Practical Genealogy Gift Ideas for the Non-Genealogist
Have you ever Googled genealogy gifts and found tons of options for those who love family history? What about those who aren’t die hard family historians, but still want to connect to their family or learn where they come from? I’m sharing some practical genealogy gift ideas that I’ve done in the past and that are still on my bucket list to do in the future.
An Adoption Genealogy Gift
I have family members who are adopted. If you or your family member is adopted, then the first gift that I would give is a DNA kit from Ancestry.com. Why? Because Ancestry.com is one of the 4 major genealogy DNA websites. It has a wide DNA database that may already have clues for you. Then you can upload your raw DNA data to the other three websites, which are Find My Past, My Heritage, and 23andMe. That way you have a wider gene pool to work with. In addition, it’s a good idea to start a family tree on these websites. It helps others find you, as well.
The 2nd gift that I would give is hiring a DNA genealogist to help you out with the rest. Hiring a DNA specialist is a great genealogy gift for anyone who wants to know more about their ancestry, but especially for those who have been adopted. Some DNA specialists work on Facebook free of charge, but some run their own companies and have extensive teams. The Facebook group that I’ve worked with is called Search Squad. They’re volunteers or professionals who donate their time helping adoptees through DNA. Another Facebook group that I like is called DNA Detectives.
Of course, there are many DNA books that can help you understand the DNA world and how genealogy fits in. I personally haven’t read any of these books. But it’s a great start if the other gifts I’ve mentioned are not an option right now.
Genealogy Travel
My favorite reason to travel is seeing my ancestral homes here in the U.S. and abroad. This one is still on my bucket list to gift to me. But do you have family that loves to travel? Would they rather have an experience for a gift rather than another item? Maybe you could pitch in with loved ones to get a genealogy travel gift this year. It doesn’t hurt to plan for it if you can’t or won’t travel just yet. Also,
Some travel companies that I’m familiar with are Heritage Travel Tours, Classic Journeys, and Family Tree Tours. These are bigger companies that have set itineraries or customized ones based on your needs. In addition, check to see if independent genealogists specialize in genealogy travel. You may find one that you want to work with. Give the gift of service instead of another coffee mug…
A Genealogy Gift for Beginner Family Historians
Maybe you have someone in your family just starting their genealogy journey. What do you give them to help them along their way? Start with a subscription to any of the major genealogy websites. Most of the websites have holiday discounts that you can purchase for them. Then they can decide to continue with that subscription later if they want. But you gave them a hint of what that website is like. Also, help them with creating their family tree on those websites. It’s a great way to bond.
Another gift idea is to buy them a genealogy software program for their personal computer. RootsMagic and Ancestral Quest have regular discounts on their software and this is a gift that will keep on giving. Also, these programs usually come with tons of tutorials, classes, and customizable features that will help them get started.
This may sound silly, but you can also buy them all of the office supplies that they will need to organize their family history. Don’t laugh! But sometimes, isn’t it nice to have notebooks, pens, file folders, etc. that keeps everything straight? If your family member or friend is serious about starting their family tree, then help them out with some cute office supplies. Another idea to go along with this is to give them lots of pedigree charts, family group sheets, and genealogy research checklists. They may not know what to do with them yet, but they will as they move forward.
Conclusion
Again, these are just the tip of the gift idea iceberg. I hope this inspires you to give a meaningful gift this year. Genealogy gifts are not just for those who love genealogy or for researchers or family historians. It’s for anyone who loves family and who wants to be more connected with them.
In the meantime…good luck and happy hunting!
Tiffany
P.S. More gift ideas will be coming soon. In the meantime, sign up for my weekly email so you don’t miss out on any other ideas that I share!
P.P.S. To learn more about other genealogy gifts, check out these articles below…
adoption, ancestralquest, ancestrydna, DNA, genealogy gifts, genealogy travel, rootsmagic
