I’ve been converting a scrapbook made in the 1980s into a digital album. There are report cards, awards, birthday cards, homework pages, and school photos. The official documents have dates, but many other items do not. Sigh.
I can guess some items’ dates because they are between two dated items, but it’s not always possible. I want the album to be accurate, and sometimes all I can do is guess.
I realized that I don’t always put the date on things like birthday cards. After all, the person receiving the card knows it’s is their birthday. However, I’m changing my ways and becoming a dedicated date-adder.
I encourage you to become one too. Whenever you write a card or letter (if you do ecards, then you’re off the hook), add the date in the corner. When you print a photo, add the date to the back. You might think that you’ll remember, but I promise you won’t.
If I could go back in time, I would tell my dad (who assembled the original album) to date every page and every item. I’m working on my family’s 2020 Shutterfly album, and I now date every page, no exceptions. I have no idea what will happen to my scrapbooks, but I don’t want to cause future generations any confusion.
It’s a simple thing to do, and I think it’s important for history. I encourage everyone to date any memory worth keeping.