topic Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈 in Community Chat

🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

newziesuzie — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 17:31:39 GMT

Now we're both feet into 2016😊
I was reading articles and ideas for the year
and thought this one was nice.

🎈Please share your ideas for capturing
memories!😊🎈

(credit to steamy kitchen.com blog😊)

"FOR THE NEW YEAR: MAKE A MEMORY JAR

This idea was so popular last year that I’m reposting it again! Happy New Year everyone! ~Jaden

I always say that time goes by too fast.

Every. single. year.

Other than this blog, I don’t keep a family journal (lazy at writing with a pen and too shy to spill all our personal family stuff on Steamy Kitchen), so every year, I’m always stuck with wondering, “what happened this year?!?”

Of course, all the big memories are never forgotten, but it’s the little joys, the teensy things that tend to get forgotten.

This year, we’ve started a new tradition to do just one thing – remember the little joys all year long in a memory jar.

Memory Jar

We keep this vintage pale blue canning jar on the kitchen counter with a stack of colorful paper and a marker.

Every few days, one of us will jot down something that made our family laugh or smile.

On New Year’s Eve, we’ll be emptying out the jar, unfolding each paper and reading them one by one.

Next year, a new jar to begin again — and the best part is we can bring out past jars anytime to remember the little things that shaped our lives.

A memory jar is more fun than a journal – as anyone in the family can contribute to it.

The best is when one of us secretly writes memory and quietly slips it into the jar.

I can’t wait to read some of the notes my kids have written all year long.

Inside the jar, we also keep little silver trinkets and charms.

Sometimes one of us will have a bad day, need a little extra reminder for compassion or a good luck charm on a spelling test.

These are little enough to put into your pocket to serve as a extra oomph of support for the day.

We used to have a small heart too – I carried around the small silver heart one day and ended up giving it to a stranger I came across, who needed a little love.

The charms are indeed magical – and I encourage my kids to give them to a friend or stranger who could use a bit of magic.

If you’d like to create a memory jar, here’s what I used:

Vintage mason jar – quart size: you can find these on eBay or Etsy. Try to get one with a lid so you can store each year’s memory jar on a shelf. The photo below is from Mason Galore on Etsy.

The colorful notepad is from Staples – even though it looks like a Post-It note, there is no sticky backing. Just a pretty spiral of colorful paper. $3.79 for 600 sheets.

You can also use scrapbook paper and cut them into 4″x4″ squares. I love the ones that come in a giant pad from Michael’s.

The silver charms were bought at a local gift shop near my home. There are so many gorgeous handmade ones on Etsy: sterling silver wishbone, faith angel wing, dragonfly word charms, copper pocket heart."

Happy New Year Memories Everybody!

😊👍😊

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

LTT1 — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 12:58:20 GMT

@newziesuzie... what a great idea!

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

cotton4me — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 13:17:31 GMT

Very nice idea! Thanks for sharing it. I also like the idea of the charms. Who doesn't need a little boost of courage, confidence or compassion now and then. I also thought it was nice that they share them with friends.

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

ladyroxanne — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 13:20:55 GMT

a really nice way of looking back at all the good things that happened throughout the year.

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

MaggieMack — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 13:26:08 GMT

I love everything about this idea! If I had a family, I would definitely initiate this today. I am going to adopt the "share a trinket with a stranger" concept, it has the potential to introduce a smile and a sparkle into someone's life when needed most. Thanks, @newziesuzie, for sharing.

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

brii — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 13:30:35 GMT

What a cute idea.

A year of positivity...

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

cotton4me — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 13:45:52 GMT

@MaggieMack wrote:
I love everything about this idea! If I had a family, I would definitely initiate this today. I am going to adopt the "share a trinket with a stranger" concept, it has the potential to introduce a smile and a sparkle into someone's life when needed most. Thanks, @newziesuzie, for sharing.

@MaggieMack

I was thinking the same thing. There's a gift shop not far from me that usually has a basket on the counter of these types of things, coins or rocks with uplifting words.

@newziesuzie You've inspired us!

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

MyShadowLove — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 14:25:04 GMT

I absolutely love this idea!...After work today, I will shop around for a very special container, along with a colorful notepad!...I can't wait to get this started in our home!...Thanks so much for sharing @newziesuzie!

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

newziesuzie — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 18:07:54 GMT

@LTT1 @cotton4me @ladyroxanne @MaggieMack @brii @MyShadowLove

Thanks for your posts!

😊👍😊

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

Puzzle Piece — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 18:29:39 GMT

Nice idea. I have a memory box that is ongoing,however, I have to remember to write things down and place them in the box.

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

LTT1 — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 18:30:30 GMT

@ladyroxanne@newziesuzie@MyShadowLove@cotton4me@brii

How great to open these up at the end of the year and read about all of the GOOD things!

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

FashionFran — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 21:39:53 GMT

nice idea! thanks!!!!!!!

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

ladyroxanne — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 00:05:23 GMT

@LTT1

happy new year!

i'm expecting a lot of good things this year, too!

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

MyShadowLove — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 03:41:34 GMT

@LTT1 wrote:
@ladyroxanne @newziesuzie @MyShadowLove @cotton4me @brii

How great to open these up at the end of the year and read about all of the GOOD things!

***********************

@LTT1...Yes and, until then, recognizing and concentrating on all of the simple little joys that we are blessed with throughout the year, tucking them away into our "Memory Jar"!...When negative energy tries to enter our lives, all we have to do is just go to our "Memory Jar" to "Jar our Memory"...Poof!...lol

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

20sally — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 12:36:09 GMT

I LOVE this idea! And all the comments on the thread too!

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

sugar22 — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 16:47:33 GMT

I've been putting special memories in my Notes section of my phone. I always have my phone handy to jot down cute and sweet things.

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

bebe777 — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 18:24:57 GMT

@newziesuzie, thank you for sharing this wonderfully positive idea. I really enjoy reading your threads and I appreciate all of the great ideas that you share with everyone!!!

-- bebe

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

MaggieMack — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 00:33:43 GMT

@sugar22 wrote:
I've been putting special memories in my Notes section of my phone. I always have my phone handy to jot down cute and sweet things.

@sugar22, just remember to have these printed or saved if you get a new phone. I lost some things that I was just sick about.

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

raven-blackbird — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 03:34:50 GMT

OP................I think this is a really cute idea...................................raven

Re: 🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

Ceci — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 03:56:07 GMT

Probably 40 years ago I began writing down what happened during the year as I packed up my Christmas things. I'd undecorate the tree, pack up all my decorations, carry things down to the basement until the next year. This would take me all day and night.

After all was done, after everyone was asleep, I'd pour myself a glass of wine or eggnog and write what happened in the past year. Sometimes it was one page, most time (especially as the kids got older), it was a few pages. I'd seal it inside an envelope, put the year on the envelope and stick it inside a box of Christmas decorations.

The following year, as we brought all the boxes up from the basement. We'd find the envelope. We'd all sit while one of us (usually one of the kids), would read about the year before. We all would laugh, cry and be so suprised about things we forgot about.

It is a wonderful thing to do.

I am now retired and living in Florida. My kids are grown up with families of their own. I no longer do the 'envelopes' But my children are doing this with their families. They loved reading the letters when they were little. They want to pass it on to their children.