by Lin V. Floyd
As you think about a meaningful present for your family members this Christmas, consider the gift of family history––something special created for the purpose of strengthening your family ties. The last part of that definition is important because it’s something more than a

homemade article. Many times that kind of gift is not fully appreciated by those who receive it, even though it’s labor intensive. My mother-in-law, year after year, sewed homemade shirts for my young sons for Christmas. When the boys were toddlers, they wore the shirts without a fuss; but as they grew to be teenagers they wouldn’t wear any homemade clothing, no matter who made it.

Believe it or not, I made this same type of mistake as a new stepmother for our first Christmas as a blended family, I decided to hand embroider some Levi’s shirts for my four adult step daughters. It took me several months to complete the decorative hand stitching. I carefully gift wrapped them and sent them off, then only heard back from one of the recipients who appreciated my labors.

You would think this experience would’ve taught me, but it didn’t. The next year I created stained glass pieces, then the following year-macramé plant hangers. Well, long story short, I have finally figured out gifts that are meaningful to me and to the recipient.

This year we will add a family history present that hopefully will touch their hearts. My stepchildren’s mother passed away from cancer last year, and they treasure photos of her. My husband has a collection of family slides from their years together that we will scan and make into a DVD creating a unique family history present that will preserve their mom’s memory in their lives.

A few years ago when I was reaching my monumental sixtieth birthday, I decided it was time to write my life story and scan my old family photos to make a digital scrapbook for my four adult sons. What a Christmas gift that was and a thrill for me when I was able to give them a CD scrapbook with the history of our lives together as a family. They enjoyed seeing the digitized photos of themselves through the years, and reading about our life together on an interactive CD webpage. It was a gift of love that strengthened our family ties.

This Christmas, I plan to give another family history gift. I have old homemade records with the voices of my relatives made during WWII. Years ago I tried to listen to them on an old record player, but they were scratchy and skipped. Among the relatives on the records is my Dad, who died in 1945. Curious to hear his voice again, I took the old records to a company that restores and digitizes recordings, films and videos. I will enclose a typed transcription of the resulting CD, with some additional information to help family members get acquainted with now-deceased relatives.

Other suggestions for meaningful genealogical gifts are: framed ancestral photos, and shadow boxes of past and current family mementos or a decorative family tree wall hanging to show your lineage. Videos or DVDs of grandparents or parents telling of their experiences in a different time period are keepsakes to have. Small quilts with cherished family photos imprinted on fabric can be sewn for the hard to please teens.

For my grandchildren, one year I made a small laminated book of my life entitled How I Gained My Testimony. With simplified text and lots of photos, they can see that I too was once young like them, searching for truth and direction in my life. An abridged booklet of ancestral photos and histories condensed to a one page summary for each married couple can be interesting and not overwhelm the recipient with too much at one time. Color copies of a photo scrapbook that can be held and read leisurely will please older family members who are not computer literate.

For those who are genealogists, a printed copy of your family history pedigree and family group sheets complete with photos or histories to make their names and faces come alive can be a keepsake for each of your adult children. Everyone should have their own copy of their ancestral roots to strengthen and preserve their family connections. Be creative and make this Christmastime an opportunity to give a meaningful family history gift of your heritage to strengthen your family ties.