For most people, their family including grandparents, parents, siblings, children and grandchildren are very important. They say that you can choose your friends but not your family, but the majority of people are more than happy with the family that they have. From days out, going away on holiday, having a party, and enjoying a meal together, there are many great times to be had with your family. But what about those members of the family that are no longer with us? They are just as special and, of course, are fondly remembered. Past generations of family members that we weren’t fortunate enough to meet, usually because they died before we were born, are equally as important, in reality, as they also helped shape the person we are today. This is why it can be so interesting to look back into the past and create a family tree. With websites and apps such as FamilySearch, Find My Past, Ancestry, and Geni, people are able to locate and find out information about family members who lived hundreds of years ago.
The framing of a family tree
It usually takes a lot of time to create your family tree but there is no rush to complete it. Instead of seeing it as a chore, it is something that is likely to be a great deal of fun and as mentioned before very interesting to do.
Once you have finished it is a good idea to frame the family tree. This will then create a kind of legacy for them and will help to keep them in our thoughts. For younger generations of our family such as our children and grandchildren they can see the names, places of birth, occupations, date of birth and other information of their great-grandparents and even people who lived before they did. It can also help them to understand their roots and to discover the relationships between relatives. These things are not only interesting to the person creating the family tree, but they are also of interest to the whole family.
Seeing this family tree proudly displayed in your home can help to strengthen the family bond and give a whole new sense of pride and belonging to each member.
There is the added advantage of it being a fabulous decorative item which is likely to enhance the room it is placed in.
The ideal gift
A couple of years ago on Christmas Day, my brother gave each member of his immediate family the same gift. Yes, you’ve guessed it, it was a family tree! I remember thinking at the time that this was probably one of the best gifts that I had ever received. Of all the picture frames that are hung on my walls, this is the one that the visitors to my house are drawn to the most. My friends virtually always go over and take a read of it when they visit, even though they have seen it many times before. It has even encouraged a couple of them to create their own family tree!