| Of course you're thinking of Christmas
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| | with? Or pick a particular year or a
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| gifts in August, aren't you? Well, I
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| | specific happening, such as holidays,
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| don't usually, but this year I am because
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| | summer vacations, clothes, education,
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| I want to tell you about a wonderful idea
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| | etc.
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| for a gift to your family, but this one
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| | The topic could even be general and
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| you have to start early.
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| | everyone gets to ask questions: What
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| Present them with a family memoir. A
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| | kinds of clothes did you wear? What was a
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| memoir is like a biography or
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| | favorite activity? What were favorite
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| autobiography. It's a way for family
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| | meals, drinks, desserts, snacks, picnics?
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| members to get to know their siblings and
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| | What kind of school did you attend? What
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| their ancestors and to pass along stories
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| | kind of toys did you have and what were
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| behind the stories such as why "the
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| | your favorites? Where did you go for
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| plates are cold."
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| | vacation and what was your favorite? What
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| I had an opportunity to live with my
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| | were some of the family traditions for
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| maternal grandmother for a short time
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| | the holidays? Did you play tricks on each
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| just before she passed away. She was
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| | other and what was the worst that my
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| anxious to talk and she was probably
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| | parent did?
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| thinking a lot about her youth. I regret,
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| | Once the recording is finished, it is
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| now, that I wasn't more attentive to her
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| | easy and inexpensive to duplicate as many
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| and asked her more probing questions. I
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| | copies as needed. Have the audio
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| wish I had recorded what she had to say.
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| | transcribed and copies of the audio and
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| The same is true of my mother and of the
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| | transcription can be given to each of the
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| many members of the rest of my family.
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| | family members. The only costs other than
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| So for Christmas this year, why not give
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| | the long-distance phone charges, would be
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| a gift that the whole family can enjoy
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| | the cost to duplicate the CDs, the cost
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| for generations? Give the gift of
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| | to transcribe the audio, the cost to
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| memories.
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| | print the transcription, and the cost of
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| You can do this by having the extended
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| | a host if you use a host. It would be
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| family share their recollections, no
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| | good to include some family photos
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| matter in what part of the country they
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| | provided by those who participate.
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| reside. There are many ways this could be
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| | This same gift idea can be used for other
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| done. This is only an idea for one, very
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| | occasions and given to friends,
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| easy way and might help to get your
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| | neighbors, co-workers, a gift to
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| creative juices flowing.
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| | expectant parents. Use the idea for
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| Have a family teleconference and have it
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| | weddings, class reunions, family
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| recorded, then transcribed. Using one of
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| | reunions, anniversaries, graduations,
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| the many free conferencing services, the
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| | significant birthdays. Gather a group
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| conference itself would be free except
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| | together to reminisce about a person who
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| for long distance charges incurred by the
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| | is having a significant birthday (like
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| callers. The recording can even be done
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| | one of those that ends in a zero or a 5).
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| free.
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| | Use the idea to plan an event, such as
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| Designate a host. It could be a member of
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| | family reunions or holiday dinners.
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| the family or it could be an outsider who
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| | I once did a transcription for a company
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| would be primed with questions to lead
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| | which was morphing drastically from its
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| the family members in an agreed-upon
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| | beginnings and some of the original
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| direction.
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| | personnel were getting older. In this
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| For example, have an older sibling of
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| | case, instead of using the telephone,
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| your parent as the authority or guest,
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| | they got together and reminisced about
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| then have your cousins and other members
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| | what it had been like to be a part of a
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| of the extended family participate in the
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| | "baby" company and to see it grow into a
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| teleconference. You might even want to
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| | successful giant.
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| invite an old family friend who could
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| | So, it's the end of August and you don't
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| contribute.
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| | usually think of Christmas gifts? Perhaps
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| Agree upon a topic. It might be what was
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| | these ideas will get you to thinking and
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| my mother/father like when you were
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| | you can start planning for the family
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| children? Was my parent easy to get along
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| | Christmas gift now.
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