Pass the photos, not just the turkey
Thanksgiving is all about family, food and traditions. We gather around the table, share favorite recipes and catch up with relatives we may not have seen in months. But this year, after the turkey is carved and before everyone disappears into football games or their phones, why not try something different? Bring out a handful of old family photographs and see what happens. You might be surprised at how much laughter, storytelling and friendly debate a few pictures can create.
Think about the last time someone pulled out an old family photograph. Suddenly, everyone has something to say. “Look at Dad’s hair!” “Remember that awful station wagon?” “I can’t believe we wore those outfits!” And inevitably, someone insists they remember the occasion completely differently. That’s part of the fun. Old photographs have a wonderful way of bringing generations together, giving everyone, from grandparents to grandchildren, something to talk about.
This Thanksgiving, create a simple family photo memory kit. Gather 10 to 20 photographs from different decades and place them in a small box or envelope. Include pictures of family vacations, holiday celebrations, childhood adventures, old homes and relatives everyone remembers. Add a few index cards and a pen, and you’re ready. There’s no need to organize the entire family collection or spend hours preparing. In fact, the more unexpected the photographs, the better the conversation.
After dinner, turn it into a game. Have someone select a photograph without showing it to everyone else and offer three clues about what’s happening in the picture. Let the family guess the people, place or occasion. Or try “Who Is That Baby?” using childhood photographs of the adults around the table. Another favorite is “Remember When?” in which each person chooses a photograph and shares a funny memory connected to it. You can even let the kids interview their grandparents. The goal isn’t to get every answer right.
It’s to enjoy the stories, surprises and laughter along the way.
As the stories unfold, jot down names, dates and funny details on the index cards. Better yet, ask permission to record a few of the conversations on your phone. Imagine hearing Grandpa explain how he met Grandma or listening to siblings debate who really broke the kitchen window (we still haven’t gotten to the bottom of that). These spontaneous moments are part of your family’s history, too. And before everyone heads home, take a new group photograph. Someday, that picture may be the one your grandchildren pull out at their own Thanksgiving gathering.
I spend a lot of time helping families preserve photographs, but I also love seeing people enjoy them. Photos aren’t meant to sit forgotten in boxes or disappear into digital folders. They’re meant to be shared, talked about and laughed over.
So this Thanksgiving, add one more tradition to your celebration. Pass the mashed potatoes, pass the pumpkin pie and then pass the photos. You may discover that the best part of the day isn’t what’s on the table but the memories shared around it.
Rhoda Gordon, a local certified photo manager, is the owner of Sunflower Photo Solutions and the creator of DIG YOUR PHOTOS!™, a DIY photo organizing kit. For a decade, she has helped families and businesses sort, organize, digitize and back up their print and digital photo collections. Discover more tips, tricks and how-tos on her YouTube channel, youtube.com/@digyourphotos, or visit sunflowerphotosolutions.com or digyourphotos.com for guidance and support with your media collection and organizing projects.
