Perfect gifts for genealogists

Do you have friends who begin reading books by turning to the index? How about ones who are disappointed to find that the subject of a lively conversation is still living? Got any who never saw a cemetery with inhabitants they didn't want to know better?

Sounds like you associate with genealogists.

For them, the best holiday gifts are ones that will help in their hunt for dead relatives. You don't have to break the bank to make a family historian smile. There are gifts at just about all price points that are perfect.

Consider the range of choices below:

--Annual membership in a genealogical, historical or library society. It can be a local, regional or national one. Choose one covering a place where at least some of the genealogists' ancestors lived. Cost: $18-$75.

--Tools such as eyeglass chains; pencil sharpeners; white erasers; compasses and rulers; dome, pocket or sheet magnifiers; highlighters; library bag and zippered plastic case; or thumb drive. Cost; $4-$40.

--"Google Your Family Tree" by Daniel M. Lynch, $35. "Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy" Emily Ann Croom, $20. "Black Roots: A Beginners Guide To Tracing The African American Family Tree" by Tony Burroughs, $21.

--"Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace," $50; "Quicksheet: Citing Online Historical Resources," $6; and "Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian," $40, all by Elizabeth Shown Mills.

--Computer program such as Family Tree Maker, Legacy, RootsMagic or The Master Genealogist for organizing research. Cost: $30-$40.

--Subscription to a Web site used for family history research such as ancestry.com, footnote.com, worldvital records.com, genealogybank.com or the newspaper archive.com. Basic memberships range from about $75-$175.

--National Genealogical Society, community or online genealogy course. They can last from a couple of hours to a couple of years. Fees: $30-$585.

--Registration fee for a state or national genealogical society annual workshop or conference. Cost: $50-$250.

--Genealogy Cruise such as: Legacy Genealogy Cruise; RootsMagic Family History Cruise; and Wholly Genes Genealogy Conference and Cruise would be great. Cost: $850-$3,500.

--A list of podcasts such as "Dear Myrtle's Family History Hour," "The Family Tree Magazine Podcast," "Genealogy Gems Podcast," "Genealogy Guys Podcast" or "Genealogy Tech Podcast." They can be accessed via computer or downloaded onto an MP3 automatically via iTunes. Free.

--Funstuffforgenealogists.com has an array of essential, useful and humorous items. They include family reunion cards, library bags, pins, wall charts, T-shirts and far too many other things to name. Cost: $25 or $50 for gift certificates.

Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com.