something fun and celebratory is usually a way to get the laughs going and change some stigmas. Good luck! Can’t wait to hear how it goes!!