Holiday Writing Triggers for Family Memories

Following the calendar, I'll give memory prompts to start you writing about long ago holidays. It's important to write down these memories to save for your children and grandchildren. Who knows, maybe you'll even have enough to self-publish a book. Your family will treasure it.

These memory triggers will get your started. I recommend getting out old family photos too and using those to help you write your memories of your family and your childhood days.

(photos from my family album - Thanksgiving)

Did your family do anything special for New Year's Eve or New Year's Day? Think back about parents going to parties, having a baby sitter, being allowed to stay up until midnight or related activities. Remember any special customs, making resolutions, and special New Year's foods.

Did you decorate a box to hold your valentine's at school? Was there someone special that you made a valentine for or that you wanted a valentine from? Think back to school day memories and parties or special foods you had at Valentine's Day.

March writing prompts

Think back to when you were young and what you did on St Patrick's Day. Did you wear something green that day so you wouldn't get pinched? Did your family have an Irish heritage and celebrate the holiday? Did you see a parade or get to participate in a St Patrick's Day parade? Did you ever search for a four-leaf clover in the yard?

For April Fool's Day

Perhaps you had a practical joker in your family. What kinds of pranks can you remember? Tell about incidents you remember and how you felt about those.

A writing prompt for the month of May

Think back to childhood and the May Day activities you participated in. Did you furl paper into a cone shape, add a handle and fill it with flowers from the garden? Who were the recipients of these May Day baskets? Grandparents, neighbors...? Tell about the flowers used for the may baskets and how you decorated it.

At school or other organization did you have a maypole or in any other way celebrate the start of May?

Zazzle graphic: Vintage Mom Served Breakfast in Bed by the Family Sticker by YesterdayCafe

Think of special activities in your family related to Mother's Day. Did you make a gift or card at school to give your mother? Was there breakfast in bed or a dinner out? Would you save up your allowance to get a gift or pick flowers in the yard to give her? What kinds of gifts did your mother like?

Write about your childhood memories

Think back to playtime during your childhood. Were you expected to play on your own, with other kids, or did Dad join in and play with you? What was a favorite game to play with your father? Was this after his work day or on weekends. Did you go fun places with your dad?

Thinking about the way your dad dressed will bring back many childhood memories. Write a description of your dad with his work attire and casual attire as the basis. Did he wear a suit or overalls for his type of work or a uniform? What kind of shoes and what kind of hats did he prefer? Did you ever give him a gift of a tie for Father's Day or other occasion? Did he wear special clothes for activities like golfing or fishing?

Write about the way your family celebrated the 4th of July. Remember family picnics, parades and fireworks. What kinds of fireworks were you allowed as a child? Include all the senses (sound, sight, touch, smell) in your description of the day.

Whether it's Alzheimer's, dementia or brain injury, here are activities for family or nursing home staff to use to help with remembering. After a stroke, often the short-term memory may be damaged, but the long-term memory still remains. This is the case with my family member who is in a nursing home.

Talking about old-times with him works better than asking him about what has happened recently. This book gives ideas for bringing out those old memories with people in these situations.

Think back as far as you can or summon up family stories to remember your early Halloween costumes. Describe each one with as much detail as you can. What was your favorite? Tell about costume mishaps, how the costume was chosen and who made it or bought it.

Did you wear the costume to school, for trick-or-treating or to a party? Tell about the activities that went on at events where you wore your costume.

Write about the costumes that your siblings wore. Did you like your brother's costume more than your own?

Tell where you got the pumpkin. Was it an outing to a farm, from the store or did you grow it? Set the scene and add descriptions that use all five senses.

Tell about the carving of the pumpkin and where you displayed it. Was it lighted? What happened to it later on?

Graphic from Zazzle: Halloween Retro Vintage Pumpkin Carving Dad & Kids by holly_ween

Did your father or grandfather talk about serving in the armed forces? Were they in combat? Write about any stories that you heard or bits and pieces that were passed down through the generations from earlier wars. If they did not talk about their military service, write about anything you've learned or questions that you have about that. If it's not too late, ask a family member about this topic.

A holiday memory prompt for November

Describe a Thanksgiving Day from your childhood. Tell where you were, who was there and what food there was. Think about the small details of the day, the activities, and anything that stands out in your memory. Write about the day. Tell what things you were thankful for at that time.

Did you help wrap gifts or did they mysteriously appear under the tree? Did relatives send gifts in the mail or was there a large family gathering with gifts for the children? Write about your feelings as Christmas Day came near and what gifts your dreamed of receiving. Tell about activities that led up to Christmas Day. Were there special activities at school or church or home?

Did you buy presents as a child or make something for your parents and siblings? If you shopped, who took you shopping and where? Try to remember the details like how you got the money for shopping, what you wanted to get as a gift and how it was received. Describe the shopping trip, the weather, and the mood. If you made presents, was it at school or at home and who helped you?

Think back to childhood Christmas times or your young adult years. Did the family go to a tree lot to pick out a tree or did you cut down a tree? Perhaps you had one of those silver trees with the changing light colors. Describe the getting of the tree, the decorating experience and the kinds of ornaments that were on the tree. Did your school room have a Christmas tree? Was the family tree put up early in the Christmas season or the day before Christmas?

Write about Santa and your childhood experiences

Did you put cookies out for Santa on Christmas Eve? Write about your Santa encounters (at a store, parade or school event). When did you start to doubt the reality of Santa Claus and was it a big disappointment to you? Tell about what your family did to help you believe in Santa and how you handle this with your own children or grandchildren.