The Gift of a Family Tree

Tips on Creating a Large Family Tree Template as a Gift for Family Members

Suzie Kolber, creator of ObituariesHelp.org offered to provide my readers with some tips and templates for creating a large family tree to give as a gift. Here is what she has to say:

A large family tree framed and presented as a gift is a wonderful way to honor a person. It is the ideal choice for a milestone birthday or anniversary and has a lot of meaning. It can be difficult to choose the right template with so many options. The right one for your family may be different from what would work for someone else.

 

Consider Presentation

Since the family tree will most likely be prominently displayed, it should have a nice visual presentation. A circular family tree provides a continuous, symmetrical design that looks nice when framed. A fan is another option that appears like a piece of artwork when hung.

Another choice is the bowtie family tree chart if you want to include both sides of a family member. This is ideal for anniversaries where you would feature the married couple in the center and branch off for both of their families. Since there will be a lot of information or a long list of names, you want the shape to stand out even if someone doesn't take the time to read the words.

Consider Information

To choose the right template for your gift, you have to consider how much information you want to include. This will influence the selection as to which style works best. If you only plan to include photos or a name and birthdate, a family tree with oval spaces will look nice. If you want more information included such as birth, marriage and death dates, lines or boxes will be more practical.

The landscape and pedigree styles are the most traditional. They can hold a lot of information in a way that is easy to follow. If you are giving this gift to a couple who did not have children, you may want to use a partner family tree. It allows you to trace the history on both sides of the family with the couple as the starting point.

Keep these tips in mind when designing a family tree print as a gift:

• ·         Choose a template that doesn't have a lot of holes that are glaringly obvious – you don't want to highlight missing people or unusual circumstances that may make people uncomfortable

• ·         Remember that your family tree chart doesn't have to be an 8x11 piece of paper; it can be as large as you need it to be to fit the information

• ·         Consider making it vibrant with a colored background but choose a shade that doesn't take away from the information or make it difficult to read

• ·         Find free templates online and try out different ones – you only know when something works once you see it

A family tree chart is a fabulous gift that many people will appreciate. It is a gift from the heart and one that is personal to the recipient but that others can enjoy. Be willing to play with different styles to find the one that fits your needs. 

Suzie Kolber

Suzie created ObituariesHelp to be the complete online resource for “do it yourself” genealogy projects, where you can find printable templates of all kinds and sizes.

The site is a not for profit website dedicated to offering free resources for those that are trying to trace their family history.