All Ears: Creating a Time Capsule

Monday, August 11, 2008

Creating a Time Capsule

Photo Credit: Rod Moser

Lucas was born twenty-one years ago, the son of one of my best friends. As a gift to the family, my wife and I decided to create a time capsule in a big PVC pipe; one to be opened on his 21st birthday. Since this first capsule, we have created them for all of our grandchildren, and I have launched a few hundred with my patients. I tell all new parents about creating time capsules.

So, what has changed in the last 21 years?
January, 1987: the Dow Jones closed for the first time over 2000.
February, 1987: The Unabomber was up to his antics.
In April that year, Mike Schmidt joined the 500 Home Run club.
Iran and Iraq were fighting each other; and there was the Iran-Contra Affair going on in Washington

Much has changed in the Smiley family since Lucas was born. For instance, they now have two grandchildren. One of the sons, Judson, could not be present for the picture. Some things have not changed in 21 years - Lucas is still living at home, but in a bigger bed.

Photo Credit: Rod Moser

What we put in Lucas' time capsule (some of the things):

A nice bottle of wine to celebrate

A pack of condoms

Firecrackers (for the celebration, of course)

Party hats, balloons, etc.

We picked out an outfit for Lucas to wear on this 21st birthday: a pair of surfer shorts and a t-shirt with the California Raisins ("I heard it through the grapevine"). I even included the receipt and encouraged him to try and return it (21 years later) if it didn’t fit! But it did fit - see photo.

A collection of magazines published the month of his birth, including a Playboy.*

A video of shows that were on television, including the news and a lot of commercials. The video also had precious interviews by his older brothers, aged 5 and 7.
Birthday cards: Written 21 years ago.

An autographed blow-up dog (with signatures of everyone)

Stamps

Mementos: Collectible baseball cards, two antique medical bottles (from me), Canadian money (now worth more)

A funky, cheap digital watch (it had stopped)
Stickers and Disney memorabilia

A Baby's First Christmas Hallmark ornament

Photo Credit: Rod Moser

*Strangely, we included a Sports Illustrated magazine that had a vicious-looking pit bull on the cover. For the last ten years or so, they own a near identical dog (not vicious, of course) now. See photo.

Every Time Capsule should be unique to the person or family. For our grandchildren, they included some of the following; some are suggestions:

Clothes - we really spent time predicting sizes and tried to pick contemporary styles of the day; the more-weird, the better, like a bathing suit. Sports clothing items are a plus. Include some interesting underwear if you want, or one of Dad's shirts or Mom's bra!

As many magazines, newspapers, etc. from the day or month of the birth as we can stuff into the box (fits well on the top).

An expensive, collectible Barbie doll or Star War or GI Joe figures

McDonald give-away toys from those Happy Meals

Collectible comic books
Small, interesting toys, trinkets, and (little) stuffed animals

Sports memorabilia, like a signed baseball

Birthday cards from grandparents and great-grandparents who may not be present when the capsule is opened 21 years in the future

Hand-written, stamped, and sealed letters and life-stories from relatives (especially the grandparents and great-grandparents)
Collectible coin sets

Future predictions (We made a list of 20 questions for people to fill out, trying to guess the weight, height, occupation, etc. of the child at age 21).

Stock certificate (Yes, that worked out)

Jewelry from grandparents, etc.

Other family heirlooms

Local tourist collectibles like banners, flags, post-cards, etc.

Video tapes (DVDs or CDs), pictures, and a few baby items.

A "packing list", including an explanation of some of the more confusing items. Delete this list from your computer files, so you will be surprised.

Don't leave any room in the time capsule box - stuff it!

What you should NOT include:

Don't use a PVC pipe! Too small and too difficult to open.

Wine - not only did the sealed time capsule not protect the wine, it leaked on some of the other stuff. Perhaps, anything in liquid is not a good idea

Things that a heat sensitive; stuff that could melt. Balloons and other latex items, like condoms, are not reliable and should only be included for the humor element.

Things not sealed in proper protective packaging. You don't want a Mickey Mantle rookie card getting ruined.

Anything edible

Large amounts of money - you don't want the kids breaking in to it.

Anything that you might need in the next 21 years.

How to get started: Buy a big, opaque-plastic file box or other suitable container that can be permanently sealed. Don't get them too big or they will become annoying over the next 21 years moving them around; or too small that you cannot include everything that is collected. Buy a big tube of silicon to seal the box. Write the date this capsule will be opened, who owns it, etc. with a permanent marker. Have a safe, cool place to store it, like a bedroom closet. Start collecting some things BEFORE the baby is born, or at least shortly thereafter. It would be great to have letters and cards mailed and postmarked on the day of the birth. You can seal the box anytime, but it must be sealed by the first birthday.

Photo Credit: Rod Moser

In 21 years, you can invite people that contributed to the time capsule for the Grand Opening party or get-together. Some items will have significantly increased in value; others will have questionable significance. The personal letters may need to be read in private, especially letters from relatives or family members that are no longer with us. Technology rapidly changes - make sure to retain a device to play any electronic items (We had to hold back a VCR player).

You are preparing for a celebration in the future. Let your mind go wild and have fun.

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