Looking for a gift that’s as special as the person you’re gifting it to? Consider giving the gift of story from Modern Heirloom Books!

Here are a few ideas, including a FREE option, a one-of-a-kind luxury gift, a stocking stuffer, and two that are exclusive to the 2022 holiday season:

The best luxury memory-keeping gift

Capture their story: custom heirloom book

We’ll turn a 90-minute interview into a handcrafted book preserving their (or your) memories and photos forever.

Gift a loved one with an interview session and let them know you care about hearing their stories, or tell your own story as a gift for the next generation. A perfect option for capturing transformative times in a life—their years of military service, how they met their partner, surviving cancer, moving across the country…choose any theme that will yield engaging stories as part of a family legacy.

You will receive a gift certificate packaged beautifully for your gift recipient. The amount will cover their One-Hour Heirloom in full, or can be applied to a larger life story book or other customized project.

Includes:

• interview prep questionnaire

• 90-minute audio interview with professional personal historian

• digitization & retouching of up to 20 photographs

• editing & designing heirloom book

• luxurious fabric-covered printed heirloom book

Cost: $1,750

Optional add-ons:

• digital version of book on crystal flash drive: + $25

• additional photographs or interview hours (inquire about rates)

The best gifts exclusive to the 2022 holiday season (grab them while you can!)

THE HEART OF THE MATTER: 90-Minute Personal History AUDIO Interview

Whether you want to be interviewed yourself or invite a family member to share their stories, this entry-level personal history interview is a wonderful option. Your interview will be conducted either in person (for those in the greater New York metro area) or over the phone.

The interview subject will have the choice of focusing on one topic (becoming a parent, say, or their years living abroad, serving in the military, or following their passion—any theme that resonates!) or following a more general life-in-review interview format.

The deliverable for this package is an unedited digital audio recording (which in itself is a wonderful piece of personal history, but it may also serve as the basis for a book or edited oral history down the road).

Includes:

• interview prep questionnaire

• 90-minute audio interview with professional personal historian

• digital audio file (online delivery)

Cost: $219

Optional add-ons:

• delivery on crystal flash drive: + $25

• written transcript of interview: + $150

LOVE IN A BOX: Photo Digitization

Whether you’ve got a shoe box filled with old pictures or a stack of family photo albums, turn those print photos into shareable digital images. You’ll have the security of knowing your photos are preserved plus the ease of sharing them online. And hey, you can always turn them into a book later!

Note: I typically only digitize photos as part of an heirloom book package. So if you’re thinking about converting all those print pictures to digital, now is the time to act! (You can buy a holiday gift certificate now and redeem it for scanning any time within the 2023 calendar year.)

Includes: High-resolution scanning, basic retouching, online delivery

Cost: $1 per photo

Optional add-ons:

• delivery on crystal flash drive: + $25

• specialized retouching: cost determined on case-by-case basis

STOCKING STUFFER OR HOST GIFT: A Taste of the Past Recipe Card Set

Our recipe card set goes above and beyond capturing ingredients and cooking instructions for your family’s favorite foods. Open the cards to reveal space to record memories of these foods, too!

Is it a recipe handed down through generations on your mom’s side? Was it your child’s go-to meal as a toddler? Does the smell remind you of Thanksgivings past, Nanna’s kitchen, or early memories in a special home?

Cards measure 4x6 inches when folded, designed to fit in most standard recipe boxes, and come beautifully packaged in an elegant drawstring pouch perfect for gifting the host at your next holiday gathering!

Includes:

• ten fold-over recipe/memory cards

• ten additional 4x6-inch cards for even more memories and notes

• bonus “Recipe for Remembering” pages with tips for getting your family involved, how to delve into and preserve your food-related memories, and specific ways to make the most of your family history set.

Cost: $30 + shipping

The best DIY memory-keeping gift that’s FREE!

DIY KIT: All you need to interview your loved one yourself

Why not interview your mother, father, grandparent, or other loved one for their stories? I assure you this will be a gift for BOTH of you! That time spent together, uninterrupted, exploring your family member’s experiences and life lessons is invaluable, fostering greater connection and preserving family history at the same time.

And it will cost you nothing but time! I am happy to offer these resources to you free of charge—all I ask is that you actually put them to use; don’t let them sit around indefinitely. Because time is of the essence. And you know what? I am willing to bet this is such a life-affirming experience for you that, hey, you just may do it again with another family elder!

Includes:

• printable gift certificate for your personal use

• two interview guides: Family History Questions (for adult interviewers) & The Kid Kit (for young interviewers capturing their grandparents’ stories)

Cost: FREE

No matter how you spend the holidays, may your season be filled with joy, love, and new memories!