Embracing Thanksgiving: A Journey into Our Ancestral Roots
Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude, family, and reflection, making it the perfect occasion to honor and explore your family’s history. Whether you’re a seasoned genealogist or just peeking into the fascinating world of ancestral exploration, this holiday offers an opportunity to dive deeper into the stories that shaped you.
My Journey as a Family History Enthusiast
What’s a “family history enthusiast”, you say? Okay, I admit that I just recently adopted this moniker to fit the category in which I fell. I think there are more of us in that bucket than I realized as I have been teaching the Family History Bootcamp this past year.
Yet, it was almost by accident that I found myself captivated by the stories of those who came before me. It all began in my early twenties when my husband’s grandmother stirred something within me with her tales and family documents from the past. This spark led me to local genealogical society meetings with octogenarians in Boulder, Colorado, where I first started peeling back the layers of my family tree.
Life took over – moved, had kids, way too busy, and those early genealogical pursuits were set aside. But the seeds of curiosity that were planted took root, and would come to flourish years later. With aging parents and the realization that family stories could easily be lost, I found myself compelled to capture as much as I could. This led to a precious cassette tape recording of my grandfather in his late seventies, and eventually, an active pursuit of organizing family history materials and attending genealogy courses.
Why Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is about more than just food and festivities. It’s a time when families unite, and what better occasion to venture into your family’s past than when you’re surrounded by those you care about most?
This Thanksgiving, I encourage you to engage in meaningful conversations with your relatives. Ask about old family stories, look through photo albums, and take notes. You might even find it delightful to bring out that old cassette recorder, or just use your smartphone, to preserve voices and memories for future generations. And take photos of those present!
Your Starter Guide
If you’re inspired to explore your ancestry this Thanksgiving, consider these quick, easy steps:
1. Find Your Family Tree: Visit Find your family. Free Genealogy Archives. It’s a treasure trove of information, and creating an account is incredibly simple. Fill in your details, and you might just discover lineage that traces back centuries. And it’s FREE. If you strike “gold” – share it!
2. Engage with Family Members: Gather those stories. Perhaps an older relative remembers a tale or two that brings your family history to life in ways you hadn’t imagined. Even learning what their daily lives were like is a unique picture you will want to capture.
3. Preserve What You Discover: Digitize photos and documents. Creating an organized, digital family archive ensures that cherished memories are safe and accessible for the future.
P.S. When I did this exercise above, up popped my maiden name, my parents and my family tree all the way back 12 generations in some lines — way more than I had discovered on my own – and yes, it matched what I had found. PLUS lots more! Blew me away!
Just a bit of a warning – obviously, there can be mistakes here and there – I recommend you take all of the info as “clues” – albeit really good clues. Another source can confirm and make the data much more trustworthy. And here’s a BONUS – when you click on a person, the panel on the right may provide the vital facts plus give you the sources – some of your work may already be done for you!
Happy Hunting
This Thanksgiving, embrace your role as a family history enthusiast. If you’re passionate about diving deeper, stay tuned as I will be offering the Family History Bootcamp again in January.
May this holiday season be a time to not only enjoy the present but to cherish and celebrate the past. Happy Thanksgiving, and happy ancestral adventures!
