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  JingleBells.net Christmas Time Capsule    

Why make a Christmas Time Capsule? Christmas is a day when the most members of your family are able to and make a point of getting together. This day also has the fewest businesses open giving you the best chance to have everyone you want to include in the time capsule there for the creation and also the opening in the year of your choosing.

The instructions are kind of long but they are detailed enough to help you have a successful Time Capsule. Check multiple websites to for verification everything in your Time Capsule will withstand the test of time just to be safe.

  

Creating a Time Capsule

  
1) Plan your Time Capsule because it is not something you want to throw together at the last minute. You items will suffer over time and could possibly ruin everything inside the Time Capsule.
 


Choose the people you want to be included in the Time Capsule and inform them of :

A) The Date the Time Capsule will be sealed

B) The contents or types of items they should bring to be placed inside the Time Capsule

C) Provide to them the Time Capsule Questionnaire in advance so they can fill it out privately and it will be an even bigger surprise when you open OR you can fill them out together on the same day you will seal the Time Capsule to make it a family event. (It is probably best not to read everything because it will make for a better and more emotional response when you read it for the first time in the future.)

D) Advance notice will also give time for everyone to gather pictures or take new ones to add to the Time Capsule
2) Choose a length of time to keep the Time Capsule sealed. A nice round number is 20 years. Choosing 20 years is enough time to notice changes in the world, the economy, and in people. Keep in mind the age of the people that are participating so asking elderly people to participate should be a judgment call. You don’t want to hurt their feelings and exclude them if they would like to participate knowing they will not see it open but it will be nice to have some letters or written words from them if they want to do something like that.
3) Where will the time Capsule be stored? Are you going to bury the Time Capsule or are you going to keep it in the basement for storage? These need to be discussed so you know what type of container to buy and the size of the container. If it is going to be stored inside in a basement of someone’s home then you can get a sturdy wooden container that can be sealed with glue (from the outside not inside the chemicals could damage the items inside your Time Capsule) or duct tape. If you’re going to bury your time capsule you need to choose the proper location and container.

In the ground: If you’re going to bury your Time Capsule you should choose a place where you will always have access to and you will remember where it is buried. If possible bury it 36 inches below the surface to protect it from freezing and accidentally being dug up for a garden or something in the future. The 36 inches should be to the top of the Time Capsule after it is placed in the ground.

Make sure your Time Capsule is made of Stainless Steel or Polyethylene Plastic or Polypropylene plastic and sealed.

Above ground: If you’re going to store the Time Capsule above ground choose a person’s house that it most likely to remain constant. An apartment, storage unit or garages are not the best choices for storage. You need a heated and cooled location which is usually inside a home such as a basement. If you do store it in a basement make sure to place it on a shelf just in case there is a flood.
Select a container: Selecting a container can be a fun family event if you are storing it above ground in a basement. You can go to an antique store and purchase a nice sturdy wooden box or you can purchase a new one from a store. Whatever you choose it will be chosen as a family so everyone will feel an attachment to it. If you are going to bury your Time Capsule the choices will be limited but still can be a fun family event.
Select Items for your Time Capsule: Think about things that are important to you and to the people that are participating in the Time Capsule. Included in this section are some Pre-Made Time Capsule Questionnaires for you to use in your Time Capsule.
Pictures: Pictures are always great items for Time Capsules. Include a picture of everyone participating in the Time Capsule as close to the date of the Time Capsule being sealed as possible. You can also include baby pictures, pictures of your pets, picture of your house,  

Premade Questionnaires

A. The Prediction Sheet
B. About Me (Adult)
C. About me (Child)
D. Note to you
E. I think the Future will be like

  

school pictures, pictures of anything and everything you can think of. There should not be a limit to the number of pictures you put in your Time Capsule but they should all have a meaning to them.

Separate your pictures individually into baggies if possible and do not set anything on top of them in the Time Capsule. Make them be the last items put into the Time Capsule (On Top).

A fun idea for a picture in the future is to take a picture of everyone in a position that can be reproduced when you are 20 years older and you can frame them side by side to show a 20 year difference.

News Paper Clippings: News paper clippings are fun to have and look at 20 years from now. Ideas for news paper clippings include:

A) Sports: a copy of the current standings for every sport to see how the league and teams have changed over the years.

B) Advertisements. Include some items that are on sale so you can compare those to the future like: Computer, TV, Milk, Bread, Car, Movies (Like DVDs and Blue Ray), Video Games, Jeans, Makeup, Shoes, Music (Cds), Books, Cola, Candybar, Pack of Gum, and anything else you find interesting.

C) Stock Prices

D) The movies that were out on Christmas

E) Anything that is important to you or the people participating in the Time Capsule.
Coins: Find the coins for the year you are sealing the Time Capsule and if you can purchase a “Proof” set from a coin collector’s shop that would be a nice addition to your Time Capsule. If you cannot purchase a proof set then just find coins of the year in the best condition possible.

Anything: Anything you want to add to the Time Capsule is fine just make sure it is not in the list of DO NOT INCLUDE.

Materials (Wool, Silk and Nylon materials can decompose so if you add these types of items please make sure they are sealed in some type of plastic to protect it and your other items.)

Metals or Coins: should be sealed in plastic to prevent corrosion and to protect the other items in case that happens.
     
                   
DO NOT INCLUDE: This is a list of items you should not include in your Time Capsule but the DO NOT ICLUDE list is not limited to the following items. Just be smart and think about what could happen to your items while they sit for 20 years.
A) No Food or drinks (If you add a bottle of wine take necessary steps to protect it.)
B) No aerosol cans or chemicals of any kind
C) No weapons or explosives
D) No Candy or Makeup
E) No liquids at all
F) No items that will rot or decompose over time
We hope this helps you have a successful Time Capsule and we hope this brings joy to you and your family in the future when you travel through time 20 or more years into the past. Merry Christmas!
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Jinglebells.net would like to wish you a safe and very Merry Christmas this year and a Happy New Year