10 Family Heirlooms to Create or Collect Today

While you're planning your wedding, you'll reconnect with family members who want to congratulate you and help put everything together. They might suggest you borrow something blue from them or use the same flowers they had at their wedding. It brings to mind other traditions, like family heirlooms.

Whether you want to have a family in the future or not, passing down family heirlooms is an age-old tradition that sometimes accompanies weddings. They're a reminder of your history and a promise of the future, but not every family has them. Even if your family doesn't have any keepsakes, that can all change if you want to start a new tradition. Check out these 10 family "heirlooms" to create or collect today. The longer you hold onto heirlooms like these, the more memories they'll hold that your family members will treasure when you pass it on to them in the future.

1. Accent or Antique Furniture

Antique furniture is something people can use every day and remember the history behind it. Shop around at thrift stores or find an accent piece that reflects the trends of the current time.

2. Classic Jewelry Pieces

Pass down your wedding jewelry or another piece that's special to you so your relatives can keep your spirit close while they're at an event or work.

3. Old Recipe Cards

It's always touching to bake a recipe that your ancestors wrote by hand on a card. Keep a few safe when you save them in a container that will hold up over the years.

4. Bound Diaries or Letters

Write about your life in a diary so people in the future can get to know what your life was like or write advice for them in letters they'll always hold onto.

5. Personal Military Memorabilia

If you served, your relatives would love to honor you by holding onto your boots, dog tags or medals that represent your heroism and patriotism.

6. Cute Baby Clothing

Look through your belongings for your first Halloween costume or christening dress so future babies can pose in the same clothing.

7. Vintage Coin Collection

Start collecting coins and learn about their terminology so the collection grows with each generation.

8. DIY Hope Chest

Hope chests traditionally contain whatever a new family needs to start a home. Put together some of your possessions and build a hope chest to help future generations start their new families.

9. Used Photo Album

Print some of your pictures and save them in a photo album. Your kids or grand-kids can add theirs to continue the tradition.

10. Different Kinds of Art

Embrace your creative spirit and make your family heirloom a piece of art. Make a painting, stitch some embroidery or buy a framed piece of art that can hang in the homes of all of your descendants.

Pick Something Special

The best family heirloom will mean something to you before you ever make memories with it. Pick something special to pass down through the generations and you'll have a new tradition you can treasure.