Photo Stories For Each Life

“It was during the virus of 2020 that I made your Photo Stories Gift Boxes.”   – Grandma-

Do you think there will be a time when we will refer to today in that way? Beats me but it sounds like a good opening for this post which is about the massive (looking for sympathy) undertaking of going through all photographs I have taken since the advent of digital cameras and making a gift for each grandchild.

It was also a little expensive but justified as a one-time expenditure in a cost/benefit sort-of-way which made it seem more worth every cent. To state things that way suggests that deep inside I miss working but I don’t.

It was worth every last cent and I will add to it again in ten years.

WHAT I DID

I put the name of the child and the date of the photograph on each picture, cropped each one to 4×6 and sent them to Costco for printing. Since it was “the Year of the Virus” Costco closed all of its in-store processing centers. My orders went through the Internet to the store and each order was returned to me in a timely manner by the U.S. Post Office in glossy form with thin white borders.

I bought these cute little cards from Zazzle and put them on each lid with small dabs of super glue. I ordered the 4×6 (slightly bigger) plastic containers from Amazon. They stack well and stay closed with a strong clasp. I put about 100 photographs into each container.

MORE ABOUT WHAT I DID AND WHY

The number of containers for each child depends on his or her age and how much each has been available for me to take his or her pictures. On average, each child will receive about 500 photographs which begin with a birth and continue through every event where I was present.

Older grandchildren will likely receive more.

It is my way of saying to them “I was there and watching you as you grew.”

SO FAR, WHAT DO THEY THINK?

Those who have already received their gifts are making a common comment. It is “I had forgotten all about this”. That statement motivated my efforts because it expresses a fear older people have about about the age of technology.

Some things are going to go into a computer and never come out again.

Like photographs.

Photographs are family history and family history needs to be remembered. At least the good parts.

Everyone will have favorites and someone will ask for the scissors when he or she sees one that isn’t great but is worthy of being included.

Nevertheless, I hope that I have chosen well because I was astounded how much life is being lived within the family walls of five children and their spouses and seventeen grandchildren.

Whew.

I knew that Tucker would need this photograph someday to show to his own children. 

Yes, I did and it is in his box.

“Call me and let me know what you think?”

-Grandma-