My grandma died almost 20 years ago at the age of 90. I was close to her and thought I had asked her everything I needed to about her life. But as I get older, I realize there are still more things I would like to ask her and more I would have liked to have known about her, especially her younger years before I was born. I wish StoryWorth, the most thoughtful gift, would have been around when she was in her 70s and 80s.
What Is StoryWorth?
StoryWorth is a website that helps you learn about your relatives’ lives. For a $49 fee, you can get one question a week sent to your relative. Your relative answers the question, and StoryWorth compiles all of the answers. Your relative can also add pictures to the stories. After one year, the stories are bound into a hardcover book.
What Questions Are Asked?
StoryWorth has hundreds of questions. When you first pay for the subscription, StoryWorth populates 52 questions automatically. However, you can change out questions by looking through the available questions. This allows you to target specific information you’d like to know. Some potential questions include, “Describe one of your most memorable birthdays,” and “How did you meet your spouse? When did you decide you wanted to marry them?”
The Most Thoughtful Gift’s Stay Power
StoryWorth is an excellent gift for you and your children to learn more about older relatives’ lives. However, this gift is a gift that keeps on giving.
As I get older, I’m spending more time researching my ancestry. I have a great, great, great grandfather, Alonzo, who fought in the Civil War. He kept a journal during that time, but the journal was factual information about the battles he was in and the marches the soldiers took. There was nothing personal. I discovered that Alonzo’s mother typed up a two-page document about her life, which included personal information about Alonzo. That is a cherished document because those relatives now are more than a branch on my family tree. I have a glimpse into how they lived.
Imagine how cherished a StoryWorth book full of memories will be to future generations when they want to know more about the people in their family tree!
Our Experience with StoryWorth
I bought my mom a subscription to StoryWorth for Mother’s Day. She has answered every prompt with several paragraphs of writing. Although I know the stories behind most of her answers, my kids didn’t. They love learning more about their grandmother’s life, especially when she was younger.
Final Thoughts
StoryWorth is the most thoughtful gift for the recipient, the gift giver, and future generations. The recipient gets to share the stories of her life and relive her memories. The gift-giver learns more about the recipient’s life and create a cherished keepsake. Future generations of family genealogists get a priceless document that will let them deeply learn about the life of one person in their family tree.
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Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.