If you are like most of us, you have little time and even with your best intentions of having a cookbook ready for this holiday season, it is not done. Here are some helpful hints that will have your cookbook almost writing itself.....

1. Notify every family member that the cost of attendance to this yeasrs Thanksgiving has changed this year. They all have to bring at least one photograph, one story and one family recipes.
2. Make sure in the announcement  that they know to bring copies since want to insure their heirlooms are not lost or damageed. A useable cope is best. They can email the to you too, so that they are on your computer.
3, Have one person collect all the items from the realtives as they entire the house. This person should write down all the information of what each person has contributed.
4. Have the same person make sure all the contanct informations is correct at that time so if there are any questions they can be contacted later.
5. This person can visually scan the materials for talking points. These talking points are the stories that can be told during dinner and other family members will enjoy adding their two cents to the stories. Record that conversation!
6. Have some of the younger  people ready to ask the most senior family members about insights to the family. What were their holidays like growing up? How has that changed over the years? How have the foods changed?
7. Have someone take photographs while all these people are being interviewed. the new photos can be added in the cookbook will all the old family photos along with the stories.
8. Ask all the family members to order their cookbook now. This will help control cost and get great buy in since they are all part of the process. Maybe on relative may offer to cover the whole cost!
9. When everyone sits to watch footaball you can start entering the recipes and stories into the computer. Usw the microsoft template that was mentioned 2 weeks ago in this blog.
10. You may want to order " A Plate Full of Memories" to use the forms and charts to help guide you through the process.

Enjoy the holiday with all your family this year and make it memorable!