Family stories: questions, interviews and traditions
How to ask the older generation the right questions, record their voices, and keep recipes, traditions and the stories behind them together.
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Your palace, on your phone too.
How do I keep the story of family heirlooms?
A ring, a clock, a quilt, a toolbox: how to record where an heirloom came from and why it matters, with photos, a recording and a card, before the people who know the story are gone.
How do I capture family stories at Christmas, when everyone is finally together?
A light way to collect the stories people tell at Christmas: one question at the table, a box of old photos, a phone that records with permission, and one place afterwards.
How can I keep and share memories with a parent who has dementia?
Gentle ways to gather a parent's life story while you still can, and to share it with them and the family: photos, voices, a simple memory book, and following their mood.
My parent does not want to talk about the past. How do I keep their story?
What to do when a mother or father avoids talking about their past: why it happens, small ways in through photos and objects, respecting a no, and other places to look.
Questions to ask at St Nicholas: Sinterklaas memories from parents, grandparents and friends
Thirty questions to ask parents, grandparents or old friends on St Nicholas or Sinterklaas evening: shoes by the fireplace, songs, poems, presents and the year the secret came out.
Questions for Christmas dinner with grandparents: 31 questions that start a story
Thirty-one warm questions to ask grandparents, parents or friends at the Christmas table: Christmas as a child, the food, the people who are missed, presents and traditions.
New Year's Eve questions for friends: 32 questions about the year behind you
Thirty-two questions for New Year's Eve with friends or family: the best day of the year, small moments, your friendship, New Year's Eves gone by and the year ahead.
Questions for a 70th, 80th or 90th birthday: 34 questions about a whole life
Thirty-four questions to ask a parent or grandparent on a milestone birthday: childhood, young years, work and family, looking back, and questions from friends and grandchildren.
Questions to ask your parents on their wedding anniversary: how they met, the day itself and the years after
Thirty-two questions for a 25th, 40th or 50th wedding anniversary: how your parents met, the wedding day, the first home, the hard years and what kept them together. For children, grandchildren and friends of the couple.
Questions to ask your mother on Mother's Day: her childhood, her own mother and the life you never asked about
Thirty-three questions to ask your mother, grandmother or stepmother on Mother's Day: about her own childhood, her mother, becoming a mother and the parts of her life that had nothing to do with you.
Questions to ask your father on Father's Day: his childhood, his work and the things he never said out loud
Thirty-three questions to ask your father, grandfather or stepfather on Father's Day: about his childhood, his own father, the work he did, becoming a father and the things he rarely talks about.
Gentle questions to share memories at a funeral, wake or condolence visit
Quiet questions that help family and friends tell a memory of someone who died, at a wake, after a funeral or during a condolence visit. No pressure, and silence is fine.
Questions for grandparents meeting the new baby: their stories, your first months
Thirty questions for the first visit to the grandparents with a new baby: what it was like when they became parents, what you were like as a baby, names, family likeness and wishes. Also for godparents and close friends.
Questions for a school or class reunion: memories to share with old classmates
Thirty-two questions for a class or school reunion: the first day, the teachers, the school trips, the friendships and what became of everyone in the years since.
Questions for a road trip or holiday with old friends: stories for the long drive
Thirty questions for a road trip or holiday with old friends, siblings or cousins: how you met, the trips you took before, the years in between and what comes next.
Questions for a retirement farewell: what to ask someone after a working life
Thirty-two questions for colleagues, friends and family at a retirement farewell: the first day at work, how the job changed, the people, the lessons and the plans for what comes next.
How do I record a grandparent's voice and stories?
A calm, practical guide: the phone you already have, a quiet room, questions that open stories, short sessions, and where to keep the recordings next to the photos.
What do you give parents who say they want nothing? A palace of their own stories
Gift ideas for parents who say they want nothing: a year of Storyworth or Remento, a photo book, an afternoon of recording, or a palace of their own stories.
How to record your parents' or grandparents' life story: questions, tips and tools
How to prepare, twenty good questions by theme, how to record with just a phone, what to do with the file afterwards, and how to keep going with one question a week.
Family oral history: how to prepare, ask and record the interview
How to record a family oral history interview: what to prepare, sixteen questions by stage of life, how to listen, how to record with a phone, and what to do with the file afterwards.
How to make a family memory book: ideas, structure, and digital or printed
How to make a family memory book step by step: choose the subject and the occasion, gather photos, letters, recipes and voices, pick a structure, write good captions, and decide honestly between digital and printed.
AI Interviews That Capture Your Family's Stories
Most people don't know where to start when recording family stories. AI-guided interviews make it natural and effortless.
How to interview a grandparent: questions and recording
Prepare, keep it to 30 to 45 minutes, ask open questions, pause when emotions come up, and record on a phone. Then back up and label each session right away.
10 questions to ask your grandparents, and how to ask
Ten open questions that get grandparents telling stories, how many to ask per visit, how to touch on hard times gently, and whether to record the conversation.
Preserving Family Recipes: More Than Just Ingredients
A family recipe is never just a list of ingredients. It carries the story of who made it, when, and why it mattered. Here's how to preserve the full experience for future generations.
Recording Family Stories: The Art of Telling Them Well
Every family has a storyteller. Learn techniques for recording compelling family narratives that future generations will actually want to listen to and share.
Why Voice Memos Are the Best Way to Capture Memories
A photograph captures what someone looked like. A voice memo captures who they were. Discover why audio recordings are the most powerful and underused tool for memory preservation.
How to make a family heritage book: plan, gather, design
What goes in a family heritage book, how to organise it, how many photos to use (fewer than you think) and how to turn the making into a family gathering.
How to preserve cultural traditions in your family
Pick the traditions that matter, record them well enough that someone could repeat them (film the cooking, note the words), adapt the form and keep the meaning.
Why family traditions matter, and how to start new ones
Small, predictable rituals like pancakes on Sunday give children stability and a sense of who they are. Why traditions matter, how to start one, and how to keep it.
How Immigration Stories Shape Family Identity Across Generations
Every immigrant family carries a founding story of courage and sacrifice. Learn why preserving these narratives is essential for future generations' sense of identity and belonging.
Retirement Projects: Documenting Your Life Story
Retirement offers the gift of time to reflect on a life fully lived. Learn how to turn your experiences, wisdom, and memories into a structured life story that your family will cherish.
Moving Houses: How to Preserve Memories of Your Childhood Home
Leaving a childhood home is an emotional milestone. Before the door closes for the last time, here's how to capture the space that shaped you so it can be passed on.
Family Reunion Planning: Capturing Stories Together
A family reunion is a rare opportunity to gather multiple generations in one place. Learn how to turn your next reunion into a memory-preservation event that strengthens bonds and creates a lasting family archive.
How to Start a Family Newsletter That Everyone Actually Reads
A family newsletter keeps far-flung relatives connected and creates a running record of family life. Learn how to start one that people look forward to receiving.