Tips & Tricks

The Family Calendar Tradition: A Yearly Time Capsule

By Elizabeth Helsel


Every January, our kitchen undergoes a delightful transformation. Our new customized calendar arrives from FOREVER.com, showcasing a year's worth of cherished memories. Since 2018, I’ve been creating these calendars, each one a vibrant tapestry of our family's adventures, milestones, and everyday moments.

Here's the magic behind it: each calendar is filled with photos from the same month of the previous year. September 2024’s page features photos from September 2023, capturing everything from colorful fall landscapes to our family adventures. It’s a nostalgic time capsule, each month offering a glimpse into our past selves and the little moments that made life special.

While the calendar itself is a treasure trove of memories, what’s even more endearing is the family’s reaction to it. Years ago, when switching to the new year’s calendar, my family was disheartened to take down the old one, so I hung them both up side-by-side! And each year since we have continued adding to the collection. We decided that these calendars are too precious to be tucked away in a drawer.

Instead, they become part of our home’s decor. We hang them along a wall where everyone can see them, and they act as a continual reminder of how our lives have evolved. As the year progresses, we often find ourselves reminiscing about the past months, laughing at old jokes, and marveling at how much the kids have grown. Each calendar page becomes a mini celebration of many blessings, a way to celebrate moments we might otherwise forget.

There’s something profoundly comforting about our calendar tradition. It’s not just about preserving memories but celebrating the continuity of family life. Every calendar hung up is a testament to our journey together—a visual record of the love and joy that has filled our days.

FOREVER Create & Print 12″x18″ calendars are printed on premium card stock, include a wire hanger, and are perforated so you can tear off and save the photos images you create to be framed, hung on a wall, or added to a photo album. You can even start your custom calendar on any month! There are a variety of design options available, ranging from very simple to whimsical, ensuring there’s something for everyone!

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