In the first annual gift guide, I’m sharing over 50 ideas to gift the genealogy enthusiast in your life - or perhaps, to put on your own wish list this holiday season. There’s a great mix of things to help you research better, productivity tools and technology, and new family heirlooms, all at a variety of price points.
Note all Amazon links within the gift guides are affiliate links.
While I usually spend my genealogy budget on database subscriptions like Ancestry.com, I love discovering a magazine in the mail to enjoy with a cup of coffee. Some options:
5. Storyworth subscriptions. I’m using two of these subscriptions right now with two of my relatives, and find the once-a-week email prompt really encourages them to keep going with the project. The questions are easy to edit and re-order, and I’m looking forward to seeing the final product - a book, which can be easily passed down to future generations.
6. I want to carry this awesome tote bag, “It’s a Beautiful Day for Genealogy” everywhere!
7. We should all have this “Warning: May Start Talking About Genealogy” sticker on our laptops, notebooks, and water bottles.
8. This Cassette to MP3 recorder is perfect for converting that stack of home-recorded cassette tapes that hold old family interviews!
9. Whether you pick 23andme or ancestryDNA, a DNA home testing kit is an entertaining gift for a relative, and can also help you in your research. Don’t forget to ask them to share the results with you.
10. I love this Lighted Reading Magnifier for zooming in on hard to read physical documents.
11. This Document Holder makes transcribing a breeze.
12. This Time Capsule would make an awesome family project to create together, and I love that it comes in different size options.
13. These photo safe pencils from Stabilo are good for writing on the back of modern, glossy photographs.
14. Everyone needs archival quality storage boxes for holding records, photos, and keepsakes. I like this Pioneer Photo Album Storage Box and this Lineco Museum Storage Box.
15. This Brother Compact Mobile Photo Scanner goes with me on all research trips, and anytime I visit a relative, and I highly recommend it!
On the left, the Epson Perfection V600 Color Photo, Film, Negative & Document Scanner. On the right, the Kodak Slide N’ Scan. Both great options for converting negatives to digital files, and the Epson is great for documents and photos as well.
16. Some documents are too big or too fragile to fit in the mobile scanner, so a flatbed scanner is an essential home office tool for every genealogist. I like this Epson V600 model.
17. Gift this Kodak Slide N’ Scan to a relative, and hopefully they’ll share all their newly converted negatives with you.
18. Get them a favorite photo repaired, or enlarged, and nicely framed. This etsy shop thePaperFramer has some nice options.
19. We could all use a photo consultation with an expert, like Maureen Taylor, the Photo Detective.
Two great options for personalized family treasures to gift: on the left, a Family Tree Serving Bowl from Uncommon Goods and created by Sheree Burlington . On the right, a Handwriting Plate from etsy shop phpottery. Both awesome products linked below.
20. This hand-painted Personalized Family Tree Serving Bowl would make a wonderful family heirloom to pass down to future generations.
21. Capture a loved family recipe with this Handwriting Plate.
22. Convert those VHS home movies to digital files, so you can edit and share with family members and also preserve for future generations. I’ve used this ClearClick Video to Digital Converter with success.
23. Shutterfly gift cards to make family photo books.
I love these minimalistic and nicely designed novelty genealogy tees from Etsy shop StagandPeachCo. Individual shirts linked below.
24. Novelty t-shirt option one: “Eventually All Genealogists Come to Their Census”
25. Novelty t-shirt option two: “Eat Sleep Genealogy Repeat”
26. Gift the genealogy lover a research trip to anywhere they want to go - maybe the FamilySearch Library headquarters in Salt Lake City for example.
27. You know I had to include a copy of my Genealogy Planner and Workbook, makes a great gift!
28. Ask them for a list of books on their wish list - some of us have very specific requests related to things we want to learn about, or locations, or family lines.
29. Books by Elizabeth Shown Mills, like Evidence Explained: History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace or Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards
30. Mastering Genealogical Proof and Mastering Genealogical Documentation, both by Thomas W. Jones, should be on every genealogist’s bookshelf.
31. If they don’t have it yet, they need Genealogy Standards by the Board for Certification of Genealogists is essential reading.
On the left, a custom Census Mug from etsy shop GenealogyGifts. On the right, a book from the National Archives Store.
32. Gifts from the National Archives Store supports the museum and their education programs, like the book Genealogy Tool Kit: Get Started on Your Family History at the National Archives by John P. Deeban.
33. This custom census mug is great for those late night research sessions.
34. A new external hard drive, at least 1tb or 2tb in size, is helpful for storing all your files and photos and staying organized.
35. If you’re like me, you’ve hit the limit on your free cloud storage services that came with your gmail or other accounts. Having all of your files in backed-up in the cloud allows you to access your files from anywhere, and offers a layer of protection if something happened to your computer files. And genealogists have a lot of photos and files! I recommend Dropbox or Google Drive Storage
36. Backup File Protection is similar to cloud storage, but with automatic backup of your computer files instead of additional storage. Never accidently delete a file, forget to upload anything, or worry about a broken device. Backblaze Personal Backup or Carbonite
37. Organize Your Genealogy: Strategies and Solutions for Every Researcher by Drew Smith
38. Lineage Membership Application Fees or Dues. Read more about lineage memberships. Has your genealogist always thought about applying to a group like The Daughters of The American Revolution (DAR) or The Mayflower Society? Or if they’re already a member, pay the upcoming dues or even splurge for a lifetime membership.
39, Tickets to any genealogy conference, like RootsTech
40. Educational genealogical courses, like a session from the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) or Boston University’s Genealogical Principles or Certificate program.
41. For the ultimate gift - a heritage trip to their ancestral homeland!
42. The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy by Blaine T. Bettinger, would pair great with a DNA testing kit.
43. The NGS (National Genealogical Society) includes NGS Magazine, and the scholarly journal NGS Quarterly (NGSQ), and NGS Monthly, all with searchable access online of back issues. There’s also free access online to skill courses and discounts to education programs, discounts to books and the annual NGS conference, and more member benefits. Purchase a gift membership.
44. An American Ancestors membership is essential for anyone researching in early New England. Includes the American Ancestors Magazine and the journal. Review membership options.
45. Support local historical societies by gifting a membership, that often includes access to an affiliated history museum. For example, joining the San Mateo County Historical Association includes admission to the San Mateo County History Museum as one of the many perks.
46. Local Genealogical Society Memberships. These local societies can be at the county or state level. I belong to both the San Mateo County Genealogical Society and the California Genealogical Society, for example. These groups provide workshops and presentations, research help at the local level, and access to certain repositories and libraries. Offer to pay membership dues for your favorite family history fan.
Database Subscriptions. Everything that helps a genealogist complete their research would make an amazing and very useful gift. If you’re like me you rotate memberships to save money, and would love subscription gifts to any of the following:
47. Newspapers.com
48. Fold3.com
49. Ancestry.com
50. Findmypast.com
51. Myheritage.com
Hope you found some inspiration in this list to gift the genealogists in your life, or to add to your own wish list. Happy Holidays!
