Gifts for people who haven't fully succumbed to genealogy-itis, just push them over the edge this Christmas. You know you love having one more genealogy friend!
This is one of a series of gift guides for specific recipient types or gifters.
Some suggestions are reproduced rather than making you follow a series of links.
Getting a Kid Started in Genealogy
First, let's start with some options if the "genealogist in the making" you want to inspire is a kid. I started genealogy at 9-years-old with this book. If you have a kid that wants to start genealogy, that's the book I'd get them. However...
If you're the one trying to encourage a young person to do genealogy, this book might be a better option. You can read my full review of this starter guide in this post. The review can help you decide if you're not sure which of these two books would be better.
As far as other options to inspire a kid, well, you have to use something they are interested in. I was interested in history and just wanted to know where my family came from. Since no one could tell me, I had to do the research myself (I was born to be a genealogist, most kids are not!). My sister doesn't have an interest in doing genealogy research although she's a good researcher and enjoys the results of my genealogy research. If you want to inspire a kid to do genealogy, it may or may not work but you can certainly consider one of the options below as something you can do and then share the results with them (StoryWorth might be a great option).
Also, check out the crafty genealogist gift guide for other "things" you could share with a kid that might engage them.
Now let's move on to options for an adult (or an interested teenager).
Getting an Adult Started in Genealogy
I think I make this recommendation in every gift guide. However, in this case, this might be why you have an "almost" genealogist you need to give a gift to. If not, it will probably drive them straight into genealogy's clingy, never releasing arms. My first recommendation is a DNA test (if you're surprised you need to read more of this blog).
I recommend getting your kit from FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA). Here's why.
- Cheapest everyday price on autosomal DNA tests (probably what you're ordering, called "Family Finder" at FTDNA).
- ONLY company offering the other two types of (currently) available genealogical DNA tests (Y and mt).
- Swab test. Some people can't manage the spit test required by AncestryDNA and 23 and Me. If this is a surprise (as many gifts are) this is probably the number one reason to go with FamilyTreeDNA.
- Excellent in-house analytical tools plus great third party tools, available.
- Phasing of results (if you've had multiple relatives tested) plus, options to connect testees to people in your tree.
MyHeritageDNA also offers this nifty "Family Discovery Kit" which includes a DNA test, MyHeritage access, plus a Project Life Scrapbook and supplies. This is a really nice presentation of a DNA kit as a gift that you can give as-is to the recipient or use the DNA test and subscription to start your family tree to put in the scrapbook, which is what you'd then give as a gift. Your choice.
How about starting genealogy the easy way, with stories!
StoryWorth is a service not just aimed at genealogists. Their core service is via email (with other options). This is a year-long gift. At the end of the year, the stories are bound as a book.
You could gift this for the genealogist-to-be to gather his/her own stories or so they could send it to a relative to gather the relative's stories. Think about newlyweds and new parents as well as older relatives with the family stories.
This year I was actually approached to see if I would be willing to review a book to include in my gift guides. Wow! This is a beautiful book.
The book is Chicago Eternal and it's a coffee table book of pictures from Chicago cemeteries. I am not from the mid-west but I am a genealogist so I really enjoyed the variety of cemetery monuments (because it's so much more than tombstones). The pictures are really top notch. Normally with a product slightly outside my specialty, I wouldn't want a company to pay to have to ship me an item, I could review a digital item.
But this book is all about the pictures. We own a few coffee table books and at least one was mangled by the publisher (gorgeous photos but some were not reproduced as they should have been). So, I had to see the book before I'd recommend it. Well, here it is, in digital black and white.
Larry Broutman did a beautiful job of the photography. There is also some text, it isn't just pictures so if you are interested in Chicago history/genealogy even better.
Here's one other cool thing that almost threw me off. The back section is in 3D! So don't flip the book open from the back and think something went wrong (like I did one time when I picked it up). The glasses are in the front so you can enjoy an old-fashioned virtual tour of some of the monuments.
Everything Goes Media has provided a special coupon for my readers so you can get $10 off this book, use OCCGEN45 at https://www.everythinggoesmedia.com. (waited too long to order? You can also get this at Amazon with Prime, sorry no coupon, though---Chicago Eternal.)
Here are a few sample images from the book, I promise, if these look good on your monitor, they look better in print!
Of course, if your recipient's interests lie somewhere other than a cemetery or Chicago, there are many books of similar style but on different topics.
If you're looking for a "small" gift, don't forget about the "Images of America" series which covers many small towns and is often available in a local books store (or check Amazon if you're looking for a not-local-to-you location).
If you check out the comments, you'll see a suggestion from Emma to make sure you order anything in plenty of time plus a link to some AMAZING papercut family trees. These are gorgeous so I wanted to add a link in the post.
Family Tree Papercuts from Twenty Fingers. This is a UK company and I hadn't thought about adding this option initially so I haven't looked into options for people outside the UK (i.e. when shipping is prohibitively expensive).
In the U.S., the first place I would check is Etsy. This is a great place for genealogists to look for gifts for Christmas presents, wedding presents, family trees for a new baby, photo gifts for family reunions, or any other family tree gift or even family tree design ideas.
I'm a crafter so I love to create my own gifts using my genealogical research but if crafting or art is not your strong suit, there are lots of talented people out there who can create a personalized family tree or personalized family history gift. Check out Pinterest and Etsy for inspiration and then Google search for the type of product you want (that means it's not too early to start for Christmas, or wedding season, or any event as it may take a while to find what you want, have it personalized, and get it shipped to you or the recipient.).
See my other Genealogy Gift Guides (both from the genealogist):
DIY Gifts from the Crafty Genealogist
From the Genealogist to the Impossible to Please
