If you’re like me, you may not remember the details of your family vacations from year to year. And, after spending so much time and money planning the perfect family vacation, what can be done to remember it.

We see sights we may never see again. We do activities we may never do again, and we meet people for the first and often last time.

With this preservation problem in mind, here are five solutions to keep memories fresh long after the vacation ends:

Frame a Photo

Choose one photo from each trip you take to add to a gallery wall of vacation photos in your house. You might want to choose a photo with a clear landmark or identifying feature so you remember where you were, like in front of the Golden Gate Bridge if you traveled to San Francisco. If you can’t choose just one photo, buy a frame that allows you to make a collage of photos. Soon your wall will be a place everyone in the family gathers to reminisce.

Gather Natural Mementos

As you vacation, look for objects from nature to bring home with you. Pinecones, driftwood, bottles of sand, sea glass and rocks are all examples of natural articles that make good mementos. Then, make a display or a ‘Vacation Jar’ for your objects and label them with the places you found them. Make sure it’s legal to collect your artifacts. Some forests and beaches have strict rules for collecting.

Get the Perfect Souvenir

Rather than bringing home another easily forgotten toy or trinket from your vacation, choose to get something unique and customized or, better yet, something that automatically triggers your vacation memories without you even asking it to. Does such a souvenir even exist?

Yes! It’s a shirt, hair accessory, hat, bottle of nail polish, or pair of sunglasses from Del Sol. Every time one of Del Sol’s color-changing shirts or accessories is taken outside into the sunlight it changes color, reminding you of those sunny days spent on the beach, by the pool or on the boat. What better way to remember your vacation under the sun than having a souvenir that does the reminding for you – with sunlight no less. Their stores are conveniently located in hundreds of popular vacation destinations, so you don’t have to go hunting for them, and most of their products and shirt prints are custom to the location where they’re sold.

Make a Photo or Post Card Book

Making photo books is a great way to remember trips. Kids love to look through them and see where they were and what they did. Apps like Chatbooks, available for iPhone, allow you to make a quick and easy photo book right on your phone. You can choose your cover photo, add captions and have your photo book on its way before you’ve even unpacked. Chatbooks hold between 30 and 300 photos. If you vacation with others, you can all add and share photos to make books.

The Post Card Book: Wherever you go for the day, buy a post card and mail it to yourself. After you get home combine them into a book. Whether you are going on a multi-city trip or staying in the same location this is a great way to preserve your memories. Click here for an example.

Make a Movie

Even if you’re not a video-editing pro, you can take several short videos throughout your vacation and then enjoy watching them as a family. Choose videos of interesting things, like a spectacular view or an activity like zip-lining. Try to get videos of every member of the family. It’s fun to interview family members too. Kids love hearing their answers and seeing themselves in videos. Then, if you’re feeling savvy, try to edit your videos, add transitions and music, and watch the finished project. If you’re not sure how to do all that, have your kids help.

Long after the vacation’s over, these simple reminders will take you back to the time you spent with your family.

Resources:
http://www.familyshare.com/family/5-simple-ways-to-remember-your-family-vacation
https://www2.sevencorners.com/blog/7-creative-ways-to-remember-a-vacation/
http://www.ezilon.com/articles/articles/18369/1/How-to-Remember-your-Vacations-and-Preserving-Vacation-Pictures