Keepsake
Keepsake publishes practical resources about family storytelling, oral history, and memory preservation.
Published works
How to write an obituary: what to include, a template and examples
What goes in an obituary and in what order, a fill-in template, three fictional examples, what to leave out for safety, and what newspapers charge.
Wedding speech examples for every speaker
Short fictional wedding speech examples for the father of the bride, maid of honor, best man, parents and the couple, with a structure, a rough length for each and what to leave out.
What to say when someone dies: in person, by phone and by text
Simple words to say to someone grieving, face to face, on the phone or in a text, what to avoid, how to offer real help and how to check in weeks later.
How to write a memoir: start with one chapter of your life
Choose a period, draft a scene and check what you remember. A practical memoir guide with an original planning worksheet and a labeled fictional example.
How to write wedding vows from your own memories
Turn a shared memory into personal wedding vows, choose promises you can mean and rehearse the words. Includes length guidance, a worksheet and a fictional example.
Anniversary gifts by year, with ideas that keep your story
Traditional anniversary themes for years 1 to 20 and every fifth year to 60, from paper to diamond, with a practical gift idea for each one and a closer look at the 10th anniversary.
Family traditions: 36 ideas and the stories behind them
36 family tradition ideas for ordinary weeks, holidays, milestones and relatives who live far away, plus eight questions to learn where your own traditions came from.
Father's Day 2027: the date and story gifts for Dad
Father's Day is Sunday, June 20, 2027 in the US, the UK and Canada. Gift ideas matched to your dad, a few new questions, and what to do if you won't be together.
Gottman love maps: the idea, with original questions to try
Understand Gottman's love-map concept and try original questions about your partner's daily world, hopes and changes. This is not the official card deck.
Grandparents Day 2027: the US date and ways to spend it together
US Grandparents Day is September 12, 2027. Plan a call, visit or small story project around your grandparents' preferences, with options for living apart.
Mother's Day 2027: the US date and meaningful ideas for Mom
US Mother's Day is May 9, 2027. Choose a gift or time together that suits your mom, including ideas for someone who has everything and ways to record a story.
Personal life timeline: milestones and a printable worksheet
Build a personal or family life timeline with dates, places, sources and room for uncertain memories. Use the printable worksheet to start.
The five love languages: a list and what the research says
The five love languages with everyday examples, what a 2024 research review found about them, and questions to ask about care instead of taking a quiz.
What to write in a sympathy card: 40 example messages
40 sympathy card messages to adapt, grouped by who died and how well you know the family, plus sign-offs, a late card and what to leave out.
Paper anniversary gifts you can make from your first year
Paper anniversary gifts for a first anniversary: a letter, a small book of your first year or a map to make, plus paper gifts to buy if time is short.
The Proust Questionnaire, with a family version to try
Both historical versions of the questionnaire Proust answered, in English and French, plus 12 original questions that turn preferences into family stories.
Funeral readings: 25 poems and passages, with reading times
25 funeral readings grouped into religious, secular and very short, with scripture references, rough read-aloud times and what to check before printing.
Retirement party ideas with stories, activities and a sample program
Plan a retirement send-off around the person’s preferences: photo displays, short toasts, an optional audio guestbook and a sample 60-minute program.
75 journaling prompts for everyday life, memories and decisions
Browse 75 writing prompts by topic: starting an entry, noticing the day, remembering, considering decisions and relationships. Choose one and leave out anything you do not want to explore.
Eulogy examples and how to write a personal tribute
Two complete fictional eulogies for a parent and a grandparent, opening lines by relationship, a step-by-step writing process and a guide to how many words fit your speaking time.
Legacy gift ideas for family: stories, letters and heirlooms
Ten legacy gift ideas for family, from a recorded life interview to letters for each grandchild, with what goes in each one and roughly how much time it takes.
Memorial gifts for loss of a father: what to give a grieving friend
Gift ideas for a friend, partner or colleague whose father has died: practical help, a donation, a tree, a photo of him or a written memory, and what to send if it was complicated.
Memorial gifts for loss of a mother: ideas within the family
Memorial gift ideas when your family has lost a mother: for a surviving parent, a sibling or the grandchildren, for the first Mother's Day, and when relationships were complicated.
Grandparent birthday gift ideas for 70th, 80th and 90th birthdays
Ideas for a grandparent's milestone birthday: a family letter round, a memory table at the party, a book of their birth year and ways guests can add to it.
How to make a family history book, from scope to printed copy
Plan a family history book that relatives can follow: choose a scope, map chapters, label sources, check facts, then lay it out and print it.
How to preserve family memories, from files to stories
Choose a first family-memory project, keep the originals and their context, make backups, and decide what to share or turn into a book.
Memorial gift ideas: what to give, to whom and when
Memorial and sympathy gift ideas from food and practical help to jewelry, trees, wind chimes, engraved pieces, donations and story keepsakes, with notes on timing and who each suits.
New grandparent gift ideas for first-time grandparents
Gifts for first-time grandparents: announcement gifts, a framed first photo, keepsakes with the year, a grandparent journal and gear for their home.
Christmas gifts for grandparents: timing, distance, group gifts
Christmas gifts for grandparents, with 2026 mailing dates, ideas for giving across distance, a family group gift and things to do at the gathering.
Grandparent gift ideas: what to give grandma or grandpa
Gift ideas for grandparents by situation: far away, in assisted living, limited mobility, not into tech or wanting nothing. Rough costs included.
Memory book ideas to preserve family stories
Memory book ideas for a baby, wedding, retirement, memorial, grandparent or someone living with dementia, with a six-step process and prompts for the stories behind the photos.
25 mindfulness journal prompts for noticing everyday life
25 mindfulness journal prompts about your surroundings, small moments and the people around you, plus optional questions about worries and where to find help.
30 couples journaling prompts for memories and shared plans
Choose from 30 couples journaling prompts about memories, disagreements and shared plans. Write privately first and share only what you both want to discuss.
30 grief journaling prompts for memories and private reflection
Optional grief journaling prompts for writing about what you need now and remembering someone who died. Skip any question, keep entries private and write at your own pace.
How to digitize old photos without losing the stories behind them
How to scan old family photos with a phone, a scanner or a service, which resolution and file format to start with, and how to keep names and dates with each image.
Sharing difficult family stories: consent, context and privacy
Decide what to share, with whom and whether to record it. Separate firsthand memories from uncertain accounts, respect boundaries and avoid turning painful history into a lesson.
50 journaling prompts for self-discovery and family memories
Fifty journaling prompts for self-discovery in five parts: values, early memories, relationships, change and family stories. Write privately, skip anything and share only what you choose.
Family heirlooms: examples and how to record their stories
Identify family heirlooms, from recipe cards to jewelry. Record who owned each object, distinguish memories from facts and keep the story with it.
A legacy planning story checklist for family memories and archives
List the stories, objects and files you want to preserve, record their sources and sharing choices, and leave practical archive instructions alongside your separately prepared legal documents.
Anniversary ideas at home, out and on a budget
Anniversary ideas for staying in, going out or spending little, plus ideas for milestone years and a few ways to look back on your story together.
Family history research questions and the records to check
20 questions to ask relatives about home, moving and family memory, and how to check the answers in census, vital, immigration, naturalization and military records.
Father's Day keepsake gifts to make or buy
Father's Day keepsake ideas: engraved pieces with a real date or message, framed handwriting, a shadow box, photo books, letters and gifts kids can make.
Mother's Day storytelling: a two-hour plan and an optional weekend
A two-hour Mother's Day plan built around a few of her stories: a meal, three questions, a walk and a letter. Plus a longer weekend version for families who want one.
Anniversary reflection questions for a one-page yearly record
A one-page anniversary record to fill in together each year: six reflection prompts, a fictional example and how to keep the pages over the years.
Celebration of life ideas, with ways for everyone to share a story
Celebration of life ideas for the venue, music, slideshow, readings, food, children and a memory table, plus quiet ways guests can share a story without speaking.
Cultural heritage story workbook
A workbook for recording your family's traditions, language and migration stories, with fill-in pages for each tradition, phrase and journey.
Family reunion storytelling activities everyone can choose from
Six family reunion storytelling activities, from a photo table and paired conversations to a recipe table and a map of family places, with participation kept optional.
Legacy letter template for values, memories and personal wishes
A fill-in legacy letter template, a fictional example and prompts for writing an ethical will that shares your values, memories and hopes.
Family reunion story games that spark real conversations
Seven family reunion games built on true family stories, each with the number of players, time, what you need and the rules. Most need only paper and pens.
How to interview a family member about their life
A seven-step way to ask a relative for an interview, prepare questions, record the conversation and save it with their permission.
Recording voice notes of a family conversation on your phone
How to record a relative's stories on an ordinary phone: where to put it, how to test the sound, what to say about permission, and how to keep the file safe.