5 new genealogy tips for Thanksgiving

Many readers will be travelling this week to visit family, or host Thanksgiving gatherings at their own homes. And when family members get together, it’s an opportunity for conducting and promoting genealogy between bites of turkey and homemade pie! Here are 5 new tips for sharing your love of genealogy during the holidays:

1. Talk with the oldest person in the room. Not only will the oldest members of your family have recollections and lore that no one else knows, it’s easy to prompt them. What was aunt Marsha’s first job after graduating from college? Where did grandpa recuperate when he was injured in World War 1? 

2. Talk with the youngest person in the room. Go where there interests lie. For instance, do they like games? Tell them about the star athlete in their tree, or tales about uncle Theo who was a wicked pinball wizard in his day. If they’re really young, use visuals, such as a family photo or heirloom. Download our free PDF interview sheet and map which may also prompt discussions. 

3. Talk with in-laws. As you get deeper into genealogy research, you will want to expand your tree to include the ancestry of spouses or others who married in to the family. Bring along printouts of our free 5-generation genealogy chart as an aid.

4. Distant cousins may have new information. Cousins often know things that you don’t, owing to where they grew up or their own dynamics within the extended family. 

5. Share a unique family story. Tell everyone about a special or unusual story you’ve unearthed. If you’ve recently digitized a family photo album, whip out your phone and show them your best photos … and the stories behind those photos. 

Bonus tip: Identify the next generation of family historians. Sometimes they are easy to spot. They’re the ones usually asking the most questions. At other times, you may realize they have organizational or technical skills that lend themselves to preserving and sharing information.

Once you find this person, don’t do a data dump right away. Build a bond, offer to share what you know, and commit to keeping in contact on a more regular basis.

If you want more genealogy tips for family gatherings, check out our 2022 list!