Gifts for genealogists - Update

Chanukah's right around the corner, and the genealogists in your family would be happy to receive these eight presents - or even just one of them. They may not taste as good as latkes, but they are definitely lower in calories than delicious sufganiot (doughnuts).

What does your favorite genealogist really, really want?

Practical ideas include:

1. A digital camera - I've just joined the digital revolution, and don't know why it took so long!

2. A portable scanner. Always useful for those doing onsite research.

3. Paying the annual dues for your family genealogist's favorite Jewish genealogical society, or the registration fee for the upcoming 27th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy this summer in Salt Lake City.

4. Take a look at some of the light-hearted gen items listed on fun Web sites for genealogists, such as Fun Stuff for Genealogists or JMK Genealogy.

5. For big spenders, who want to give the gift that keeps on giving, how about a subscription for unlimited access to the Ancestry collection, which can get rather pricey.

6. What about a family gift of a group trip back to someone's roots, whether in Rhodes, Spain, Poland or elsewhere?

7. For your intrepid older researcher, who may not be so mobile in cold winter climates, send along a box of writable CDs or even something as mundane as a carton of printer paper. These things are heavy to shlep ... and in the snow and ice, a real problem.

8. There are an increasing number of Jewish genealogy books out there. Go to Avotaynu and choose one for your favorite researcher.

9. Make the gift of genes with genetic genealogy tests for members of your own tribe at Family Tree DNA.

10. How about gifting an online genealogy class run by a group of experienced online instructors? Basic Jewish Genealogy will be offered in February, followed by Jewish Internet Research. More general classes include organizing your research, writing your family history, finding lost friends and family, adoption investigation and various ethnic specialties (Scottish, Native American, etc.). The four-week classes offer a detailed curriculum, online class meetings and much more, taught by instructors who were all formerly with MyFamily.com.

Readers are invited to chime in with their own wish lists, so please add your comments to this post.