This past weekend was filled with celebrations -- some big, some small.

It was the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, the 70th anniversary of Social Security, and the first-ever Frederickson family reunion.

The Frederickson clan -- all descendants of three Norwegian sisters -- is my mother’s side of the family. As the families emigrated from Norway in the early part of the 20th century, many of them settled in Fowler, Colo., a small farming community in the southeastern part of the state.

For family reunion veterans, you know what you’re getting into. But for me, this was new territory. My only basis for comparison was a few friends who shared their quirky stories about attending family gatherings in some odd places with people they didn’t really know.

So imagine my reaction when my mother called earlier in the year and asked me to emcee the opening dinner. I enjoy speaking in public, but the thought of trying to entertain 120 Norwegian descendants and their families definitely gave me cause for pause.

In the event you don’t know many Scandinavians, they have a reputation for not being the most effusive folks in the world. If you’ve ever listened to Garrison Keillor’s radio show -- "A Prairie Home Companion" -- you know what I am talking about.

But all my stereotypes about family reunions went out the window when Bill and Tom Fedde, my mom’s cousins, approached me at different times to tell me stories about my grandfather -- a Norwegian immigrant who died when I was a young boy.

"Your grandparents raised five children and helped send four of them to college on the income from a tiny 40-acre farm," said Bill.

Tom told me that my grandfather was one of the hardest-working men he has ever known. "Because his farm was so small he raised specialty crops like onions, sugar beets and tomatoes which were all extremely labor intensive," said Tom. "And to complicate matters, the soil was extremely rocky."

Enter my mother and her four siblings. They spent their summers in the field -- hoeing onions, picking worms off tomatoes and doing other chores around the farm.

Before the weekend was over, I learned how my grandfather modeled important life lessons: work hard, save for the future, share with others, and have some fun along the way. My mom and my dad have worked hard to pass those same values on to me and my siblings.

Our first family reunion exceeded all my expectations. I met some terrific people, laughed about funny -- sometimes quirky -- family stories and learned wonderful things about my grandfather.

A family gathering can be a great place to learn about or reinforce important life lessons. Try these steps to make the most of your next family get together:

1. Be proactive and ask immediate or extended family members to share family stories about your grandparents: where they worked, what they saved for, who they shared with and why those things mattered.
2. Ask them what kind of jobs they had growing up and how those jobs shaped their work ethic.
3. Write down their stories so you can pass them on to future generations.

Learning more about my grandfather reminded me just how grateful I am to have had so many wonderful life experiences. He left behind a wonderful legacy for many, many people.

How will your legacy impact future family members?

Legacy isn’t about material possessions. It’s really about the impact we have in our family, our community and the world. The choices we make with how we live our lives -- be it how we share, save and spend -- can and will impact those we love and the things we care about.

Seventy-one percent of 6- to 17-year-olds say they "need" a vacation. Three-fourths of them say it should ideally be seven days or more.

Source: Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown and Russell Poll

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