When Memories Matter
I've always been a big fan of creating memories through experiences, so occasionally I like to give something that only lasts a short while, but leaves an enduring impression. For anyone who has Ellis Island roots (and that's 40 percent of Americans), tickets to a terrific, off-Broadway play might be, well, just the ticket. "A Stoop on Orchard Street," about the immigrant experience, was launched just a few months ago and has been so well received that they've had to add extra shows (click here for an overview). Visit this website to see reviews and learn how to order tickets for your loved one's next jaunt to New York City.

And if they're not the play-going type, why not consider other experiences—perhaps a coupon to subsidize their next genealogical conference? As a conference junkie myself, I know I'd love to see that in my stocking!

For the Musically Inclined
Last February, I wrote an article about a pair of CDs with ancestral themes (follow this link to view article). You don't have to have roots in Nova Scotia to be enchanted by Steve Lanza's Ancestral Songs or Scottish Highland heritage to find yourself haunted by the sound of Angus Macleod's The Silent Ones. If the Ellis Island era is more representative of your family historian's history, you could snag the musical recording of A Stoop on Orchard Street (see link above). Or if you're looking for something with a Celtic feel, why not try Victoria Parks's Wild Irish Rose?

For the Bookish
What genealogist doesn't love books? They're always a safe bet, but how about a few that provide a little relief from the research
cycle—ones that make you marvel and chuckle? Here are a few of my favorites that feature the genealogical lifestyle at its best:

— The Zen of Genealogy: (see a review)
On sale here.
—Psychic Roots
—In Search of Our Ancestors
—The Sunny Side of Genealogy
—Collecting Dead Relatives
—Honoring Our Ancestors

For Game Players
So you come from a family that never gets bored of board games? Or maybe you secretly hope to entice some others into sharing your ancestral quest by revealing to them just how intriguing digging up the past can be. If so, one or more of the following will appeal to you:

—Life Stories
—Reminiscing
—Family Tree Trivia Game
—Out on a Limb
—Family Tree Puzzle

(See their national and historic fact series, too.)

If It's Got to be One of a Kind
Are you one of those people who puts a lot of thought into gifts, who likes to give items that are unique? Granted, such presents tend to be more expensive than others, but then, they're destined to be future family heirlooms! Perhaps one of these customized treasures will meet your high standards:

—Crocheted family name plaques
(look like lace doilies; you specify the family or village name desired)
—A day in the life of your ancestor painting
—Handmade ancestral and family tree quilts

For the Serious Genealogist
If the person you're shopping for truly loves genealogy, here are a few gifts that will have special meaning for them:

— Ancestor's name on Ellis Island's Wall of Honor (Note—The ancestor does not have to have passed through Ellis Island.)
—Alex Haley Silver Maple (cutting from tree in front of Haley's boyhood home)
— Contribution in their name to their favorite genealogical society or the National Genealogical Society's Second Century Endowment Campaign
—Genetic Genealogy DNA Test

Here's hoping that one or more of the ideas offered jump out at you as just the right gift for that hard-to-shop-for genealogical companion!

NGS Bible Rescue Success!
Good news! Thanks to generous readers, the National Genealogical Society has raised the full $3,500 required to rescue 123 sets of Bible records that a vendor had offered for sale at this year's conference in Pittsburgh (see this website for details)!

I'd especially like to recognize the Lanier-L Genealogy Discussion List, a group with more than 230 researchers hosted by Rootsweb.com, which made a substantial donation to the Bible Rescue effort. Funds given represent the profit from the sales of two compilations of the Lanier genealogy: The Lanier Family in the United States: A Genealogical Compilation of the Descendents of the Immigrant Brother John and Robert Lanier, Volume I (John and Elizabeth Bird Lanier, copyright 2000, Lois Kleinhenn Lanier for Lanier L) and Volume II (copyright 2002, Wayne Lanier of Lanier-L).

In a note to Wendy Herr, NGS's Executive Director, the Lanier group modestly remarked, "We applaud the preservation efforts of NGS and hope that our small contribution will be of help." The NGS is most grateful for this donation and all the others that secured this important acquisition for the NGS collection and the benefit of all generations, past, present, and future.

And I'd like to add a personal thank you to each and every one of you who contacted me for the NGS address and contributed to this wonderful cause. To see if perhaps a family Bible of yours has found its way into the collection, simply do a search here.