These are the true treasures of life. In making a time capsule for the birth of a new baby we are giving the child a glimpse into what life was like at the time he was born. But more than that we are giving him a picture of who his family was at that time. As an adult being able to glimpse your parents just barely out of childhood anticipating the birth of their first child is the polar opposite to the battle worn parents we know and love. Time capsules are the perfect way of honoring the birth with a gift of the past for the future.
Here is how it works. You don’t need to go out and buy any expensive mechanical time capsule. It isn’t about the package; it’s about the contents. You can use something as simple as a coffee can or lidded plastic canister. You just want to make sure it will seal against moisture.
While it is fine to use an ordinary container, it doesn’t have to stay ordinary. There are some beautiful scrap booking papers sold now that you can use to cover the container. Scrap booking paper is recommended because it is acid free but you can also use contact paper or wrapping paper. Once you have covered it, use stick on letters to label your time capsule with the baby’s name. Include a “To be opened” timeframe. This could be their twenty-first birthday, their wedding day or the day they graduate college. You don’t have to choose a date. You can choose an event. Feel free to decorate it with any embellishments that get you excited.
Things to include in the time capsule:
- Letter from parents about their fears and dreams
- Letter about when they found out they were pregnant. Include whom they told first and the reactions.
- Ultrasound picture
- Family tree
- Headline news
- Front page of the newspaper from the day they were born
- Your favorite song, book and movie
- What is popular in the media?
- Trends in fashion
- Photos of the family (include a picture of mom’s belly)
- Interesting stories about the members of the family
- Who are the political leaders and how the parents feel about them
- Favorite foods and least favorite
- How you prepared for the birth (include information about the shower)
- Information on Grandparents and great grandparents
This is also a way for dad, siblings and grandparents to get involved in the birth. They can make letters and pictures to include. Have each child make a ‘birth’ day card for the new baby and include those in your time capsule.
Things not to include:
- Anything liquid or spillable
- Anything spoilable
- Anything that requires certain technology (example: VCR players may not be available to play a tape)
- Nothing with batteries
Now you have it all complete and you have sealed the container. What ever you do, don’t bury it. There are records of time capsules that have been lost all over the world. There is one city alone in California that has lost 17.
The reality is that ten years down the road if you move you would not remember to dig it up. We are a very mobile society. Just put it in the top back corner of a closet. When your child is grown and receives his time capsule, it will be a gift that he treasures for a lifetime.
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