Take the ‘Family History Through the Alphabet’ Challenge

Posted by Alona Tester | May 6, 2012 | Blog Challenge, Family History Through the Alphabet | 34 |

Join us in taking the Family History Through the Alphabet challenge. It’s not hard, you just need to use the current letter for the week (A, B, C etc. whatever week we’re up to, right through to Z), and connect it to someone, something, or a topic relating to your family that you’d like write about.

For instance, for letter B, you might have a heirloom brooch that you’d like to make mention of, and maybe include a photo. F could be for family bible if you’re lucky enough to have one, and J might be for John Smith who is the bane of your life because you just can’t find him ANYWHERE! You might want to do O for orphan because one of your ancestors lived in an orphanage, and use the orphanage as your topic. You may even like to mention a website, book or society that has really helped you along the way. Anyway I think you get the idea.

I was initially thinking of this as a Facebook and Twitter topic – but since it grew, I can see the value of it being a week long topic. So geneabloggers around the world we’d love you all to participate in the ‘Family History Through the Alphabet’ Challenge.

For non-bloggers, we will still do this on Facebook and Twitter each week, so you can comment there, or below on this blog.

Having a week between alphabet letters will give you time to think of something that you’d like to show or tell us about your family. There is no need to participate EVERY letter/week if you don’t want to, or don’t have time. But feel free join in when you can, we’d love to hear your stories.

The idea for the ‘Family History Through the Alphabet’ challenge came about after I ended up on the A to Z Challenge site. And after thinking about it for quite a while, an idea took shape into something that we all could participate in, while remembering our ancestors.

So get ready for week 1, and take the Family History Through the Alphabet Challenge. Who or what will your A be about? Time to start thinking as we’ll start the challenge next week.

Posts from the geneablogger community will be listed under the relevant letter. And if you’re on twitter, and wish to contribute or just follow the topic, follow the #fhalphabet hashtag.

If you do have any queries regarding the Challenge, feel free to email Alona at alona@gould.com.au.

You’ll find a link to each of the Alphabet pages below. On each of these, you find links to all the geneabloggers posts:

About The Author

Alona Tester

34 Comments

Helen V Smith on 6 May 2012 at 10:29 pm

Brilliant idea Alona! Count me in.
Alona Tester on 6 May 2012 at 10:45 pm

Fabulous Helen … I look forward to your posts.
Aillin on 8 May 2012 at 12:37 pm

This is great idea Alona, I hope I will be able to join in. May we use the ‘Family History Through the Alphabet’ graphic on our blogs?
Thanks
Julie on 8 May 2012 at 4:12 pm

Having just finished the A-Z challenge, I was fairly tired, but how can I resist? ……
Alona Tester on 8 May 2012 at 4:28 pm

Aillin – feel free to use the image far and wide … spread the word
Julie – glad you can join us
Pauleen on 8 May 2012 at 7:54 pm

Like Julie I was feeling a bit tired and jaded after finishing the A to Z challenge only a few weeks ago. Can’t yet decide whether to take this one on though I have a potential theme, genealogical but not my own family.
Alona Tester on 8 May 2012 at 8:12 pm

Please don’t feel there’s any pressure to participate in the challenge for EVERY letter – even myself personally (on my own personal blog) won’t be doing E-V-E-R-Y letter. What I did was write the alphabet down, then list topics or people that immediately come to mind you’d like to write about, and go with those. Alternatively, just delay participating until you feel you wish to …
Catherine on 9 May 2012 at 7:13 pm

Although new to blogging, and a little intimidated, I’m inspired by two “geni-blogging mates” Pauline and Julie, so count me in 🙂 … How and when do I “register”? … Cheers Catherine
Alona Tester on 9 May 2012 at 9:55 pm

Hello Catherine, welcome to the world of geneablogging, I’m so glad you could join us. As for the Challenge, there’s no need to register. I’ll post a short intro to the letter of the week, and will compile a list of the blogs that people post for each letter. We should be ready to start in a day or two, so stay tuned.
Debra on 10 May 2012 at 10:59 pm

Fantastic idea! I love this, count me in! 🙂
Kristin on 11 May 2012 at 2:22 pm

I think I will join in. I missed the other one. Now I just have to think of a theme for the challenge.
Sharon on 12 May 2012 at 12:59 am

Thank you Gould Genealogy. You have inspired me to start a blog.
Fi on 20 May 2012 at 5:49 pm

Great idea. I’ve just done my ‘A is for Awkward’ post. Probably should’ve written ‘A is for Always Running Late’.
Kristin on 21 May 2012 at 6:42 am

http://findingeliza.com/archives/5182
running a little late but finally posted my A post.
Jill Ball (Geniaus) on 21 May 2012 at 9:56 pm

I hate to miss a party – I like to arrive on time so please excuse for my late arrival to the ‘Family History Through the Alphabet’ Challenge.

My first two posts are on their way.
Jill Ball (Geniaus) on 21 May 2012 at 10:54 pm

One post done

http://geniaus.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/family-history-through-alphabet-is-for.html

and one to go then I will have caught up :-))
Alona Tester on 22 May 2012 at 3:48 am

Jill, don’t feel you’re late … rather you just waited for the right inspiration 😀
Your ‘technology’ theme is fabulous, and so “you”. And I’m so pleased you joined us.
Tray on 26 May 2012 at 12:14 am

Have posted both my B and C challenge…just need to catch up and post one for “A”, will do that this weekend 🙂 Loving the challenge!!
Alona Tester on 26 May 2012 at 9:51 pm

Tray, I am loving your posts, and thank you for joining us. 🙂
Susan D. on 1 June 2012 at 1:31 am

Here is my belated entry – great fun to compile. Thank You.

http://scotsue-familyhistoryfun.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/family-history-through-alphabet.html
Julie Goucher on 11 June 2012 at 1:07 am

Just catching up! Here is my B post-

http://anglersrest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/family-history-through-alphabet.html
Julie Goucher on 11 June 2012 at 1:54 am

And here is C & D

C
http://www.anglersrest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/family-history-through-alphabet_10.html

D
http://www.anglersrest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/family-history-through-alphabet_8108.html
Julie Goucher on 11 June 2012 at 2:30 am

….And this week’s contribution!

E

http://anglersrest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/family-history-through-alphabet_7689.html
Julie Goucher on 17 June 2012 at 9:00 pm

Here is the latest contribution (and on time!)

http://anglersrest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/family-history-through-alphabet_17.html
Julie Goucher on 1 July 2012 at 1:31 am

Here is last week’s post http://anglersrest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/family-history-through-alphabet_30.html

This week will follow shortly!
Julie Goucher on 15 July 2012 at 12:43 am

Getting slack again!

Here is H – http://anglersrest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/family-history-through-alphabet.html

And I – http://anglersrest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/family-history-through-alphabet_14.html
Susan D. on 2 August 2012 at 10:32 pm

Hi, my contriubtion for M at http://scotsue-familyhistoryfun.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/m-is-for-muddle-mix-ups-mistakes.html
Jennifer Dunn on 29 April 2013 at 12:11 pm

Are you going to restart the challenge for this year? I just started a genealogy blog and hate that I missed this!
Alona Tester on 30 April 2013 at 10:27 pm

Hi Jennifer, I’m not sure that I’ll restart the Alphabet Challenge. I have been asked to do something new, but am still thinking about that. But if you wish to take it up, feel free to start, I do currently have about 7 or so people working their way through it at their own pace. All started after the original challenge finished.
Chris Washler on 16 August 2013 at 7:21 am

Even though it’s over, I’m diving into this challenge as a way to get back to my original purpose for my blog. Thanks for the inspiration!
Alona Tester on 16 August 2013 at 11:59 am

Hi Chris, thanks so much for joining us. Don’t feel there is any hurry in completing it, as I do know that doing one a week is tough. But I’m looking forward to reading your posts.
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Sue Wyatt on 7 December 2015 at 12:35 pm

Hi Alona,
I have recently started my own family history blog and thought of doing something similar to this on my blog. But I would be asking my readers to leave a comment about that particular letter of the alphabet. I did the UTAS Introduction to family history course last year and many of those students then created a facebook page, so they would all then be able to participate in my alphabet challenge via comments.

I will give credit to you for the idea of the challenge.
Alona Tester on 9 December 2015 at 5:38 pm

Sounds awesome Sue. And I’m glad it gave you an idea 😉