Gift guide

A family history gift for parents and grandparents should begin close to home

A broad family tree can feel abstract. A book becomes easier to recognize when it begins with the recipient, their parents, or a grandparent whose stories they heard growing up.

Several generations of relatives together in a family photograph

Photos and stories from your treeShown with the people they belong to

Begin with a familiar person

Include living relatives when they help explain the connection

Ask family members to check captions

Allow time for proofing and print delivery

For a parent

Start with the parent or one of their parents. Include two to four generations depending on how much material is available. A book from the parent's maternal or paternal side can be more coherent than combining every branch in the first gift.

For a grandparent

Begin with the grandparent and keep living people on if the book should show children and grandchildren near the opening. Earlier generations provide context, but the grandparent's own photos and memories are likely to draw the first conversation.

Ask for help without giving away the gift

A sibling, cousin, aunt, or uncle may know whether a portrait is mislabeled or a story is missing. Share a short list of profiles to check instead of the whole book. Make source corrections before the final build.

Choose how the family will receive it

Order a printed copy for the main recipient and use a PDF for relatives who live elsewhere. If several households need print copies, enter the total copy count when requesting the quote.

From tree to book

Three steps from your tree to a finished book

Connect FamilySearch

Generate the pages

Memories Book gathers supported memories and organizes them by person.

Review your book

Read the finished pages and make sure the people, stories, and photos feel right.

Questions

What to know before you start

Should living people be included in a gift book?

Include them when they help the recipient see their connection to the earlier family. Turn the setting off when the book is intended as an ancestor-only history.

How far back should the book go?

Use the preview to decide. Two to four generations is a practical starting range for a personal gift, but the right depth depends on the available memories.

What if the recipient has no FamilySearch account?

The person building the book needs a FamilySearch account. The recipient can read a printed copy or delivered PDF without signing in to the builder.

Ready to see what is in your tree?

Build your first family history book

Start with a small branch and see the photos and stories your family has already saved.