Vacations are so much fun, and part of what makes them so special is spending a large block of uninterrupted time with family members. Families strengthen their ties during vacations as they have fun and create memories that will bring them joy long after the trip is over. Some families vacation in the same place every year. Some even pass down a vacation home from generation to generation, or they return with their families to places that their parents brought them as children. Vacations are an important part of each family’s story.
If you are a family historian, you may wish to assemble a special collection of vacation memories that your family can enjoy both now and in the future. A scrapbook is a great way to combine written information about the trips that the family has taken over the years with mementos from those trips like pictures, postcards, and other small items from those special places. It is always interesting to hear about the travels of other families, so your friends may even enjoy looking at whatever you choose to put together.
My family’s vacation story begins with a time share. I know that the word “time share” may bring to mind images of high pressure sales tactics, shabby and overpriced hotel rooms, and the promise that you can occasionally exchange your week for a week somewhere else if you would like. Anyways, I am not sure how old I was but I am sure that the story begins somewhere in the eighties because pictures that were taken on the day that we got the time share show my sister and I wearing matching white shorts sets decorated with neon colored high top sneakers.
My mom and dad took us to Cape Cod, which was not a far drive since we lived in central Massachusetts. We looked at one time share place and decided that it was not for us. We went to another, and my parents decided that it was a good fit. They bought a week and every year since then we have congregated there during that week and have made many, many wonderful memories. Last year, my dad told me that he was more pleased than ever with his discussion to get the time share, even all of these years later. We all still love visiting Cape Cod and now that he has a grandson (my little boy), the vacation week is a great way for my dad to spend a large amount of time getting to know and enjoy him. We are adding new memories to the family collection every year, and I am nearly bursting with excitement because the Cape Week is almost here.
What are your family vacation memories? Do you now bring your family to places that your parents took you? How do you plan to share the memories with future generations?
