It's Time for Our Annual Genealogy Gift List!

It's become a holiday tradition to publish our "Genealogy Gift Guide" each year to bring you timely suggestions for the genealogists on your holiday shopping list. As always, we have a wide variety of gift suggestions that are easy to find either locally or online. Something here is sure to fit the bill for the family historian on your annual gift-giving list whether you get into your car or shop comfortably at your computer. Have fun fulfilling someone's (or your own) wish lists!

Holiday Gifts from St. Louis Genealogical Society

Our newly redesigned online store is completely secure, and our volunteers work hard to fulfill your gift orders in a timely fashion. Be sure to place your order as soon as possible so we can get your gifts to you! Also, remember that if you are a member of StLGS, you are entitled to a discount on many of the products in our online store. Be sure to log in as a member to get your discount code before you shop. Here are some ideas:

1. An individual or family membership, so your friend (or you) can receive our Quarterly journal, attend or watch our special events, get discounts on our events and products, and access our ever-expanding collection of exclusive online databases. You can order a membership by using our secure website.
2. Gift certificates, available in any amount, good for most StLGS events or items in the StLGS store. (Check the StLGS website for how to order.)
3. Genealogy books and CDs that we sell in our office and in our online store, including our always-popular Trading Post, located in our office lobby. Click the link to see what is currently available in our online store.
4. A beautiful seven- or nine-generation fan chart made especially for your recipient. All the instructions on how to order are on the StLGS website. You can email your GEDCOM file and pick the chart up when it's ready OR we can ship it to you (See shipping instructions on the Fan Chart page on our website.) (Frame not included.)

Technology-related Gifts

Genealogy is always changing, and so much is accessible online. Think about . . .

1. A subscription to Ancestry, FindMyPast, Newspapers.com or any similar website
2. A DNA testing kit (Choose one of the major companies, but select the one that has the most people in its database that are similar to your recipient. The more people with the same background in the database, the more accurate the results. Most of the major companies are holding holiday sales right now, too!)
3. A genealogy software program for their computer or an upgrade to an existing program or offer to provide lessons or assistance to someone who already has a program but is struggling to make good use of it.
4. Gift certificates to local community colleges or adult education sponsors (like Oasis) for classes and practice in using technology
5. Flash/thumb drives to use in libraries or to move, share, or store files
6. A portable external hard drive for extra storage or backing up files 
7. A subscription to an online/cloud backup plan such as Backblaze or Carbonite
8. Extra supplies for digital equipment: memory cards, batteries, portable tripods
9. Gift cards to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store or to the appropriate store for their particular smart phone or tablet so they can buy additional apps
10. A printer/scanner and/or a slide/negative digital scanner; many are under $100!

Non-Technology Gifts

Don't think you can help with technology? Here are some other alternatives. 

1. A gift membership to a local repository. In St. Louis, consider the Missouri History Museum and/or the Mercantile Library.
2. Gift certificates or memberships to historical/genealogical societies in areas where ancestors lived so your recipient can take advantage of membership perks, publications, local knowledge, and/or special events
3. Gift membership to the National Genealogical Society 
4. Donations in memory of a friend or loved one to a society or museum (A donation to a nonprofit organization is usually tax deductible to the extent of the law.)
5. Archival quality photo storage boxes or photo albums
6. Acid-free photo mounting supplies and/or photo marking pens
7. Acid-free, archival quality sheet protectors and/or paper
8. Good quality three- or four-inch D-ring binders for storing copies of documents 

Books!

Almost all genealogists are book lovers, and you can't go wrong by adding to their collections. In addition to the books we carry, try some of these . . .

1. For a serious genealogist: the third edition of noted genealogist Elizabeth Shown Mills's excellent book on source citations, Evidence Explained
2. For someone needing the essentials of citation, including the why and how, at their fingertips, Mills has a new book, Your Stripped Bare Guide to Citing and Using History Sources
3. Fresh off the press—Ultimate Guide to Mastering FamilySearch, a comprehensive guidebook to the website and collections of the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City
4. The series of Genealogy at a Glance laminated booklets available in a variety of ethnicities: German, Irish, French, etc.
5. Books on American states of interest; for instance, any of the NGS Genealogy in the States series
6. Books that are specific to areas of interest: neighborhoods, religions, occupations, or any other unique aspect of their family history
7. And, if you aren't sure, gift cards to favorite bookstores for physical as well as digital copies of books your genie-buddy might want to read

All of us at St. Louis Genealogical Society wish you the happiest of holiday seasons. Your blogger and her editor are taking next week off to celebrate with our families, but we will be back with you right before the new year to remind you of our upcoming January events. 

Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, and Happy Kwanzaa!