The Ultimate Holiday Gift...add family memories

So it's getting to be that time again.... Christmas... no, I'm not counting down (69 days, 10 hours, 34 minutes).

I recently shared a holiday gift idea with a friend of mine, and it was so successful that I thought it was worth a blog entry... the ultimate holiday DIY gift... framing family history.

When it comes to gifts, I've found that if you can infuse sentimentality, they become priceless. I've learned this more and more throughout the years as a family biographer. So this holiday season, here's a great way to give a priceless gift to your loved ones. Create a framed masterpiece, like this...


I presented this framed family history gift to my mom last Christmas and inside it had:

• A special picture of her parents
• A pair of their hankies (that were bought on a special trip to Ireland together)
• A love note my grandpa wrote to my grandmother "My Wife, Since I have been able to say that, life has never been so pleasant."

It was truly one of the best gifts ever, because now my mom has the chance to enjoy that memory every day.

Here's how it unfolded last year:

(Can't miss the tears in Mom's eyes in this one!)

So if you are already trying to come up with the ultimate Christmas gifts for your loved ones - follow these steps to make your framed family history gift, or just buy a custom family biography from me!

Step 1: Choose the mementos, which might include: photos, newspaper articles, letters, pictures of family heirlooms, certificates, etc.

Step 2: Go buy a frame from a local craft store (you can always get them 50% off). Make sure the frame will be large enough for your mementos to fit!

Step 3: Find a framing store and bring along your mementos and frame. In San Antonio I really like working with Kurt Youngblood's. A good framer will help you pick the right color mattes and cut them to size. To save some extra money you can buy the custom matte through them and assemble it yourself!

That's it! Then wrap it up and present your priceless gift! I promise there won't be a dry eye in the house!

Here's a picture of my friend Kristen's final piece - she said it was a great success! Let me know if I can help you all in any way!