No matter the reason for your family celebration, a printed family tree can be an important part of the event. You can use it in so many ways to show your love for family and history.

How to Include the Family Tree

One of the best ways to include the family tree is by giving it as a gift. Print it out on lightly colored paper and frame it with a nice picture frame. It makes a lovely gift for a wedding, baby shower, birthday or anniversary. Just make sure to include the recipient in the family tree.

Another option is to make it the centerpiece. Place it on a table or hang it on the wall in the party room. Use fun or elegant fonts and colored paper to ensure it stands out. With so many different family tree templates to choose from, you can select a simple one that includes only names and basic information.

Make the Family Tree Part of Your Speech

At many of these events, it’s expected for someone to give a speech. Include the family tree by mentioning past family members. Maybe you want to include Uncle Phil’s famous jokes or Grandma Jane’s delicious chocolate chip cookies when you’re talking about all your family means to you.

If you’ve done some research on other generations, you can also include that information. Maybe you found out that great-great-uncle Joe was one of two sets of twins from his parents. Mention that in a speech to your sister at her baby shower. Even if no one else is into the genealogical research, they’ll surely appreciate the information you discover from your efforts.

Make the Family Tree Part of the Games

If you like to add games to your events, the family tree will make a perfect addition. Place it out for everyone to see, but don’t say anything. When it comes time for the game, put away the family tree and ask questions about it. You can also create copies of the family tree with blanks for some or all of the names. Whoever adds in the most names correctly or answers the most questions would be the winner.

You can probably come up with other games that incorporate your family tree. This allows your family to learn about their own history in a fun way. After all, you’ve done all the research work. It’s also a great way to share your love of family and help everyone get to know each other.

Family trees are an integral part of genealogical research, but they don’t have to stop there. You can find different ways to bring the information to life in a family celebration. Instead of storing it away when you’re done your research never to see it again, find unique ways to incorporate it into family events to help everyone remember what makes your family special. Even if people don’t get the idea behind researching your ancestry, they’ll love getting to learn more about the people they love.

Suzie Kolber created to be the complete online resource for “do it yourself” genealogy projects. The site offers the largest offering of family tree chart online. The site is a not for profit website dedicated to offering free resources for those that are trying to trace their family history.