When I was seventeen, my church youth group did a time capsule activity. I remember being very unenthusiastic about this activity. Now, I can’t figure out why I wasn’t excited- this is exactly the type of thing I love to do!
Well, it’s been ten years since that activity took place. While putting away the Christmas decorations in our Harry Potter closet under the stairs the other day, I found the time capsule. My husband has been itching to open it up since we got married, but I’m a stickler for rules.
Since it is now 2010, we were finally allowed to open and reveal the great desires of my 17 year old self.
It was rather disappointing. Remember- I was unenthusiastic at the time the capsule was sealed. The things put in the capsule were mostly put in there by my dear friend Jill who wouldn’t let me seal it up without something interesting. She made copies of pictures and cards for me.
And it looks like I grabbed a few things on my way out the door- the cover of a college application, a certificate for a judged piano performance, my senior picture. These were interesting to see, but not exactly exciting.
There were two things in the capsule I was happy to see:
1. the pictures Jill copied. Thank you Jill.
and
2. a sealed letter from my mother to me.
So that you don’t make the same mistake as me, I have compiled a list of things to include in a time capsule. At the start of a new year and decade, now is a great time for your family to make your own time capsule!
What to Put in a Time Capsule
1. Lots of pictures. It made me happy to see a picture of myself with my high school friends. I am still friends with each one of them today.
2. Letters. If your children are making a time capsule, write them a letter and seal it up (BEFORE they have read it). Tell them what you love about them and what you hope for them. Tell them what you believe and why. Mention something about what they are currently doing in life.
Have your child write a letter to herself. Those are so fun to read years later. If you are making a time capsule for yourself, write yourself a letter. Think about how old you will be when you open the time capsule, and write about what you hope to have accomplished at that point.
Have siblings, friends and even neighbors write letters too. Be sure to have them include last names.
3. Lists. I would have loved to have read a list of what I loved at the age of seventeen. Or a list of what I hated. A list of my favorite things in my room. A list and description of my favorite outfits. A list of my favorite song artists. A list of my top 3 college choices. A list of my favorite books. A list of my favorite movies. A Top 10 of my year…you get the idea.
4. Wages and prices. It would have been fun to find an old pay stub and receipt for something I saved to buy.
5. Labels. I found a little pink birdhouse with my name on it. I have no idea where it came from, who made it or why I would have included it in my time capsule. If you do put an item in your capsule, be sure to include a description of it’s origin and meaning to you at the time.
6. Movie stubs
7. Gas receipts
8. Grocery receipts
9. Your favorite book, cd or movie. Be sure it’s not your only copy since you’re sealing this up for a period of time.
10. Children’s artwork-label label label! You won’t remember what the scribbles were supposed to be 10 years later!
11. Outlines of hands and feet
12. A lock of hair Since hair color changes (naturally or chemically), it could be fun to compare when you open the capsule.
13. An outgrown but favorite outfit or pair of shoes
14. A calendar of your year- with all the appointments. Doctor appointments, vacations and piano lessons can be interesting years later!
15. Paint chips, carpet, fabric swatches from your house
Have you ever made a time capsule? What did you include?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
hahaha. this is cracking me up. I wonder if i have mine anywhere around. I don’t even remember the day we did these. I wish i did!
Oh man, why didn’t we all make a time capsule. Can you imagine the crazy stuff we would have put in there? You need to make a new one for Lydia so she can open it 10 years from now…she’ll be, 12…oh my gosh. That is crazy to think about!!
Great idea. It’s not to late to do another one or make a traditon for each child on a special birthday. I’m going to think on this some.
This will be the second year I have a Camp for my grandchildren. I have asked them to bring 5 special items from home for the capsule. I’m going to include many of the items suggestion here… Letters to them, list of their likes and dislikes, pictures from camp,etc . This will be one of day activtities. Open when the youngest is 21. I will be 79.
,
We did time capsules for our daughters when they were born and opened them ten years later. We included footprints, pictures, dates/times of events like first smile, first dirty diaper, LOL. We also included baseball/football/soccer/basketball cards for that year, stamps, toys (Tickle me Elmo and Furby new in box, beenie babies). We also deposited $500 in compound interest savings account rolling over. Opened one in 2007 and the other last year. It was great. We resealed them on December 31, 2010 with some of the original stuff and other items like art pieces, wine, whiskey, stock certificates and collections of words to ourselves and advise, letters to each other and ourselves. Some currencies like Euro, Pounds and Dollars. Gold and silver coins. It’s fun. Date to open is Jan 1, 2020 written our wills and with attorney on locations. It’s really a neat hobby we’re thinking about doing every year or every other year. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the idea! I am in charge of a youth group and was really having a hard time coming up with something meaningfull for them to do. This is great!