Youve probably seen countless numbers of them, as youve grown up; family photo albums, collections of photos from vacations and special events, photo albums that provide a pictorial documentation of a childs walk through life. Whether youve spent hours pouring over them or groaned every time that theyre pulled out, chances are that someone in your family has an addiction to photo albums. Providing a visual reference to relatives and happy times, photo albums have long been a tradition in many homes.

With modern technology available, its often easy to forget about the photo albums we once kept. Now, pictures are taken with digital cameras and posted directly online, many of them never seeing print. This leads many to wonder, Are photo albums an endangered part of our rich history? Many of us hope that this is not the case, but ask yourself when the last time was that you entered a picture in your album. The answer may surprise you.

While some may argue that photo albums are cumbersome and take up space, there is nothing compared to the look of wonder in a childs eyes, as she slowly turns page after page in a photo album. The simple fact that someone took the time to stick the picture in an album and make a little notation, seems to have a wondrous effect on children. Nothing can compare to that magical feeling, when someone sits on that big sofa and points out faces, telling you the history of every picture; suddenly, the family photo album becomes more exciting than a story about pirates and the search for buried treasure.

Think that photo albums are drab and boring? Try sprucing yours up, its easy! Add funny quotations or newspaper clippings from days that pictures were taken. Pictures of a childs birthday become even more special when decorated with a bit of the very wrapping paper she tore from her presents. Jot down your memories and add them to the book as it grows; youll enjoy reading your thoughts and dreams, somewhere down the road.

Photo albums are a world of their own, providing entertainment, historical lessons, and a walk down memory lane. While keeping photos online can be fun, its important to keep this tradition alive; if not for yourself, then for generations to come. One day, you too, can pull out the bare-bottom pictures and embarrass your grandchildren!