Christmas Heirloom: 6 Best Gifts to Be Passed Down Through Generations

Christmas heirloom heirloom gifts Christmas Gift Keepster constellation map Dollhouse family recipes video tribute Tribute.Co wooden chessboard

By Lilian Scott , Parent Herald Dec 02, 12:20 pm

Choosing a Christmas gift can be a challenging task, especially for family members who may not be easy to shop for. While a personalized gift with their names inscribed on it may appear unique, giving a Christmas heirloom present may have a better and lasting impact.

An heirloom is an item of extreme value that can be passed down through generations. Most people think that heirlooms have to be expensive, but there are heaps of practical pieces that do not need to have such a high price tag.

Here are some Christmas heirloom suggestions to give family members this holiday:

1. Turn digital messages into books or saved backups.

Keepster allows you to turn special messages from your parents or children into a lovely book that can be handed down to the grandchildren. If your family has a group chat with some of the most interesting conversations, the next generation can relive or memorialize these moments with the Keepster memento, which can accept any chat format from most platforms.

2. Mark sentimental moments with a constellation map.

Over at Etsy, an online store called OurLoveWasBorn creates a very personalized constellation map that shows how the stars aligned during sentimental moments in the family, such as a parents' birthday or a sibling's wedding. According to the creator behind this gift, it's a special reminder of how "they are an amazing gift to the world."

3. Secure family recipes as beautiful and useful keepsakes.

Using Keepster's services, you can also have special family recipes printed as a book to give to your children and their children. However, you can also find other stores on Esty that can preserve these recipes beyond the usual notebook or index cards and turn them into useful or artful pieces such as a tea towel, a pie plate, a mug, or a glass tray. Similarly, you can also preserve letters, diary or journal entries into other decorative pieces that can be displayed in the homes of your future grandchildren.

4. Create a video tribute.

Sometimes the best gift isn't an item but a well-meaning message or advice, and you can compile these messages using Tribute.Co. Maybe grandpa wants to leave an important message to his heirs, or a dad wants to provide guidance to his young son, who will be a father someday as well. What's nice about this platform is that there are no length limits to the video messages, and the user can easily edit and the footage like it's been professionally done.

5. Give young daughters the ultimate dollhouse.

Dollhouses are traditionally heirloom gifts, especially if they have been made using the finest wooden construction. According to auctioneers, those made of high-quality materials and excellent craftsmanship fetch the most prices under the hammer, and they remain popular and highly coveted in Holland, Germany, or Belgium.

6. Give your sons a smooth wooden chessboard.

Generations of families will enjoy playing with a sturdy and long-lasting chessboard. The Christmas holiday could also be the best time to teach the children about the game as chess teaches kids to focus, problem-solve and muster patience. It could become a yearly family tradition and competition.