With Thanksgiving around the corner, many of us will be gathering with our families. This will be an excellent time to share stories, and listen to grandparents talk about family history. Because wonderful and interesting stories get passed around during this time of the year, November is called the National Family Stories Month.

It is exciting to have this celebration, but the National Family Stories Month is not just about collecting and sharing family stories. It’s also about preserving family traditions. Be sure to enjoy and make the most of the National Family Stories Month with these brilliant ideas!

Share stories about your childhood

One of the most interesting stories everybody loves listening to is the story of your childhood. Share your fondest memories of when you were your kids’ age. What were the funniest things you did? What was the most memorable? Reminiscing on your childhood is a fun way to bring laughter to the group. Make it more exciting by flipping through old photo albums and showing photos of when you were younger.

Talk about your family traditions

Family traditions are important because they strengthen family bonds. Share with the younger members of the family the traditions you’ve kept. Explain why you have maintained them. Even if they are as simple as saying a prayer before a Thanksgiving meal, putting up a Christmas tree or hanging stockings on Christmas Eve, these traditions are always meaningful.

Document memories

It’s always fun to relive the good old days, especially when the memories were documented. Continue to add entries and include your children’s. Keep their baby photos and take note of important milestones. They would love to hear funny stories of when they were little. These keepsakes are something that your child will cherish for the rest of their lives.

Ask grandma and grandpa to share the story of how they met

Another exciting story the family would love is the story of how grandma and grandpa met. Times were different so many years ago and it would be interesting to find out your grandparents’ love story. During their time, communication wasn’t easy. There were no mobile phones or internet and it’s romantic to learn about courtship from back then.

Listen to some good, old music

There will always be those songs that bring feelings of nostalgia when played. Play the songs that bring back good memories, or ones that you danced to back in the day! Does your family have a favorite song to sing or dance to? Find a record or a CD of that music and put it on! Tell the younger members how it all started and share this tradition with them.

Play a movie the entire family has always loved watching

Did your family have a favorite TV show or childhood movie when you were growing up? Why don’t you watch it together? No matter how old it is, nothing’s more fun than everyone gathered around while watching a family favorite!

Start a new tradition with your kids

Aside from the existing family traditions, it’s also a good idea to start a new tradition with your kids. You can bake a favorite cookie recipe or learn a new game. Any activity will do as long as it creates new wonderful memories together.

Family stories are some of the best things that bind us for years and years. Continue to celebrate them while you create new family memories together! Use this guide and make use of these ideas to make your National Family Stories Month more fun and meaningful!

World Food Day is observed on the 16th of October each year. This day is celebrated to honor the date when the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was founded in 1935. It is also recognized to raise awareness about hunger, as well as encourage the public to take action is to help eliminate world hunger.

The World Food Day is celebrated by organizing food drives and distributing free meals for the homeless and less fortunate. If you have the heart to participate in this holiday, here are some of the ways you can take a stand against hunger and make a difference.

Take a photo of your meal and share it on  social media

If you think taking photos of your sumptuous meals and uploading them on the social media is meaningless, then you have been thinking wrong. By sharing photos of your meals, you are also literally sharing your food. All you have to do is to download FoodShareFilter or Feedie. Both applications were designed to help fight global hunger. Every time photos of food are shared using the app, the restaurant donates a meal to an organization called the Lunchbox Fund that provides meals for orphaned children in South Africa.

Volunteer in your local community garden

Food scarcity and insecurity affect people living in poverty and those who have limited access to healthy and fresh food. Help make a difference by volunteering in your local urban garden. Address hunger by getting outside, by connecting with people, and by distributing fresh produce to people who need it most.

Participate in local community events

There are plenty of local events you can participate in if you want to help fight hunger in your community. Search World Food Day USA on Google to find some ways you can help. There are plenty of volunteer opportunities: packing meals for the homeless, walking for hunger, or helping out in a soup kitchen to name a few. No matter how big or small, your efforts will make a difference. However, you help out will be valuable for the nourishment of those who are in need. So serve your community by giving your time and efforts.

Help improve the quality of school lunches

In different parts of the United States and throughout the world, a school lunch or breakfast may be the only full meal a student eats in a day. The sad part is that these meals do not always contain important nutrients a child needs for growth and development. By improving the quality of food at schools, children can enjoy better health and improve their academic performance.

Treat yourself

Did you know that by treating yourself with your favorite food at your favorite restaurant, you are also making a difference in the world’s problem with hunger and food scarcity? So go ahead and invite a friend for a meaningful and sumptuous meal. As soon as the check arrives, donate the cost of your meal by joining the #HungerFree movement. This movement is organized to help fight hunger in South Sudan, Kenya, and many other parts of the globe.

Attend an event

If you are looking for other ways to participate in  World Food Day, you can visit foodday.org and enter your zip code to find an event near you. It doesn’t matter which event you choose, whether you dine or donate, the important thing is that you are helping spread awareness. You are also encouraging people to join the fight against hunger.

Food scarcity and hunger may seem to be overwhelming global problems. But if we all decide to take action, even in our little ways, and become advocates for health and food, we can all make a difference to make this world a better place.