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Discovering Your Family Tree |
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The idea of a family means many things to different cultures and people. There is your family of origin, meaning the family whose blood you share and whose history is in your DNA, sometimes the family you were raised with, sometimes not. Family can mean a group of genetically related or non-related people who live together. Family can even mean a group of close friends to some people. Oftentimes families get together to celebrate the holidays, birthdays, weddings and other momentous occasions together and many times they do not. Whatever family means to you, it may be grounding to study your own family . As people age, they tend to look back on their life and become interested in their family history or genealogy. There are a number of books that can assist in this process and a number of helpful resources . There is even a Family Tree Magazine ! If you are looking for gift ideas for a grandparent or family member, the gift of family history can be a wonderful idea. You can put together a family tree with names and dates or you can assemble a handmade (or store bought) book with pages for each individual family member. It is interesting to include as many photos as possible. If photos of family members are not available, another alternative is to use photos of relevant locations, such as photos of homes or churches. Assembling a collection of information about family history can help people connect with their own identity and understand who they are and where they come from. It is not only a wonderful gift to give others, but a very special gift to give to yourself.
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Communication 
