The real stars
Forget about Tom and Katie – what about Grandma? How to get to know the real stars in your life: YOUR FAMILY

What? These aren’t the savory, exciting headlines that make you want to rush out and buy the latest grocery store tabloid? You mean you’d rather read about Lindsay Lohan’s latest escapades or baby Suri’s nursery tales? Well, you aren’t alone. Most people eagerly seek trivialities about celebrities’ lives, yet they fail to recognize the best story of all – the story of their family.

"We often glorify celebrities," admits Dr. Karen Sternheimer, a sociologist at the University of Southern California who has researched the effects of pop culture in America. "We want to know their history – where they came from, what their childhood was like, what their first job was. Celebrities are larger than life, and they are an entertaining diversion from our everyday lives. We don’t see ourselves and our families in that same light. Our family members represent the more mundane aspects of life. We rarely think of them as exciting and interesting."

Sternheimer theorizes that getting to know your family can also be more challenging than getting to know about your favorite celebrity. Their lives aren’t the cover story for People magazine, with personal fodder available at the flick of a page. Also, unlike the detached relationship you have with the famous people you read and hear about, getting to know your family involves more emotional and personal commitment.

"Following celebrity lives is easy because it is a no-cost emotional relationship," says Sternheimer. "It is strictly one-sided. When it comes to your family, you can’t get involved in their lives without having an emotional investment. There is always the opportunity for rejection or feelings of hurt, embarrassment or shame.

"On the other hand," she adds, "how can we have a sense of who we are without taking the time to get to know those around us every day?"

Getting the scoop

If you want to start filling in the gaps in your family knowledge, you need to figure out how to get the scoop on all the family stories. Unlike a self-absorbed celebrity, your family member may be reluctant to participate in a sit-down, formal, Barbara Walters-style interview. It may work better to approach your relative under more casual, comfortable circumstances.

For instance, reflections of the past can be triggered by the occasion of a child’s birthday party. Once the candles are blown out, ask all the relatives in the room to share details about his or her most memorable birthday. The opportunity for sharing family memories can be found in both the routine and special events of our lives.

Try one of the following to get your loved one to "dish":

Work together – Some of the best conversations come out while washing the Christmas dishes with Aunt Martha or pulling weeds with Grandpa. Take this time to intentionally direct conversation down memory lane.

Go for a drive – Suggest a visit to favorite family spots such as parks, museums, a drive by the old farmstead or a stroll through the cemetery. Any of these can invoke a storytelling session.

Dig out old albums, movies/videos and scrapbooks – Don’t let photos, boxes of school projects and Great Grandm