November is Family Stories Month

As the holidays approach in 2020, we might realize our traditions won’t be celebrated the same way they have in the past. In my family, we’ve discussed ways we might alter our celebrations this year. Thanksgiving is, for many families, a day where we gather for a nice meal and relax together to catch up, laugh, and share stories. It’s a great day for connection and reminiscing.

Last week, a friend of mine pointed out that November is Family Stories Month. As an organizer who helps people organize their memories and legacy, I can’t believe I had no idea there was an entire month dedicated to this very important practice!

I thought this might be a good opportunity to offer some encouragement if your plans are looking different than before. While we may not all be celebrating in person this year, thanks to technology and good old fashioned phone conversation, we are still able to find ways to connect and share stories.

Zoom, the popular video conferencing platform recently announced that from midnight on November 26, 2020 through 6am on November 27th, they will be lifting their 40-minute time limit from free accounts:

As a thank you to our customers, we will be lifting the 40-minute limit for all meetings globally from midnight ET on Nov. 26 through 6 a.m. ET on Nov. 27 so your family gatherings don't get cut short. ❤️□ #ZoomTogether pic.twitter.com/aubsH0tfxG

— Zoom (@zoom_us) November 10, 2020

If you’ve wanted to begin recording family history or regularly told stories, this could be the year your family begins to honor Family Stories Month. The good news is this tradition can be carried on for years to come, whether you’re together or apart!
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Would you like to incorporate stories into your in-person or virtual celebration?

• Brainstorm a short list of prompts. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. It could be:
  • A family trip you all took together.
  • Having couples recall when they met.
  • Reminiscing about when children were younger.
  • What were the elders’ favorite games to play as children? What was technology like back then? What about transportation? Daily routines?
  • Exchange favorite recipes.
  • If anyone has told stories about a wild adventure, see if they’ll tell it again.
• Give family members a call or send an email with prompts and questions so they’ll be ready. They might even be able to send you photos that go with a particular story.
• You can record Zoom calls and save the video to your computer to share later, or simply use the voice record app on your phone to record stories.
• See if someone in the family is willing to transcribe the stories so that you can have them in book format with accompanying pictures. This is a precious and priceless gift!

The possibilities are endless, and I’m sure once they get going, many family members could talk for hours!
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How have your celebrations changed this year? I’d love to hear from you via email or in the comments below.