🎈For The New Year Make A Memory Jar!🎈

newziesuzie · ‎02-21-2014

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."

::

New Year Memory Jar

::

Happy New Year Memories Everybody!

😊👍😊

••• Please adopt don't shop ••• Save a life adopt a pet •••

LTT1 · ‎03-09-2010

@newziesuzie... what a great idea!

~Have a Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit~

cotton4me · ‎03-09-2010

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.

ladyroxanne · ‎03-09-2010

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

MaggieMack · ‎10-01-2014

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.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop

brii · ‎06-20-2010

What a cute idea.

A year of positivity...

cotton4me · ‎03-09-2010

@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!

MyShadowLove · ‎01-05-2015

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!

~~Formerly known as "WildFlowers"~~