2020 Holiday Gift Ideas for Genealogists

As the holiday season gets into full swing for this strangest of years, we are repeating one of our annual traditions: our list of gift suggestions for your favorite genealogist or historian. Luckily, you don't have to venture outside to purchase any of these items, as all are available online. So, go fill your coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or hot toddy cup, grab your credit card, and have fun working on the following ideas to make your genie-buddy's holiday just a bit brighter (or to gift yourself!)

St. Louis Genealogical Society Gifts

Our online store is completely secure and volunteers are working at the office to answer the phone and/or fulfill gift orders. Here are some ideas:

1. An individual or family membership, so your friend (or you) can receive our Quarterly journal, attend or watch our 2021 classes and special events, and access our ever-expanding collection of online databases. You can order a membership on 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. Copies of society publications, such as The War of 1812 in Missouri (volumes 1 and 2) or Orphanage Care in St. Louis; all 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 drive by for a curbside pickup when it's ready OR we can ship it to you (shipping instructions on the Fan Chart page on our website). (Frame not included)

Technology-related Gifts

Since we are spending so much time at home, at least for the next few months, think about some technology-related gifts to make a genealogist's hobby easier to do. How 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 or Lifelong Learning programs) 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 mini-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!

Not Technological

Not everything is about technology. There are a lot of 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 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. Archival quality photo storage boxes or photo albums
4. Acid-free photo mounting supplies and/or photo marking pens
5. Acid-free, archival quality sheet protectors and/or paper
6. Good quality three- or four-inch D-ring binders for storing copies of sheets and documents 

Books!

Almost all genealogists are book lovers and you can't go wrong by adding to their collections. Try some of these . . .

1. Any of the QuickSheets by noted genealogist Elizabeth Shown Mills (or, better yet, her excellent book on source citations, Evidence Explained)
2. The series of Genealogy at a Glance laminated booklets available in a variety of ethnicities: German, Irish, French, etc.
3. Books on American states of interest; for instance, any of the NGS Genealogy in the States series
4. Books that are specific to areas of interest: neighborhoods, religions, occupations, or any other unique aspect of their family history
5. 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
   

Remember, as 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. Click here to go to the StLGS online store. Have fun doing your holiday shopping or just treating yourself to a gift!