Unsure of what to get the historian in your life? Don’t worry – TRG has you covered! We’ve rounded up some stellar gift ideas to help you out. Just don’t wait too long to shop as the holidays are quickly approaching.

History By Mail

Let’s start with the TRG team’s favorite option on the list (hint hint to our family and friends). This subscription service sends replicas of primary source historical documents from “the best archives in the world,” along with contextual pages that provide more insight. You can purchase a customizable plan that allows you to choose the length of subscription and historical themes such as inventions or foreign diplomacy. Subscriptions are currently 10% off with the code HOLIDAYS.

National Archives Store

The National Archives Store has gifts for historians of all ages, and purchases support the National Archives museum exhibits and education outreach. This year, we’re partial to the Kentanji Brown Jackson socks, Constitution Quest Board Game, and the kids early-reader chapter series Capital Mysteries. If you’re having trouble deciding what to buy, we suggest checking out the Gift Guide. Be sure to shop by December 21 and use the GIFTGUIDE22 code to receive 20% off your purchase.

Personalized Swag from Etsy

There are endlessly fun history-related gift options to peruse on Etsy. We love the wide array of vintage and historic maps, many of which are printed on archival quality paper and some even include a frame. Looking for a great gift for a history teacher or professor? The catchy slogans printed on apparel and coffee mugs, among other everyday objects, are both affordable and thoughtful. Just don’t wait too long to choose as the independent sellers on Etsy typically don’t offer two-day shipping.

Books

Indisputable fact: history buffs of yesteryear and today love to read. But how can you find the book that satisfies your historian’s endless thirst for knowledge about their favorite subject? Thankfully, there are multiple “best history books of the year” lists to consult. You might find Kirkus Reviews’ rundown of the best U.S. History books helpful. Smithsonian Magazine’s list includes other titles that delve into timely topics of American history and is also peppered with a few worldly options. The year’s best historical fiction can be found on BookRiot’s Top 10 list. Books make great last-minute gift options, so pop into your local bookstore or opt for overnight delivery from Amazon if you must (your loved ones never have to know you ordered just in time!). Alternatively, gift a Book of the Month subscription, which can be curated by genres, including history and historical fiction.

Storyworth

This is the most personal gift on our list and is sure to inspire your family members to share what they know about their – and your – family history. We’re contacted by amateur genealogists from time to time who are on the hunt for the puzzle pieces that will fill in the informational gaps about their family. We can help track down immigration records, newspaper articles about long lost relatives, and the like, but we can’t capture the more recent, present-day tidbits from those who know it best – their loved ones. Enter Storyworth, which helps subscribers tell their personal story via weekly email prompts that are then compiled into a bound hardcover book at the end of the year. Subscriptions are currently $10 off through January 1, 2023.