FAVORITE FAMILY HISTORY GIFTS: STAFF PICKS 2025

12/11/2025 | Lineages | , , ,

As the holiday season approaches, our team at Price Genealogy has been thinking about the gifts that help families connect, remember, and preserve the stories that shape who we are. This year, we asked our staff to share their favorite genealogy/family history–themed gift ideas. Whether you’re shopping for a seasoned researcher or simply hoping to spark curiosity in a family member, these thoughtful picks are sure to bring joy while strengthening the ties that bind generations together.

DIANE

My son is a very thoughtful gift giver and has given me my favorite Genealogy themed gifts. One Christmas he gave me a necklace with a family tree and the birthstones of my two children.

Last year, though, he said “I’m not gonna lie – I am really excited about what I got Mom for Christmas this year.”  It was a family tree Lego and part of the gift was spending time with me putting it together.

Books could be “The Red Book” or “The Source Book” or books particular to the country their ancestors are from.

I have started giving my friends time doing research for them. These are now their birthday and Christmas gifts. You could also give a DNA test kit from Ancestry.com. Lastly, a subscription to a family history website like the following could be fun!

  • Newspapers.com
  • Archion.de for Germany
  • ArkivDigital for Sweden
  • Ancestry.com, Findmypast, MyHeritage

EMILY

One gift on my list this year is a digital picture frame. My parents have one in their home, and everyone loves to see the changing pictures of all the family members. Unlike a traditional picture frame that holds just one picture, a digital frame allows you to enjoy a slideshow of cherish memories. And you can update them remotely, which means you can send photos straight to the frame from anywhere in the world!

Another favorite Christmas present I received a few years ago was a picture frame showing my maternal line, from me back to my 3rd great grandma. Not everyone will have pictures that go back this far, so search for a frame that has the right number of sections for your project. Underneath the picture is written the name of the person and their birth year and place and death year and place.

Many years ago my dad made a wooden nativity puzzle. He cut out all the pieces, and then my mom handpainted them. As children, we all enjoyed playing with this hands-on child-friendly nativity, which now shows signs of being well-loved. In our older years, my parents have since made each child their own set.

Another favorite heirloom gift is a homemade book I made years ago for my mom to the poem The Night Before Christmas. I tailored it to our family traditions surrounding Christmas Eve and used family pictures throughout the years, including ones when we were all very young. I described our Charlie Brown trees, stockings by the fire, our Jerusalem supper, making music, and sharing presents. We love re-reading it year after year, and sharing our childhood Christmas memories with our own children.

JESSICA

One of my very favorite family history gifts to give is a photo book. Over the years, I’ve created many of them for birthdays, holidays, and special milestones. Whenever I take a meaningful trip with my parents, I love putting together a beautiful book filled with photos from our adventures and the memories we shared along the way. These books have become such treasures to our family.

For my dad’s 70th birthday, I created a particularly special one. I reached out to my cousins, his siblings, and several of his closest friends, asking each person to send me a favorite memory of my dad along with a picture of the two of them. The result was a large, heartfelt collection of stories from across his life; moments he had forgotten, people he loves, and experiences that shaped him. It is one of his most cherished gifts.

I’ve made similar books for other family members as well. One year, I created a book for my sister filled with words people used to describe her and reasons why they love her. For my husband’s 50th birthday, I gathered single words and short reflections from friends and family, paired with photos from those who contributed, to capture how others see him. These projects take time, but the joy and meaning they bring to the recipient make every minute worthwhile. They are truly my favorite family history gifts, both to create and to receive.

I also love using tools that help capture family stories in different ways. One year for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, my siblings and I gifted our parents a subscription to StoryWorth, which sends weekly questions and later binds the responses into a book. While this format didn’t fit my mom’s style, I found another service that allows her to record spoken answers on her phone each week. The company then compiles the recordings, and even the videos, into a keepsake book. This approach suits her perfectly, and I know it will become a cherished treasure for future generations.

RICHARD

My favorite family history gift to give has always been the gift of time. For many years, I have expressed gratitude and love through genealogical service – using my skills to help others discover their ancestors. When my daughter moved to another state and a generous family welcomed her into their home while she searched for housing, I felt deeply grateful. As a thank you, I completed a research project for them and uncovered ancestors they had never known about. It was meaningful to offer something so personal in return for their kindness.

Each year, my church holds an auction to help raise funds for youth activities, and I love donating my expertise as part of that effort. It is a joy to offer a family history research project to whoever wins the bid, knowing it will bring them closer to their heritage.

One of the most rewarding experiences came when I was assigned as a ministering brother to a couple in our area. When I asked how I could best serve them, they shared a desire to learn how to do their own family history. For the next eighteen months, I met with them weekly, teaching them the tools and methods I’ve come to know so well. Watching their confidence grow was a privilege.

I have also offered research as a gift of gratitude. A bishop who had given freely of his time and guidance meant a great deal to me, so I spent many hours researching his family. When I presented him with names of ancestors he could take to the temple, his excitement and appreciation made the effort profoundly worthwhile.

My love for family history began when I was a young boy, inspired by lessons at church and by the boxes of records my grandfather kept. Exploring those treasures sparked a lifelong passion. Sharing this love with others never feels like work – it feels like a blessing.

JAMES

One of the most meaningful family history gifts I have ever given was a framed map of the small English parish where one of my ancestral lines lived for generations. I had spent months researching that family, learning the names of tiny hamlets, old field boundaries, and the church where they marked every major event in life. When I finally found an eighteenth-century map of the parish, something clicked. Instead of giving my parents a stack of documents, I printed the map on textured paper and framed it. I added a small label with the family surname and the years they lived there. When my parents opened it, they saw more than a map. They saw a place where our family walked, worked, and worshipped. It now hangs in their home, and every time someone notices it, we end up talking about who these ancestors were and what their lives may have looked like. The gift did what good family history gifts often do. It turned research into something tangible and sparked curiosity that continues to grow.

Another favorite gift has been creating “ancestor spotlight” packets for my siblings at Christmas. Each year, I choose one ancestor and put together a short, easy to read narrative about their life. I pair it with one or two records that help bring their story to life, such as a census page, a marriage entry, or an old photograph if I can find one. I also like to include a brief explanation of why I chose that particular ancestor, whether it was something meaningful they experienced or a small detail that made me smile during the research. The packets are simple, usually only a few pages long, but they have become something my family looks forward to every year. They open them the way others open a holiday letter, curious about who will be featured next and what new details we can learn about our family. What I love most is that these spotlights make family history feel approachable. They give my siblings a connection point and invite them into the story without overwhelming them with a full tree or a long report.

Together, these gifts have taught me that family history becomes powerful when it is shared in small, thoughtful ways. A framed map that grounds a family in a real place and a yearly ancestor spotlight that introduces one life at a time can spark genuine curiosity. These gifts remind us that preserving the past often begins with a single story.

THIS CHRISTMAS

As we look ahead to the holiday season, we’re reminded that the very best family history gifts aren’t defined by price tags – they are defined by connection. Whether it’s a handmade heirloom, a framed ancestral map, a digital picture frame filled with cherished memories, or simply the gift of time spent researching for someone you love, each offering strengthens the ties between past and present. These thoughtful ideas from our team reflect what matters most: sharing stories, preserving heritage, and celebrating the people who shaped us. No matter which gift you choose, you’ll be giving something far more meaningful than an object – you’ll be giving a piece of family history that will endure for generations.

Merry Christmas from Price Genealogy!

Pictures:

Recent Posts

Categories