Family history research is not only a completely fascinating hobby, but it's also one of the best gifts you could leave your children and future generations. Our culture is a lens that we need to view our world. Embedding special traditions into our holidays makes life more meaningful and gives us a certain sense of pride. The music, the language, the dress and the activities of our ancestors has been passed down from generation to generation to keep particular cultures alive, even in the New World. A great way to begin tracing your family lineage is by purchasing software like Familytreemaker 2009, which is offered through www.ancestry.com.

There are two main versions of Familytreemaker 2009; the Deluxe Edition and the Platinum Edition. Deluxe gives you a three-month subscription to www.ancestry.com, 15% off a family history book or poster and access to 16 family history books. The platinum edition offers a six month Ancestry subscription, 10% off keepsakes and access to 10 family history reference books. With both versions you'll get 25% off DNA testing, which turns out to be a $50 value, to tie up all your loose ends. Beginners may also wish to purchase the Family Tree Maker Essentials for less than $20.

There are many special bonus features available with Familytreemaker 2009. For instance, you can add world events to an individual's timeline with one click, which will enable you to understand the circumstances that shaped your relative's motivations and life path. The "web clipper" feature will let you add newspaper clippings, obituaries and other documents into your tree. You'll receive CDs that contain historical family histories reference books, but you'll also have access to the tremendous compendium of knowledge listed at www.ancestry.com. The best part is that, once you enter people's names into your family tree, the program will alert you (with green leaves no less) when there is more available information or documents for that individual!

The "Top Ten Reviews" website awarded Familytreemaker 2009 their Silver Award, second only to Legacy Family Tree. The Consumer Search site also ranks Legacy in their Top 5 Genealogy Software, but not Family Tree Maker. Critics say that the Legacy software is "powerful" and "intuitive," making it perhaps the easiest program to use. Reports can be translated into different languages for Old World family members, which is unique to Legacy. The automated mapping feature that works with Microsoft Virtual Earth is a great way to trace your ancestry around the world. There are search capacities built into Legacy, whereas Familytreemaker requires you to visit www.ancestry.com to use their databases. Also, the standard edition of Legacy is free, making it a great choice for beginners, and users can easily upgrade to the Deluxe edition to get the added features, without losing any saved information.

Technorati Tags: Family Tree, Familytreemaker Software