How Does a Scrapbook Commemorate a Moment?

Definition and History

A scrap is generally a note, a picture or something that is a part of the whole. Many families make a scrapbook to keep their memories safe. It may include any significant piece of paper that will remind you of something. There could be photographs, newspaper cuttings, tickets, report cards or other notes of achievement. A scrapbook has a visual, rather than oral, focus for storytelling. Many parents make a collection from when a child is born until he or she finishes high school. So, it preserves the memories in a book that you can look through later.
Scrap booking has a historical significance too. Ancient Greeks used to keep any information that they thought was worth remembering in a book called "hypomnemata." It included one's own hand-written notes of what one had experienced. Later on, scrapbooks were used to store cooking recipes, letters, favorite quotes, poems and songs. These days, scrapbooks are widely used by many people for a variety of purposes.

Often, students make a scrapbook in their final year of school or college to keep the memories with them forever. They take pictures of the different events at the school throughout the year, and store them all in scrapbooks. At other times, a scrapbook is made where all friends paste their photos, write short texts that describes them and their relationship with the owner of the scrapbook.
Some people make a scrapbook for the different occasions in their life. Whenever they throw a party, at Christmas time, for a wedding, a birthday, an anniversary or a family reunion. They ask the guests to write down how they felt. At some parties, photographs of the guests are taken as soon as they arrive. The photos are pasted on the different pages of a scrapbook. When the guests are about to leave, they are asked to write notes about their experiences at the party. People also give their blessings and best wishes through a scrapbook.

These days, digital scrapbooks are available. They contain images and text in digital form. They might also contain videos. Keeping a digital scrapbook has many benefits. First, you can change the look of the pages as many times as you want to, without wasting resources. You can also collect and share the material conveniently over the Internet. A digital scrapbook helps create and maintain a social network.