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Family heirlooms are the cherished items that are often passed down by deceased or soon to be deceased members of a family. As such, they are often of great sentimental value to all members of a family that come after. In addition to their sentimental significance, they may also be highly monetarily valuable, and could be sold in a pinch if necessary or to be able to pass down financial assets to newer generations. They can be a recent inheritance that will be passed down to future generations or several generations in age. In any case, family heirlooms capture parts of the lives of their former owners and create fond memories of the past as well as a firm intimacy with one's very own lineage, which in turn can be passed down again and again, along with one's own modern exploits and keepsakes. With all of this information in mind, the following are just 3 of a long list of family heirlooms that should be preserved and kept for as long as time allows.

Jewelry

The very first family heirloom that you should always strive to keep as safely and securely as possible and for as long as possible is none other than jewelry. Not only can jewelry be of immense monetary value, but it usually carries a special and personal significance for the members of a great many families across many generations. It could be an engagement, or wedding ring, for example, or a favorite pair of distinctive earrings or something else of cultural or personal signification. It could be repurposed or utilized by a new generation entirely upon getting married or for cosmetic reasons. Whether it contains monetarily valuable diamonds or gold or is simply sentimental in nature and commemorates a milestone or bond, jewelry is always a good family heirloom and a treasured item that should be kept as safely and securely as possible. Furthermore, given the gold price today, some golden jewelry items can sell for a hefty price if need be.

Written Resources

The second family heirloom that you should always strive to keep as safely and securely as possible and for as long as possible is in the form of written resources like books, diaries, and documents. These can give newer generations of readers an intimate glimpse into the lives of those who came before them, with documented milestones and shared thoughts that new generations can read and learn from. Religious books like Bibles and Korans can also be great things to preserve, particularly for newer generations who strive to remain religious and bridge past traditions with modern ones for a wider perspective or simply to learn more about religious traditions. In particular, books or documents from a bygone era that are no longer published or were written in the midst of a significant historical or personal event also provide a great deal of historical and personal value as well as temporal perspective.

Legacy & Lore

The third and final family heirloom that you should always strive to keep as safely and securely as possible and for as long as possible is something a bit different from the other items on this list. It is not really an item at all. Rather, it is the totality of the family lore and legacy of the family in the form of all of its stories and accounts that have been passed down from older generations to newer ones. Not all family heirlooms worth keeping need be tangible objects but can be priceless memories and stories passed down from generation to generation. Other family heirlooms that happen to be objects in fact have much of their significance tied to the stories and memories, particularly if their monetary value is rather modest. As these sorts of heirlooms cannot be touched, they can be easily forgotten if older generations do not have an audience and newer ones do not lend an ear. Writing down stories or recording them could make them tangible and help preserve them better.

As generations come and go, sometimes all that remains for newer generations to enjoy are the keepsakes or family heirlooms that previous generations left behind. These can be both intangible and tangible items that are monetarily valuable or priceless, if not both at the very same time.