For something really special you can give to commemorate the birth of a grandchild, create a memory box. Simply put, a memory box is a time-capsule filled with memorabilia gathered on and around the day the baby was born. A fun, simple alternative to a scrapbook, your memory box will provide hours of pleasure and entertainment for years to come.

Getting Started
First of all, you will need a large, sturdy, plastic storage box. These are available with tight-fitting lids in pretty colors, and the boxes themselves come in either clear, white or assorted colors. Make sure the box is large enough to hold all the items you will put in, as well as any items the parents may wish to add. The box can be left plain or adorned with colorful appliqués.

You also will need a supply of heavyweight, plastic, zip-type storage bags. These come in different sizes (pint, quart, gallon and larger), and you will want to get several sizes to make sure you can safely store any item you choose.

Once you have your storage box and zip-type bags, it's time to decide what to collect.

Memory Items
Unsure what to put in your memory box? Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

1. A local newspaper, as well as a national newspaper, printed on the day the baby is born. Twenty years from now, it will be interesting to see what headlines made the news.
2. Copies of the newspaper containing the baby's birth announcement. These listings give birth details on all the babies born on that day. Will your grandchild grow up knowing any of these other babies?
3. Advertising fliers from grocery stores and favorite department stores. You'll have fun comparing tomorrow's prices with today's.
4. A few clothing catalogs. Today's styles might be quite different from future fashions.
5. A few issues of popular magazines.
6. A TV listing.
7. New car brochures.
8. A framed photo of the new baby with the proud parents. Don't forget to include one of the grandparents!
9. Some of those collectable toys from fast food restaurants.
10. Movie ads.
11. The outfit the baby wore home from the hospital.
12. The baby's hospital identification bracelet.

Carefully place each item in an appropriately-sized plastic bag and zip it closed. Arrange the bags in the storage box, and snap on the top. Now your memory items are protected from dust, wrinkles and damage.

Have Fun!
One of the nicest things about this gift is that it can so easily be expanded upon. You can even make up another one to commemorate the baby's first birthday or other special holidays. Be creative! Remember, you're making tomorrow's memories today.

Want to see more?

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• From Grandma With Love: A Legacy of Values
• Talk about it!