Imagine your family opening a package next Christmas and finding a book about their ancestors.
Perhaps they will see their grandparents’ marriage record, complete with their signatures. They turn the page to find a postcard from the street where grandmother grew up and a photograph of the church where her family worshiped for centuries.
Military records show that great-grandpa was 1.67 m (5’6″) tall, with brown hair and blue eyes, and was exempted from military service because of a limp. A newspaper reports him winning a skating match as a young boy and tells about the accident with the dog-cart that may have caused his limp.
They may read about the failed crops that contributed to grandfather’s decision to emigrate, and see the passenger list that shows him arriving in his new country.
A book like that is not just a Christmas gift, it’s an heirloom.
Credits underlying photo: Willem van der Poll, Nationaal Archief (CC-BY-SA)
Give your family the gift of genealogy
If you are anything like me, finding thoughtful gifts for your parents or spouse can be difficult, since they have it all. Why not give them the gift of genealogy this year?
If you contact me now, there is enough time for me to research your Dutch ancestors before Christmas, which will come around sooner than you think. I could send you a report with scans and English abstracts of the original documents if you want to make the book yourself, or I can create a custom book for you.
If you are excited about having such a book made for your family, please contact me to discuss your project.
What stories can I find for you?
About Yvette Hoitink
