9 Great Holiday Gifts for Genealogy Buffs

9 GREAT HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR GENEALOGY BUFFS

With the holidays upon us, you may find yourself searching for the perfect gift for the genealogy buffs in your life.  And while they may tell you that the only thing they really want are the missing census records from 1890,  we’ve come up with a list of some more viable options that are sure to be a hit.

Antique Maps

It is a known fact that genealogists love maps. After all, old maps can tell us a lot about what the world looked like at any given point in time.

With mapsofthepast.com, you can give the genealogy buff on your list an old map of Europe from the 1700s, or even a Civil War map illustrating a specific battle.

Novelty Gifts

They may be a bit hokey, but who doesn’t love a good novelty gift that highlights their favorite hobby?

Amazon.com has a huge collection of genealogy novelty gifts, ranging from t- shirts and keychains to coffee mugs and bumper stickers (which make great stocking stuffers, by the way!).

DNA Test Kits

DNA tests are all the rage right now. And gifting one to the genealogist in your life may just be the perfect present this holiday season.

Not only will the test results show them where in the world their ancestors came from, but they will also connect them with distant (and sometimes not so distant) relatives whose DNA matches theirs.

While there are many different DNA tests on the market, given their vast databases, the big players such as 23 and Me and Ancestry DNA will give you the biggest bang for your buck.

Magazine Subscriptions

As people who are constantly seeking new and better ways to uncover historical information, chances are that the genealogists on your shopping list are still perfecting their technique and research skills.

Genealogy magazine subscriptions such as Family Tree Magazine or National Genealogical Society Magazine will help your recipient stay on top of the latest developments in genealogy, as well as give them tips and tricks for breaking down brick walls in their research.

Their Personal Life Story

Genealogists spend hours upon hours researching family history and diving into stories about their ancestors. Chances are, though, that they have never taken the time to write down their own story.

With this one-of-a-kind gift package from The Writers For Hire, your loved one can now preserve their life story to pass on for generations to come.

This beautiful gift includes up to four hours of interviews with your recipient, which will then be turned into a professionally printed, 100% custom hardcover book.

Genealogical Vacation

Has the genealogist in your life always dreamed of taking a trip to do research in their ancestral homeland? Or have they always wanted the opportunity to spend hours browsing through records at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. or the Family History Center in Salt Lake City?

Why not make their dreams come true by gifting them a vacation to the destination of their choice?

With sites such as Orbitz and Expedia, you can easily put together a vacation package that won’t break the bank. Or, if you’d rather, check with your preferred airline carrier to see what deals they offer.

Archival Storage

Most genealogists would tell you that one of the biggest challenges they face is storing (and preserving) all of the historical documents they collect.

Not only can documents take up a lot of space (both physical and online), but some of them are quite old and fragile.

Gifting items such as acid-free archival photo sleeves, folders, and storage boxes will go a long way in helping your loved one preserve those valuable records.

Or, if most of their documents live in a folder on the desktop of their computer, consider giving extra USB flash drives or an external hard drive, to ensure that the files never get lost or deleted.

Framed Family Crest or Coat of Arms

Is the genealogy buff in your life proud of their Scottish heritage? Or maybe they frequently mention that their great-grandparents immigrated from a small village in Sicily.

Help them honor their family history with a professionally framed coat of arms or family crest.

Jewelry

Jewelry may not be the first thing you think of in your search for unique genealogy gifts. But maybe it should be!

Sites such as Etsy and Zazzle offer a beautiful collection of earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and even cufflinks and watches that the genealogy buffs on your list are sure to love.