With the holidays a few months away, I thought that now might be a good time to offer up some information about genealogy-themed gifts. Since many genealogy-themed gifts are personalized or require some time to piece together, it is important that you give yourself enough time to have them ready by the desired date. Genealogy-themed gifts abound, and they vary from framed family trees to hand crafted treasures that will stay with the family for years to come. I recently read a news story about a woman who made a genealogy quilt for her son. Colorful patterned blocks alternate with printed blocks containing his family history. I’m sure that it took her quite some time to make the quilt, but imagining how her son (who is an adult) must have felt when he received it from her reminded me of the importance of having family treasures that can be passed from generation to generation.
If quilting is not your thing, you could give a keepsake journal, such as the ones from the “Between Me and You” collection from Sand Dune Publishing, as a gift to your mother, father, or other family member. The journals each contain 35-45 fun to answer questions about things that you would love to know. After the recipient writes their journal, it is sure to be treasured by everyone in the family for years to come. Scrapbooks are another great way to give the gift of family history and preserve all of those accumulated photos, newspaper clippings, and other bits of memorabilia that go along with the story of your family.
For the budding genealogist in the family, RedEnvelope.com offers a children’s heritage book that is both educational and sentimental. The hardcover book is personalized with the child’s name throughout, and you can choose up to four countries that the child’s ancestors came from. The beautifully illustrated book contains information about the child’s cultural background, and features places for them to leave their mark by filling out their family tree. Children will enjoy discovering their heritage and are sure to cherish their personal story for years to come.