How to Celebrate Your Family Heritage

Family heritage means the background that you come from. For example, you may be of a German, Chinese, or Kenyan heritage. It is likely that your heritage does not consist of just one culture because ancestry is often mixed. To celebrate your family heritage, learn about your heritage, get involved, and make items that have something to do with your heritage.

Part 1

Part 1 of 5:

Eating the Food of Your Heritage

Cooking traditional or regional foods associated with your family heritage is a fun way to immerse yourself in the culture. Start by trying to make basic recipes from a cookbook, or browse online for authentic recipes. If possible, asks relatives for recipes, advice, or help in the kitchen to cook a meal.
Bring your family together to prepare and share meals from your heritage. Children and adults alike can contribute to the cooking and preparation, allowing everyone to learn a bit more about the cultural traditions of your people. Make this kind of supper a regular event for your family, or invite your extended family for a more elaborate celebration on a larger scale.^{[1]XResearch source}
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Go to a restaurant. Make an event out of going for supper at a restaurant that serves food from your heritage. Find a local restaurant that makes authentic dishes and that represents the art, music, and language of the country or region. Read restaurant reviews online to get a sense of where you will find bona fide, homemade fare.^{[2]XResearch source}
- For instance, visit an Italian trattoria that serves homemade pasta and wood-fired pizza.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 5:

Making Crafts

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Put together a family scrapbook. Use crafts to celebrate your family's heritage by making a scrapbook. Decorate the pages with accessories like stickers, ribbons, and glitter and choose customized fonts for the text. Add documents like photos, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and any other important, historical items.^{[3]XResearch source}
- You can also pay to have a scrapbook made for you on websites like MyPublisher and MixBook.
Look into crafts or decorations from your heritage and try to make your own. In today's digital age, may traditional skills are being left behind instead of being passed down from generation to generation.Ask an older relative to teach you a craft from your heritage, or find a book or website to instruct you through the process.^{[4]XResearch source}
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Decorate with cultural items. Celebrate your heritage by adorning your home or work space with traditional items. Artwork from your culture, or traditional decorative items will brighten up a room and accentuate your cultural background. Ask relatives for ideas, or look online for items that will add to your decor.^{[5]XResearch source}
- For instance, if you are of Irish or Scottish descent, you can decorate your space with traditional knot work designs.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 5:

Doing Activities of Your Heritage

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Try to learn the language. If you don't already speak the language from your cultural background, learning it is a great way to celebrate your family heritage. Sign up for languages courses at your school, cultural centre, or local community college. You can also look for free courses online and download helpful language apps for your phone (e.g. Duolingo).^{[6]XResearch source}
- Ask for help from friends or family members that already speak the language.
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Dress in a traditional outfit. Wearing a traditional outfit from your heritage is an excellent way to show off your cultural pride and identity. Begin by asking your family if they already have a traditional outfit or costume that you can use, or research online where you might buy or rent one. If you are adept at sewing, you can look online for sewing patterns to make your own garments to wear.^{[7]XResearch source}
- For example, you can rent or buy a kilt to wear if you’re from a Scottish background, particularly for an important event like a wedding^{[8]XResearch source}
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Take a field trip. If your family has history near where you live, ask them to take you to spots where they grew up and hung out. Seek out locations that reflect your cultural heritage if your family does not have personal heritage near where you live. If it is financial possible, plan a trip to the region where your ancestors are from to fully experience the roots of your heritage.^{[9]XResearch source}
- It can cost a fair amount of money to visit your ancestral hometown, especially if it is far away. Plan months or even a year in advance to make the trip.
After all of your hard work and research, the ultimate way to celebrate your family heritage is to throw a party. You should begin to plan the part at least a month in advance and send out invitations accordingly. Invite friends and family to share in the music, cuisine, dress, and spirit of your family heritage.
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Part 4

Part 4 of 5:

Learning About Your Family Heritage

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Review your family tree. If your family already has a family tree, take time to review it. Ask your family about people on the tree that you don't recognize, and about important life events like marriage and childbirth which shaped the tree. If you don’t have a family tree, work on a family tree (alone or with your family members) by gathering information and photos. Trace your ancestry by joining a genealogy project, visiting websites like ancestry.com, or getting DNA test to learn your exact ancestry.^{[10]XResearch source}
- To make a family tree, you can draw a tree and extend a branch for each family member. Put their name and photo on that branch.
Once you have learned what cultures are represented in your family tree, learn more about them. You may begin your research with a fair amount of prior knowledge, or you might know very little about what culture(s) you come from. Look online or at your local library for information about history, religion, dress, etiquette, and holidays.^{[11]XResearch source}
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Talk to relatives. Talk to your family about ancestors that they remember. Ask them to share memories about your family members. If you have family that emigrated to the country you’re living in now, ask for them to share memories and details of their home country.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Ask family about where they grew up, what kind of foods they made or make, holidays they celebrate, and what traditions they practice(d).
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Look at old photos. Bring out photos that you have of family members. Ask your family to bring out old photos as well. Share them and talk about them. Ask about the people in the photos that you don’t recognize. If the photos aren’t organized, put them in a photo album to be reviewed in the future.^{[13]XResearch source}
- You can also scan the photos to create a digital album.
Visiting the gravestones of deceased family members may seem morbid, but it is a good way to see part of your family's history firsthand. If you know where your ancestors’ gravestones are located, visit them with family. Take photos of them, transcribe them, and document them for future generations.^{[14]XResearch source}
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Part 5

Part 5 of 5:

Learning Your Family's Culture and History

Genealogy societies consist of people that have an interest in researching and learning about their family background. Locate one in your area and become a member. A genealogy society is a great place to learn more about your family history and share it with others.^{[15]XResearch source}
If you don’t know people outside of your family that share your heritage, try reaching out to individuals at school or work with the same cultural background. Look for clubs, associations, or groups in your area that celebrate your culture. You can also reach out to people in your community by asking if they’d like to share some of their family history.
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Share your findings on social media. Social media, if used correctly, is a great tool to share things that matter with you and connect with the world. It is also a good tool for celebrating your family heritage. Reach out to family members on social media that you may not talk to often. Upload photos of your family on social media accounts with your contacts and family members. You can also create photo albums on social media about your family heritage.^{[16]XResearch source}
- If the family members that you are sharing photos of are alive, make sure you have their permission before posting photos of them.
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Tips

Traditions can be celebrated in any way that feels meaningful to you. Even the presence of meaningful cultural symbols or decor in the home can be a way of feeling connected to your cultural heritage.
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