We build a legacy every day we’re alive. It’s evident in our beliefs, values, experiences, and how we choose to give back. It’s evident in how we respond to life’s challenges. A legacy isn’t just what we’ve earned, but what we’ve learned. Don’t let untold stories from your past become lost. Here are five ways to record, celebrate, and connect with family while creating a legacy keepsake:

Create a family tree scrapbook. Start with the most recent family members and move outwards, rather than the other way around. Include important dates, migration from one country to another, family traditions, hereditary information, interesting keepsakes (receipts, concert tickets, etc.), and photos from all stages of life—not just the younger years. Ask family members to create their own pages so they can control their messages and how they most want to be remembered. *Tip: Be careful when handling old photos. Touch only the corners. Make sure all photos have captions. Journaling is a key part of scrapbooking. You want to know who you’re looking at and why those photos have significance.

Gather essays and compile them into a collection. Ask family members to fill out questionnaires (city and hospital where they were born, first/memorable/current jobs, schools, where they’ve lived, children, travels, favorite foods, sports, experiences) and create a book.  Another idea? Ask the family to answer a series of questions every year on the same holiday: what’s one lesson you learned this year, favorite TV show/book/movie, how you spent your last birthday, life lessons, advice, memorable moments, etc.

Interview family members on video and create a documentary. Don’t know what equipment to use or how to make a documentary? This website provides a helpful step-by-step “how-to” guide: www.desktop-documentaries.com.

Create an inventory of family artifacts/heirlooms. Ever wondered about the story behind that family heirloom? Create a place to store that information. What is the item? What are the family stories/memories associated with it? When was it made or acquired? Who owned it first? Who owns it now?

Put together a heritage recipe cookbook. For some families, their best memories are wrapped in memorable meals. If recipes have been handed down through the generations, compile those in a cookbook. In addition to the recipe, you can include photos of the meal and the person or family who first made it, the person or family who submitted it for the cookbook, and any special memories associated with it.

In the wise words of actor Michael J. Fox, “Family isn’t just an important thing, it’s everything.” Take steps now to record your memories of the past—and help preserve those moments long into the future.