How to Make a Time Capsule for Your New Baby

Author: Nancy Wurtzel

Looking for an unusual and memorable gift? Why not preserve a

slice of history by creating a time capsule as a gift for your

new baby?

Your personally designed time capsule preserves history, popular

culture, special memories and can help link generations of a

family together. It is truly a unique and thoughtful gift that

will be cherished in later years.

There are a number of steps to keep in mind when creating a time

capsule gift.

MAKE YOUR OWN HISTORY Traditionally, a time capsule provides a

"snapshot" of a specific day in history, so focus mainly on the

baby's birth day or events happening near that date.

What information is important? A summary of current events to

depict what was happening in the world makes the time capsule

very relevant, and details about popular fads, movies, sporting

events and books will also be interesting to read about decades

later. Be sure to include important information about your

child's family as well, which helps to make it a really

personalized gift.

TIME CAPSULE 101 1. Start Early. The best part of any time

capsule is the thought and preparation that goes into it. Be

sure that you don't rush the process, so start during the middle

months of your pregnancy. If you leave everything until the last

minute, it will look that way!

2. Choose a Container. Think cool and dry when you search for

just the right container. Check online for affordable time

capsules and you will find a variety of styles. Some will even

engrave the child's name on your selected capsule. However, to

make it very simple, you can make your own capsule by choosing a

sturdy metal container that can be properly sealed.

3. Select an Unsealing Date. Perhaps you want to set a

significant date, such as your child's 21st birthday, high

school graduation or marriage. It is exciting for everyone to

look forward to the time capsule unsealing, so set a date or

event and stick to it!

4. Put it in Writing. This is especially important if the time

capsule will be opened far in the future. Make a capsule

document that details everything about it, including the

contents, unsealing date, purpose of the capsule and who should

be present when it is unsealed. Then keep this document in a

safe place.

5. Storing the Time Capsule. Although you may be tempted, it is

not advisable to bury your capsule. You are likely to move or

forget exactly where it is buried, and the contents could be

damaged by the elements. It's a better idea to give the capsule

a special place in your home -- perhaps the fireplace mantle or

on the family piano. Let the capsule become a conversation piece

as you show it to friends and family and talk about its

significance.

CAPSULE CONTENTS

The key to a meaningful time capsule is to make it personal,

relevant and interesting. Following are some ideas on items to

include and more importantly a few to leave out.

First, it is strongly recommended not to include food, drinks or

liquids -- basically, anything that could ruin the contents or

create a bad odor.

Instead, consider coins, money, stamps, a small keepsake album,

baby's first photos, a video, an audiotape that you recorded for

your baby, your family tree and finally a variety of newspapers

and magazines. Write a letter or card to your child explaining

the time capsule's purpose -- be sure to use acid-free paper

that won't deteriorate as quickly. Cards and photos are an

excellent choice, but consider creating them with acid-free

paper as well.

You can choose contents that are lighthearted and funny or more

serious and reflective. Just remember that you set the tone.

Your baby's time capsule is your creation, so have a great time

making this personalized and unique gift.

To learn more about the history of the time capsule and how to

register your personally created capsule, please visit the All

About Baby website.

About the author:

Nancy Wurtzel is the founder and owner of All About Baby, an

ecommerce site located at http://www.allbaby.com. All About Baby

specializes in personalized and memorable gifts for children as

well as interesting and helpful child-related site content. Ms.

Wurtzel has over 20 years of marketing and communications

experience. She consults with small businesses seeking to enter

the marketplace or grow their existing ecommerce business.

Buying Pregnancy stuff on the web

US:

At Motherwear you'll find a complete selection of nursing clothes, nursing bras, pumps, and accessories - everything for a nursing mom!

Aaron's Baby Baskets - gifts for babies and new parents.

UK:

Great Savings at Mothercare.com - for UK shoppers.

How to Make a Time Capsule for Your New Baby

Article : How to Make a Time Capsule for Your New Baby