Another year ended huh? I bet it’s been a doozy. You had ups. You had downs. You had victories. You had disappointments.
And so did your kids.
So, how will each of you remember it? Will you remember it? What will mark the completion of a season, what will cement the lessons learned from its events, what will bring healing from its conflicts and pains?
Sometime late in the year, I heard someone mention the idea of capturing each year’s events and themes in a kind of family history. It got me thinking…
The Aldin family could certainly benefit from such a tradition.
And so the idea I’ve come up with is to keep a permanent record of the next few years in the form of a ‘book’. For all I know, it’s been done before. But not by our family.
Each of us gets to answer the questions below, and choose two digital photos that represent our favourite memories of the year just gone. Then on New Year’s Eve, we’ll read our answers and “talk story” about 2007, before placing them in the book.
The questions are simple:
- My favourite movie this year:
- I really enjoyed going to the __________ because _____________________.
- Three cool things about my birthday:
- My holiday:
- A cool thing that God did:
- My achievements:
- The hardest thing I had to do was…
- Something I wish didn’t happen:
- A funny thing I heard:
2007 has been an incredibly emotional year for us, full of the extremes of grieving and celebration, public conflict and making new friends, villains and heroes, kids moving schools and my wife changing jobs, etc etc. I’m hoping this new tradition will bring closure and bring us even closer together.
Do you have a family tradition to close out the year and leave a record for your kids for later ?
14 responses so far ↓
Roland // Dec 31, 2007 at 5:46 am
That is a great idea, Pete. Each year on Dec 31st, I take the kids to the party store, buy hats and noise makers. In the eve, we drink sparkling cider, call the grandmas/pas and go to sleep early.
This year has been roughest by far for my family — mainly due to growing pains. Think I’ll try something like that tomorrow.
Best wishes to you and your family for a safe, healthy and Happy New Year.
Pete // Dec 31, 2007 at 8:48 am
And to you and yours Roland.
I’m going to steal the sparkling cider idea. Actually, my boys think (still) that root beer is just real beer made for kids, so I might go get some of that too.
Take care, mate.
Shaping Youth // Dec 31, 2007 at 9:10 am
Pete, I’ll recap what I wrote on your other blog here, and add that we do a ‘New Years at Noon’ bubble wrap stomp to stamp out/eradicate’ a cause of choice…
(or at least get kids thinking about something that’s transpired in the last year in their own lives that they want to resolve to tamp down, pop the bubble on, squish/or behaviorally change… (could be an attitude, belief system, sibling envy, whatever…)
Here’s my series on marketing mindfulness to kids too, just for fun…Toss some of your ideas into the mix? (e.g. how to make giving/positive ethics a fun-filled ‘value add’ as we say in marketing?!)
http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=877
Pete // Dec 31, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Threw an idea in, not sure if it’s on target.
themolk // Jan 1, 2008 at 10:38 am
Ahh, my friend… happy new year. You’ve been a breath of fresh air to me online and now as a face to face friend this year. Looking forward to that growning, developing and doing whatever it is we can make it do.
- - - - -
Just to butt in on your family tradition, my answers to your questions…
My favourite movie this year: Transformers. Way Cool.
I really enjoyed going to (the) Melbourne because I got to meet and hang out with my mate Mr FOF.
Three cool things about my birthday: hug and happy birthday from my little boy; hug and sloppy kiss from my little girl; happy birthday from my wife.
My holiday: has been sporadic, but when I managed to have one, very cool.
A cool thing that God did: gave me a precious, gorgeous and totally healthy daughter in March.
My achievements: Two lovely kids (one nearly toilet trained), two new jobs, kepy my wife happy, got my motorcycle licence and a harley!
The hardest thing I had to do was… tell my wife I’d been made redundant on Valentine’s Day.
Something I wish didn’t happen: my parents.
A funny thing I heard: John Howard lost the election and his seat - who’d have thunk?!
- - - - -
Happy New Year to the whole Aldin clan (who I hope to meet in 2008). Perhaps it’s time for a Gold Coast holiday?!
Pete // Jan 1, 2008 at 1:36 pm
“Growning” - I think you meant growing but I guess growth often causes a corresponding groan of pain or frustration. Let’s hope I don’t cause you any of them.
Man, what a year you’ve had. Sounds like you’ll look back on it in the future as a pivotal point in both the family history and your own “growning” [sorry!]. For me, I admire greatly what I know you’ve fought for and through. I too look forward to journeying together in whatever way that happens.
(Great video post at your blog, by the way!)
Joe // Jan 2, 2008 at 9:14 am
I’m late! And that’s unusual. I’m almost never late. But I would have had to be much more organized than I am to beat you down under to well wishes for 2008. I would have had to be a whole day early.
I’m glad to have “met” you and your blogs this year, Pete. Best wishes for an awesome 2008 for you and your family.
Pete // Jan 2, 2008 at 11:34 am
The feeling’s mutual, Joe. I feel like we’re kicking toward the same goals and your ideas and stories have been helpful and inspiring. Keep up the great work in 08 and may you also know peace and happiness in the year ahead.
Mad Cow // Jan 3, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Happy New Year Pete (and the rest of you of course
)
Hmm, won’t repeat our new years eve tradition here, but I did blog about it
Should be good for a laugh.
I love the book idea, that’s fantastic. I had planned to do something with the photos this elongated holidays - and 7yo is gonna help me do “his” album. Pretty excited about that -now we just gotta coordinate some time around the trains. I might steal some of your ideas though - if that’s ok with you???
Have a fantastic year, and thank you!!
Pete // Jan 3, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Love the photo idea.That’d be an even stronger medium than just answering questions.
Loved your post by the way. Oh, the evils of condiments in the hands of children… (Parmesan’s a condiment right?)
Mad Cow // Jan 3, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Sadly, in our house, t’is but a meal in itself!
(And I do keep asking who hasn’t changed their socks for weeks, or who vomited and where?)
jonathan // Jan 5, 2008 at 4:13 am
Sorry the well wishes are coming so late. I had a great, but very busy Christmas break. Happy New Year. I hope 2008 is a great one for the Aldin family. I am glad I discovered your blog last year and look forward to reading it this year.
Melissa // Jan 16, 2008 at 11:25 am
My parents were missionaries & started a tradition years ago of sending a Christmas newsletter - this ended up being sent at Easter, and this years one was so late it was Christmas again! They are full of the news of the year. These have all been kept and are put in a book. This year we added to it at New Year Dinner - we went around the table & shared some of our memories of the year. Mum took these down & they have now been added to our book.
On our 21st birthdays, the newsletters were compiled into a display book with photos & other memorabilia and presented to us at our parties.
Pete // Jan 16, 2008 at 1:01 pm
How cool is that! Thanks Melissa. What a natural way of compiling history as it unfolds. Even if I invite my boys to write a “newspaper” or magazine for the end of year, as the year goes, that might capture something similar.
Thanks for your contribution.
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