Journaling Responses to "Week Forty-Three: The New Year"

Here are what some other bloggers had to say about their childhood memories of The New Year:

The New Year by Wendy Littrell at All My Branches

New Years Memories - Traditions by Donna Wendt at Another Day with Donna

A Very Special Day - New Years Day by Cathy at Detour Through History

New Years Day - Spent and Spending by Thomas MacEntee at Destination: Austin Family

New Year's Eve Traditions by Kathryn Lake Hogan at Looking4Ancestors

My own is My New Year's Memories at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors.

Week Forty-Three: The New Year

It's hard to believe that it's time to ring out the old and cheer in the new. It's also time to write about your New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and New Year's Resolution memories!

*Do you remember the first time you were allowed to stay up and see in the New Year? How old were you?

*How did you and your typically spend New Year's Eve during your youth? Did you go to a Watch Night Service and participate in communion and prayer? Did you watch the ball drop in Times Square on television? Did your community have a fireworks show?

*Did you have first-footers, mummers, or bang pots and pans on your front porch? Did you wear party hats and use noisemakers?

*If New Year's Eve involved feasting of some kind, what were the usual fare and beverages?

*How do all of the above compare to the way you celebrate New Year's Eve now?

*What about New Year's Resolutions? Did you make any when you were younger? Do you make them now? How well do you keep them? Was there any year when you really did a fabulous job at keeping them? What were your goals and how did you keep them?

*How did you typically spend New Year's Day in your childhood and youth? Did you visit family and friends? Did your family host an Open House? Did you watch the Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl game or another favorite sport? Or did you go to your favorite ski resort?

*How does it compare to the way you spend New Year's Day now?

*Are there any special customs from your heritage that are integrated into your New Year's celebrations?

*If you celebrate Christmas or another seasonal holiday before the New Year, when do you take down the decorations and put them away?

Week Forty-Two: Writing about the Holidays

This time of year everyone is busy with holiday preparation. The Genea-Bloggers have been doubly busy keeping up with all the carnivals, memes, and Saturday night games. So rather than post more journaling prompts that might possibly overwhelm our genea-blogging elves, I'm going to encourage those of you who do NOT have a blog to take a look at some of the writing events in which the Genea-Bloggers are participating, in order to get some ideas on what to journal:

The theme for the 61st Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy was "Traditions" and the theme for the 62nd Edition will be "Three Wishes". Jessica Oswalt is doing something similiar for the 14th Edition of the Carnival of Central and East European Genealogy. What sorts of traditions have endured in your family? What new ones have you started? What do you hope will be passed on? If you could have three things that belonged your ancestors as Christmas or holiday gifts, what would they be?

Do you have a favorite Christmas or holiday photo? Who would you give copies to? This was the idea behind footnoteMaven's yet-to-be-published 8th Edition of the "I Smile for the Camera" Carnival, aptly named "Stocking Stuffer."

The footnoteMaven started a tradition of Blog Caroling last year, in which each blogger wrote his or her favorite carol or holiday song. It's been renewed this year. What a great idea! Write about your favorite carol, its history and author, how it became your favorite, and what memories it revives when you sing or play it.

Tim Abbott of Walking the Berkshires is getting ready to put together the 12th Cabinet of Curiosities. Do you have any odd ornaments, decorations, or heirlooms? How did you happen to inherit or come to own these?

Speaking of decorations, have you left a record of your decorated home (present or past) for future generations? Denise Olsen of Moultrie Creek is hosting the Christmas Tour of Blogs. This would make a wonderful scrapbooking/journaling combination for non-bloggers.

Are you of the Jewish faith? Then visit Schelley or John's blogs for creative ideas to share your celebrations of Hanukah.

And if all these ideas aren't enough to inspire you, then I recommend that you visit either Thomas or Jasia's blog to view the wonderful Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories, which they put together last year. There are 24 prompts to keep you busy writing and scrapping!

Journaling Responses to "Week Forty-One: Fall"

There were a couple of excellent responses to the Fall theme and I'm including them here, along with my own:

"Autumn in My Mind - Word Prompt" by Wendy Littrell at All My Branches

An untitled post by Thomas MacEntee at Destination: Austin Family

Mine is "My Favorite Season" posted at my other blog AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors

Week Forty-One: Fall

Fall--or autumn--is nearly over in the Northern Hemisphere, and many have already seen winter weather. However, the Winter Solstice doesn't begin until December 21st, officially leaving us with three more weeks of my favorite season!

*How do you feel about fall? Is it a favorite season, or do you prefer another?

*What are your favorite fall activities (indoor or out)?

*What are your favorite fall sports (to watch or play)?

*Do you have a favorite fall outfit to wear? Corduroy slacks and plaid flannel shirt, a cozy sweater, etc.?

*Do you have any particular household or garden chores that you regularly do just in autumn?

*Have you ever gone leaf peeping?

*What observances of nature do you regularly watch (birds flying south, squirrels preparing for winter, etc.)?

*What flowers that bloom during this season do you especially like?

*Do you visit any orchards, pumpkin patches, or corn mazes?

*What about the local fair?

*Do you do any kind of harvesting or food preparation (canning, drying, smoking)?

*What about hunting?

*Do you do any kind of fall traveling, other than holiday travels?

*Which is your favorite fall holiday, and why (Hallowe'en, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, or others)?

*What are your favorite fresh foods that are in season at this time? Favorite fall recipes or beverages?

*Share favorite memories of fall from your childhood.

*What do you least like about this season?

*What family birthdays, anniversaries, or events are commemorated in the fall? Are there any significant family history events that occurred during summer?

*Do you have any hobbies that you take up during the fall months?

Decorate your journal with photos of yourself and/or your ancestors enjoying autumn or harvest. Dry colorful fall leaves between pages of a heavy book, such as a phone book, and use them in your journal as well.

The Genea-Bloggers' Picnic Has Been Posted

Bill West of West in New England has posted "Welcome to the Picnic!" He asked genealogy bloggers what kinds of picnics they remembered from their childhood. I added some more questions in "Week Forty: The Geneabloggers' Picnic."

There are 20 picnickers, each with their own picnic baskets and favorite foods. My submission, "Picnic Time" is here.

Enjoy the reads!

Another Break!

I'm taking another break from posting journal prompts for AnceStories2 because I'm going to be very busy in the next few weeks with...well! I can't tell you just yet! It will spoil the surprise! Just check in tomorrow morning at my AnceStories blog for a Very Special Announcement!

And as soon as Bill West posts the Genea-Bloggers' Picnic, I'll link to it.