Create a Genealogy Scrapbook as a Treasured Gift
A Family Tree Present Makes the Occasion Special
Oct 31, 2009
Whether you’re a committed genealogist with boxes full of documents, or someone with just a few old family photos to start with, you can put together a great keepsake for a relative or friend.
The first thing to do is decide on the focus of the heritage, or family tree, scrapbook: choosing a small family group will make the project easier. Since the idea is to provide an in-depth look at specific ancestors and how they lived, limiting the number of people will keep the project manageable. One good plan is to choose one couple and their children, including additional generations only when the first family is complete.
Using a Heritage Scrapbook to Tell the Story
A genealogy scrapbook might begin with a wedding photo and perhaps a copy of the marriage announcement published in a local paper. Succeeding pages might show how the family lived, with candid photos taken at home or on trips. Pictures of the old family home would be ideal. Casual photos will be in short supply for a family who lived before the easy accessibility of cameras, but there are many alternative sources for pictures.
Old picture postcards of towns, often showing the city hall or other public buildings, are available in a variety of places online and in antique shops. Look for postcards of schools, the downtown areas of small towns, and nearby points of interest, like railroad stations, rock formations, and historic sites.
In addition to postcards, historical books often include pictures of factories or businesses where an ancestor might have been employed. Search for postcards and photos commemorating events such as a World’s Fair or Exposition that an ancestor might have visited.
Letters and samples of handwriting copied from the backs of photos or on other documents like deeds can provide a personal touch. In the days before photography was common, a signature may be the only tangible link to an ancestor, and thus it can be a special part of a genealogy scrapbook. Newspaper clippings from the era can show the current events and issues that occurred during an ancestor’s life. Don’t forget to include obituaries and funeral cards that were provided by the funeral home.
Embellishing the Scrapbook Pages
A genealogy scrapbook can be very plain or extensively embellished. Scrapbookers who enjoy stamping, illustrating, and decorating can use their talents to make a family work of art. Others might prefer to let the photos and documents tell the story.
A scrapbook can include all sorts of non-paper materials, including military medals, sports awards, or even bits of fabric or buttons from a wedding gown. If these things are hard to come by, use what you know about the ancestor to search for appropriate memorabilia. For example, the page for a man who was active in local politics could be decorated with old political buttons or ribbons, or pictures of these items. Take pictures of three-dimensional objects that won't fit in the scrapbook. Look for rubber stamps and stickers that correspond to a person’s activities, whether farming, dressmaking, building furniture or carriages, operating a drug store, or healing the sick.
Include a Family Tree
A genealogical software program can be used to print out a one or two-page chart of the family. Use colored paper, give it a fancy border, and there’s a great page. If you have photo editing software, a nice addition is a small photo of each person next to his or her name, creating a more visual chart.
If you don’t have a genealogy program, you can still create a colorful tree by hand. Printed forms with spaces for information are available that can be filled in at home, or you might let your creative ideas soar and draw your own tree.
One-of-a-Kind?
Even if the scrapbook is intended to be a custom-made present for one person, consider whether others in the family will want one, too. If this is likely, be sure to make copies of all the photos and postcards in the scrapbook before they’re pasted down. Better yet, scan all illustrations and use copies in the scrapbook, not the originals. For tech savvy crafters and recipients, an electronic scrapbook that is distributed on a CD can be a great alternative to a physical album. No matter how it’s delivered, the result will be a lasting and educational keepsake for family members lucky enough to receive it as a gift.
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