Making a yearly family photobook a tradition

Every December, the Shrestha family sits on the living room floor and opens a new book. It is the story of their year: the first day of school, the festival at the grandparents' house, the trip that went wrong in all the best ways. Then, without fail, someone pulls out the books from previous years, and the evening turns into a long, laughing look back. This is what a yearly photobook tradition can become.

Why make a book every year?

A year is the right size for a book. It is long enough to hold real change, and short enough that you still remember the stories behind the photos. Making one book each year also turns an overwhelming task, sorting a decade of photos, into a manageable habit.

The magic is in the series

One book is lovely. Ten books on a shelf are extraordinary. Children see themselves grow. Parents see how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. Visitors pull a random year off the shelf and get a window into your family's life. The value of the collection grows with every edition.

Make it easy on yourself

The biggest obstacle to a yearly book is the work, so build habits that make it easy:

• Favourite as you go. Each week, star the best few photos on your phone.
• Keep a running note. Jot down funny quotes, small milestones and stories as they happen.
• Use one folder. Copy favourite photos from family members into a single folder throughout the year.
• Use the same format. Same size, same cover style, same typeface each year.

By December, most of the work is already done.

How to structure a family year book

A simple structure works best and stays consistent across editions:

1. A family portrait on the first page, taken in the same place each year.
2. One spread per month, or one chapter per season.
3. A few pages for the biggest event of the year.
4. A page where each family member chooses their favourite photo and writes a line about it.
5. A closing page with the year in large type.

Involve everyone

Ask children to choose a few photos and write their own captions. Their words and choices are often funnier and more honest than anything adults would write. Grandparents can contribute a short note or a photo from their side of the family.

Make the opening a moment

Choose a day to unveil the new book: the last evening of the year, a festival gathering, a birthday. Look through it together. Let it become an event the family looks forward to, not just another delivery.

Start this year

You do not need to catch up on past years before beginning. Start with this year's book. If you later want to fill in earlier years, you can, but the tradition begins the moment the first book arrives.