The picture above is a beautiful scene of a nighttime celebration of life, releasing sky lanterns for their loved one lost. How emotionally touching is this view?

Growing up in a family owned business, that deals with the casket industry has always caused me to think about those less unfortunate, those who have lost a loved one, and those who have a hard time letting go.

It really is true, that you do not know what you have until it is gone. I have heard many sad stories of family members arguing with each other while trying to work with the funeral director to pick out which casket they want. My family never dealt with the families. We only worked with the funeral directors themselves. Sometimes the poor funeral directors have seen and heard so much, that they just have to tell someone else the stories. Unfortunately my mother, who is a great listener and secretary of our family owned Casket manufacturing company, was the one who got to listen to their stories about the families.

We at The Original Time Capsule company want to say that we are listening to your problems and are trying to find ways to solve them. We have heard from funeral directors that there are not many ways for families to remember their loved ones in a tangible way, once they are gone.

 Preserve Loved Ones Old Letters

What advice did your grandfather always tell you as a child? What was the funniest story he ever told you? How do you remember your grandmothers famous apple crumb pie recipe once she is gone (especially if she made it from scratch)? What do you do with all those old war letters that your dad wrote back and forth to your mom before they were married? These are just a few of the questions that are important to treasure to pass on to your grandchildren and their children of the future. So how do you do that?

Use Social Media to Share your Story

With so many more funeral homes taking advantage of the internet and social media world, it is important for funeral homes to have other new and upcoming ways to help families grieve and remember a loved one. This is why so many funeral homes are now including dedicated pages on their websites, for family members to fill out messages of hope, condolences, and stories of the past of loved ones who have gone on to rest in peace.

Set Up a Personalized Celebration of Life Ceremony

How does a funeral home truly set up a memorial service, when they really do not know the person? How do you help that family truly create a celebration of life for their loved one? Families need a tangible way to memorialize their loved one. Set up a uniquely personal tribute to your loved one, and let the family work through the process of grief, by decorating a table with several heirloom memories, like your grandfather’s old pocket watch. Set out note cards for family and friends to fill out and tell a short story or memory about the deceased loved one, to pass on to the family to read later. Many times it is hard for some to go to a viewing, or let go, so a great way to help someone say goodbye, is by letting them write a letter to their deceased loved one. Many people tell you to “just get over it.” You never really ‘get over it,’ but instead grief is a process or journey if you will that will either make you better or bitter.

Create a Memorial Time Capsule

You can set up memory boards, candles, and wreaths, but what do you do with it all when it is done? Don’t just stand in a line to say your goodbye at a viewing, then leave. Don’t just help take care of the family during that next week by bringing them a meal already cooked. Do something extra to let the family know how much you appreciated that loved one in your life, or to say thank you to the loved one who passed. The loved one who is now gone, can be kept alive by keeping his or her legacy life alive. So how do you do that?

Set up a memory table similar to the one here, with special tangible items on it. Then also add a personalize Legacy Time Capsule on it, for family members and friends to put there cards, words of encouragement, and sentimental items of their loved one in. You can get an “Any Occasion” DIY Time Capsule here, then put a photo of your loved one on the outside of this luxury tin, to preserve all these treasured memories in.

During the holidays it is always hard to celebrate, be happy, and open gifts, without that special someone there anymore. This is especially hard if your loved one passed on a particular holiday. Reopen the time capsule on that holiday, hold one of their tangible mementos or memorabilia, to help you get through this difficult time of year. The time capsule is meant to help with this problem, and keep your loved one alive more so than just in your heart. Revive your memories today of your loved one.

So if you had the opportunity to keep one sentimental item from your grandfather, father, or any loved one who has passed, what would it be? Comment below.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie

The post Conducting Your Own Memorial Service appeared first on Time Capsule | Personalized Gifts.

How exactly are clothes like a time capsule? Read on to find out. What does you clothes closet look like? Do you still have old clothes from several years ago? I know I do. Recently I pulled out old necklaces and looked at old photos of my grandmother (my mom’s, mom). It is amazing to see the differences in clothing styles then compared to now. Do you ever go shopping and see a shirt and just know or say out loud, “I can so see (insert someone’s name you know) in that shirt?” Have you ever thought about how clothes are like a time capsule. They can tell you about the past era.

Who Influences your Clothing Style?

So when it came time for the fun shopping part of my wedding, I could not wait. Even though my mom and I are close, we are opposite when it comes to clothing likes. She is a plain, Jane kind of girl. I like to have clothes with designs, patterns, and bright colors. I found out from my mom, that apparently I got that from her mom (my grandmother), who wore bright colors all the time. Wouldn’t it be interesting to find out from your family history who you dress like? You can find out if you keep pictures, or sample pieces of clothing in your own Family Time Capsule.

Pass your family time capsule down as each new child has a baby themselves, keeping these clothing styles or other interesting facts and stories alive. You can get an “Any Occasion” DIY Time Capsule here and then put a large family photo on the outside of it, or any family photos on the outside of it and decorate it yourself. Then, fill your new Family Time Capsule with fun things you want to look at again years later as a family, reminiscing about what life was like for your family or your grandparents when they were young and cool.

Styles Come and Go

You can take one trip through a store like Goodwill and know that clothing styles come and go. If you were to put some clothing in a time capsule to let future generations know what’s in style now, what should you put in there? It is always fun to collect old newspaper ads to save over the years and put them in your time capsule too. Not only do they show the clothing style differences, but also the price differences for a shirt over the past years. From Uggs, crocs, to skinny jeans, the ideas are endless laughs waiting to happen in the future. Also if you put a photo or sample piece of a pair of parachute pants in a time capsule, you are asking to be embarrassed for the rest of your life when that time capsule would be opened. I am warning you. These time capsules are a big party of family fun when they are opened.

If you are trying to lose weight like myself, it can also be very fun to take pictures of your clothes over time to see how far you have come, when you open your time capsule years later. Did you gain your weight back, or are you smaller now? Clothes in general can tell you a lot about someone. That is why as teenagers when we are all trying to find our identity, we are working hard to find the ‘perfect’ outfit to make us look good.

Teachable Moments – The Shopping Trip

Keep in mind as parents, the new school clothing shopping trip can be great bonding time with your children. Take advantage of this memory making moment to find out what their style is and learn about them. Do not force your clothing interest ideas on them. If the clothes being picked out are risky and not appropriate, use the opportunity to talk about self esteem, or help them learn how to look cool and confident, instead of yelling at your child for wearing things that you would have never of worn in your generation. When you take the time to determine their style, it makes it easier to pick out clothes for Christmas gifts too.

So how can you turn shopping time into bonding time? Comment below.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie

The post How Clothes are Like a Time Capsule appeared first on Time Capsule | Personalized Gifts.

Father’s day is just around the corner. What are you going to do? Why not create something different this year, and make it an unforgettable gift that lasts a lifetime.

Record your memories in a book, scrapbook, audio file, etc. That is what a dad really wants – to know he is loved and appreciated.

There are so many stories I remember with my father, like helping make homework fun, to the point that now I love math. I used to cry myself through the math homework, but because of my father’s patience and creativity, he took on my challenge to turn math into games, to help me remember better. What do you remember the most about your father?

How to Remember and Thank your Father

Not everyone will have a happy Father’s day. For some it is a painful reminder that dad is no longer around. It does not have to be that way though. You can still honor your dad by leaving a legacy and telling your children stories about their grandfather. Create a memory book for him. While you miss your father, help yourself through the continued grieving journey and explain to your children what all you learned from him, passing on his wisdom, insight, funny stories or jokes.

Thank your Father with Photos and Memories – Help Keep Traditions Alive

Whether your dad is with you still or not, plan the best Father’s day this year with a gift of shared stories and mementos. Create a gift to pass on from one generation to another, telling your father’s history and contribution to your family. Create a time capsule for your dad.

What to Put in a Time Capsule for your Dad. Make Unique Father’s Day Keepsake Gifts.

A time capsule for your father, is the most personalized gift you will ever give him. You can make this a family gift, having your mother or siblings help, or make is special only from you. Look around your house, your mother’s house, in your old photo albums, in his secret cave man rooms of fun, to find things to put in the time capsule. Ask family members and his own friends to fill out letters or “Message to the Future” notes about where they predict he will be later on in life.

Other Things to Include in Dad’s Time Capsule

• Stories about funny or sentimental moments you had with your father (written or voice recorded).

• Then and Now photos of your father.

• Written letters to him about milestone moments in his life or how he was there for you in your life for meaningful events.

• Include an “All About my Dad” worksheet to fill out for family members.

Download this FREE Printable “All About My Dad” for you kids to have fun filling out. Get it at http://allforthememories.com/blog/2011/6/7/free-fathers-day-printable.html

• Play a practical joke on him, and put it in the time capsule. You know you owe him for all the jokes he played on you.

• Include your dad’s favorite magazine or newspaper in the time capsule (so when he opens it about 20 years later, he can read about his interests in the past and what life was like then at that time.)

• Current photos of your dad’s house, before he does anymore remodeling. You could also include a picture of his current car he is driving, which will change in the future.

• School projects or drawings from you or your siblings of your dad or made for your father.

• Ticket stubs from special movies seen, or places you went with your father.

• Anything special from his job, to show his accomplishments in life at this time.

These are just a few suggestions to get you started on such a memorable activity and gift for Father’s day. You could even have fun and hide the time capsule in your home, then set up a geocaching game to have him find his own gift, then open the time capsule to see what is inside. Keep in mind, this time capsule can be closed again after he opens it on Father’s day, to be displayed for several more years into the future, when you and your siblings get to decide when he opens it again. When he reopens the time capsule again, in the future, it will be like re-living and re-celebrating this Father’s day all over again. What a fun moment that will be to see whose predictions were right (in your letters), or to just listen to the stories all over again and see how much your dad has changed.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

www.timecapsule.com

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