Making the Case for Heirlooms: Heritage Stories, Family Treasures, and Intergenerational Relationships

ABSTRACT Heirlooms have methodological implications for studying family narratives, values, and interpersonal relationships. Historically, research has defined heirlooms as items possessed by wealthy families that have maintained intergenerational transmission. This definition is limiting. A more inclusive definition embraces possessions from a variety of families and encompasses broader exemplars of heirlooms. This brief report explores the etymology of heirlooms and investigates the enduring consequences of the term's isolation. The report concludes with a call for more inclusive heirlooms as it discusses a new research project with case studies that underscore the relationship between the interpersonal transmission of possessions and their ability to communicate a family narrative.