All I want for Christmas is the name of my 3rd great grandmother! I’m sure you have something similar on your holiday list! For those of us researching Irish, the Christmas miracle would be the discovery of copies of some of the records that were lost in the 1922 fire, but unfortunately that probably won’t happen!
Do you have a holiday wish list…perhaps a book on Irish research or DNA…you can see some of my favorites below...or (here’s my shameless plug) a set of Quick Reference Guides on Irish Research. If so, check out my Black Friday Special, good through next Monday, November 26th. There are lots of promos going on, and although some expire tonight (if you’re quick you might still be able to snag one, there will likely be other promotions coming. I’ll keep you up to date on my Current Promotions page. You might also add to your wish list a subscription to your favorite database, or a subscription to a new one such as FindMyPast.
But what about gifts for family and friends? No one in my family has any interest in genealogy. To my children, I’m the “crazy lady who chases dead people.” I joke about the fact that my children will probably cremate my file cabinets with me! This time of year, when we all gather back in Connecticut for the holidays, I do try to slip in some family information.
Each year I create a family calendar. I’ve been doing it for many years, dating back to when MyCanvas was part of Ancestry. My themes have varied over the years from family events of the past year (wedding, births, etc.) to pictures and stories about ancestors (grand-parent and great grandparents), to a “cookbook” of favorite family recipes. All of the important dates for birthdays and anniversaries are listed with pictures on their special days (so there’s no excuse for forgetting). There are lots of companies that allow you to create a calendar and there’s still time (I’m working on mine now).
You could also give a Family Chart. Again, there are lots of companies that provide that service, including MyCanvas (which will take the information from your Ancestry Tree). Another company with lots of flexibility in design and size is Family ChartMasters. Last year I provided my son-in-law with a chart back to his ancestors, John Alden and Patricia Mullen.
If you’re clever and like to do scrapbooking, that can be a wonderful gift. I did a scrapbook for my husband’s aunt a number of years ago…she loved it! I have to admit, I didn’t like the process…I guess I’m not that artistic. A paper scrapbook won’t be on my list again, but I have done an electronic “scrapbook” of sorts for my sisters. It was another MyCanvas project and used a combination of family information in Family Group Sheet format with an accompanying set of photos for each family.
In the past, I have also done a number of video projects using iMovie. My daughter, Meagan, is the talented one and has taken over most of the family video production.
Yes, there is still time to get some of these things done if you jump on it quickly. Family history is to share and even if your family “isn’t into dead people” you can slip the information in, just like vegetables into a meal. They might actually begin to enjoy it!
Happy Hunting!