How I regret not asking my mother and mother-in-law more questions about family history! They're gone now, and it's too late. With the holidays come family gatherings and an opportunity to be with people you may not see regularly. While it'd be wonderful if everyone at the table would enthusiastically participate in a discussion of shared family history, it's probably an unrealistic expectation in most families. Plan now to spend one-on-one time with a parent, aunt or uncle, or older cousin or sibling; ask your questions before you lose the chance. A successful conversation/interview will depend on adequate preparation. The questions should be customized for the relative you're interviewing. I've seen many lists of sample questions, and here are just a few:

• http://genealogy.about.com/cs/oralhistory/a/interview.htm
• https://familysearch.org/blog/en/52-questions-52-weeks/
• http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/20-questions
• http://oralhistory.library.ucla.edu/familyHistory.html

FamilySearch has also created a five-minute video clip about interviewing your living relatives: https://familysearch.org/blog/en/interviewing-living-relatives5-minute-genealogy/. You might begin the interview by showing an old photograph, preferably one that includes the family member you're interviewing. Then the questions and answers flow naturally: When (and where) was this taken? Who are the other people in the photo? What was the occasion? What do you remember about that day? Photos frequently lead to stories - and facts about which you didn't even know to ask. An alternative to a personal interview is writing out your questions and sending them to the relative. Follow up by setting a convenient time for a telephone interview and see what happens. Our biggest regrets in life are usually what we failed to do. Ask your questions now.