The Year Ahead – January 18

In the January/February 2024 issue of Family Tree Magazine, they have introduced The Year Ahead, 366 genealogy tips will make 2024 your best research year yet by Lisa A Alzo. Lisa mapped out a day-by-day research plan.

January 18 – Use holiday cards and family newsletters to update your relatives’ contact information. Make sure everyone knows how to reach you, too.

I have noticed that the number of holiday cards I received have gone down drastically. I send out almost 40 cards every year and get about 20 back. I think I only received one family newsletter and it was a friend’s newsletter.

I now use Facebook as a way of updating my tree and keeping in contact with relatives. When a cousin posts “Happy Birthday” to their child, I now have a birthdate. If they give me their age too, I have the year. They may post pictures of their grandchildren too. I have made a general source labelled Facebook and will record, who posted the information, what day they posted it. I even can take a snapshot of the post using the snipping tool on my computer or take a picture using my phone and sending the picture to my email.

Think of the many ways we can stay in contact with our relatives. When I moved in 2020, I made sure my Christmas Cards had my new address on the inside of the card, not just on the envelope. When I see a post on Facebook that someone moved, I send them a private message asking for their new address. Sometimes, I even use county tax records to find their current address.

Remember to have fun and Just Do Genealogy!