Give Grandma A Holiday Connection She Will Never Forget

Give Grandma A Holiday Connection She Will Never Forget

By Lisa Payne

The holidays are a time to gather with family and friends, to connect over meals, watch sports, and play games together. This year may look different for some, and that “different” can feel very lonely for a lot of people.

I have interviewed people my whole life. I did it for 25 years while helping people find jobs in the corporate world and now I interview people on video about their life story so that they can leave their legacy for generations to come. When I thought about how lonely the older generation may be this holiday during COVID, it got me thinking. This might be a good year to interview your own parents and grandparents about their life so that you can deepen your relationship with them, whether you will be together or apart.

This idea is very broad. Run with it however you like this holiday. If you will be together with family, you can have a conversation where you take notes, voice record or get it on video. If you can’t be with them, you can record a phone conversation or record a Zoom call. It can be with your own parents or grandparents, aunts and uncles who have stories about them or your own stories that you remember them telling you that you don’t want to forget.

A little prep work is helpful if you have the time. Have the interviewee/s look through old family photos to get the memories flowing. They can also write down a list of stories they want to tell so you can ask them about each story. I would also ask if there are topics they do not wish to talk about so that sensitive subjects don’t disrupt the interview.

Now onto the fun part! Here are some main areas I would cover and go from there. It is important to really listen to the answers and ask questions about each story. It’s more important to follow the story and perhaps find another story within it than to follow the list of questions off your sheet.

First and foremost, ask open ended questions such as “tell me more,” “describe the time” or “what happened when.” And then touch on each of the following areas so that you are able to discover your history and magnify what it means to belong to your family.

1. Tell me about your childhood and where you grew up. Describe your home. What were your parents like? Best and worst childhood memories?

2. What were you most proud of during your school years? How would your friends have described you? What did you do for fun? Tell me about a time that you got in trouble and how your parents handled it.

3. How did you meet your husband/wife? When did you know he/she was “the one?” Tell me about your wedding day and honeymoon. What was life like before kids? Describe how having children changed you.

4. What was your first job like? How did you get into your line of work? Proudest moment in your career?

5. What are the biggest challenges you faced in your life and how did you overcome them? Proudest moment of your life? What makes you laugh more than anything?

Have fun with these questions. You may be surprised at the stories you have never heard had you not taken the time to ask. You will forever be grounded by the history that makes your family special. And you will have brought a deep sense of meaning and connection to those who could have otherwise felt very alone this holiday.

To share any comments or questions, contact me at: lisa@paynefam6.com