Guest Author - Cindy Kessler

They’re always the ones that are hardest to shop for… They’ve got a passion for history, but it seems like they’ve also got everything else under the sun already! This year’s fad gift just won’t do. So, what do you buy the history lover who already has everything? Why not consider these humble suggestions!

Books
Ok, I know what you’re thinking – been there, done that. But with a little creative searching, there are amazing finds out there! One of my favorites is the “Smelly Old History” series. These scratch-and-sniff history books are not easy to find, but with titles including “Roman Aromas,” “Victorian Vapors,” and “Tudor Odors” even adults will have fun reliving the odiferous past!

Living History
For those that may be more “hands on” than “nose to the grindstone” you may want to pick a living history gift. Maybe you organize a trip to a local living history park or re-enactment. Perhaps you can give an antique that would have been essential in a historic home. Or, if you’re really crafty, you might be able to build (or find, they’re available for purchase, too) recreations of period clothing. Some cities even offer holiday balls where costume dress is encouraged so you can show off the fancy frocks! If you live close to a living history museum, are looking for a gift that will keep on giving, and you know the giftee has some free time, you may want to consider getting in contact with the volunteer coordinator – they always need people who are willing to spend some time living in the past!

Museum Membership
If your history buff has a favorite place to while away the hours, why not see if you can make them a member – or make a charitable donation in their name. Usually when a donation is made it is in some way memorialized within the organization. I don’t know of a history buff who wouldn’t be glad to know that their name and passion will be saved for posterity!

History Gift Packs
It’s about time! Now from GreatHistoryGifts.com you can simply select gifts based on your giftee’s favorite time period. Check out their selection of History Gift Sets HERE!

Ancient History in a Box
Do you have an Archaeologist- or Paleontologist-in-training? Why not get them an excavation kit? A lot of different companies are offering these now – you can dig up everything from Egyptian mummies to Tyrannosaurs Rex, and learn a little about digs in the process!

Out of Ideas?
If you simply have run out of ideas, there is always one last option: Gifts.com and shop.history.com both have gift guides where you can search for just the right thing to match their interests!

Happy History Hunting!