For my granddaughter’s first birthday, her mother has requested that we hand-write a Time Capsule letter to her which will be opened and read by her on her 18th birthday.
I’m interested in what types of things you might include in a letter like that. I have a draft version but I feel like I’m missing something.
Thoughts?
The prices of common items, what everyone’s jobs are, what cars they drive, their street addresses (maybe not interesting per se, but could be helpful to family historians in the future), your feelings about current events and a little speculation about where they might lead.
Whether or not you are wearing an onion on your belt.
Think about all the things you wish you could ask your own grandparents.
Is this an “in case you are no longer around to talk to her when she’s 18” letter?
Thanks! Prices of common items is good, especially since she lives in Australia and we are in the US. Current events: hmmmm … where to start?
While this is easy to answer, I am missing the reference. 
While I may no longer be alive when she reads the letter, it isn’t specifically for that reason. My daughter asked all the relatives if they’d like to write a letter to my granddaughter for her to open on her 18th birthday. No other guidance was given.
I’d probably try to relate your earlier memories as to what was so different when you were younger - maybe using age 18 as a base.
When I was 18, I had never touched a computer, would not have cellphones until in my 30s. That kind of stuff can be hard for future generations to appreciate. Similar to our prior generations using iceboxes and outhouses…
Add some earlier stuff, about childhood air raid drills, learning cursive, whatever. Then jump forward to your young adulthood, discussing the birth of the child’s parent, and what things were like then.
Might be nice to compare some societal trends with current events, to allow her to see whether progress had been made in upcoming decades. Such as you being alive at time of Civil Rights Act, failure of ERA, current developments re: gay rights, legalization of marijuana, and physician assisted suicide. Maybe mention the significance of a black president, and the inability to elect a woman.
I did this for both of my daughters. I kind of kept up doing it every year near their birthday but that stopped a few years ago.
In their first one I told them where their name came from, a mix of family name and one we liked. I think I might have told them about the weather we were having. I also gave some personal details about how I met their mother. I most likely gave a small genealogical chart for my parents and grand parents. I think I also told them about what Job I had at the time.
In the other letters I’ve written I put in what milestones they had passed, walking and talking. Where we had traveled. Other things that had happened in our lives.
I like the idea of telling them what life was like at a younger age for you. I might have to actually do that if I ever get off my ass and write another one.
Maybe you could print out a couple of photos of the family, make sure to label it though.
Talk about what it means to you to have a granddaughter and about the hopes and dreams you have for her. Tell her about what you were like when you were eighteen, talk a bit about raising your daughter.
I remember asking my grandparents what holidays were like when they were growing up, what their parents were like, the different places they’d lived over the years, etc.
Reference ;).
Draw a family tree.
Make it a full, extensive tree, at least 3 generations deep, and as wide as all the distant cousins.
Leave lots of blank boxes ( alongside people who are not yet married, or under couples who have not had children)
In your letter, ask her to fill in the boxes --so she’ll see how, over 18 years,the family has grown, just like she has…
If you can manage to put a humorous spin on it, talk about some of the stuff your granddaughter’s mom/dad used to get in trouble for when they were a teenager. (Or basically, give the kid some dirt on her mom/dad. :))
What your hourly pay was at 18(ish).
Write what’s your favorite song, movie, book, etc. And (if you remember) what your favorites were when you were 18.
Whatever you decide to write, don’t write it in cursive.
Why not write it in both?
Flowers, of course!
And Chinese too for that matter.
Awesome suggestions everyone (too many to single out)! There are excellent ideas here.
I knew Dopers would come to my aid. I deeply appreciate your thoughts.
Now … let’s see if I can remember how to write without a keyboard! :eek:
PS – Regarding the onion on the belt: I clearly must be too old to be able to catch all the Simpson’s references, but man, that clip made me laugh. It was just like my own grandfather and his endless go nowhere stories!! I now have something else to which I can aspire! 
Heh, heh. Well played.