A family tree gift for a new baby or christening
The baby as the root person, with parents, grandparents and great-grandparents above: a printed poster that shows the family this child was born into.
For a birth there are baby clothes, music boxes and photo books. A family tree is a gift that will still hang on the wall in ten or twenty years, and that the child will one day read for themselves: what their grandparents were called, where their great-grandparents came from, which first names keep coming back in the family.
It suits grandparents who want to give their first grandchild something lasting, godparents at a christening, and parents decorating the nursery. And because the poster is made from real data, it shows exactly this family, not a template with placeholders.
Which template suits a baby
For a newborn there is one natural direction: the ancestors. Heritage Oak places the child at the foot of a painted tree (oak, olive, linden or apple), with parents and grandparents growing into the crown. With a white or sage background the poster looks light and calm; parchment and linen are warmer.
Modern Clean shows the same ancestor chart in a clear, graphic way: the child at the bottom, each generation in its own row above, the father’s and mother’s lines in different colours. Older siblings can stand next to the baby if you like. Heritage Fan, the ancestor fan, places the child in the middle of a semicircle, and each generation forms a ring. It looks more like a graphic print than a tree.
- Heritage Oak: the child at the trunk, the family in the crown, for a classic nursery
- Modern Clean: clear rows, both lines in colour, siblings if you like
- Heritage Fan: the child in the centre, the ancestors in a semicircle
The data: usually quicker to gather than you think
For a baby the first generations are easy to fill: two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents. Grandparents usually know their own parents, often with birth years and places. If you are a godparent and want to keep the surprise, ask the grandparents rather than the parents.
In the wizard you enter the child first, then the parents, then their parents; fill in what you know and leave unknown fields empty. Three to four generations take about ten minutes, and up to 7 generations are possible in total. If a whole branch is missing, for example because a grandfather is unknown, it is simply left out. The poster never prints empty boxes or question marks.
Name, date and a christening line
The title is the family name by default; under “Title & labels” you can change it, for example to the child’s first name. Heritage Oak and Modern Clean add a custom subtitle below, such as “Born 3 May 2026” or “Christened at Whitsun 2026”. A short subtitle reads best; a longer christening verse belongs on the gift card.
Important with a baby: by default the poster prints living people without years. The child’s birth year only appears if you turn off “Protect living persons” in the design step, and that then applies to everyone living on the poster, parents and grandparents included. If you would rather not, simply put the date of birth in the subtitle.
Size and frame for the nursery
With four generations the cards stay large and easy to read even on a small sheet. To the USA and Canada we currently ship framed posters in A4, which holds up to 5 generations depending on the template. The frame is pine wood in black, white or natural, with shatterproof plexiglass instead of glass and a hanging kit. Unframed posters are printed on 250gsm museum paper.
Framed posters reach the USA and Canada 7–12 business days after payment; within Germany, posters take 3–5. You can have it shipped straight to the new parents; the invoice goes to you. With the family link you receive after ordering, the other grandparents can order a copy of their own.
Not all the data yet?
Give a voucher instead. It arrives by e-mail within minutes, together with a card to print, and the recipients design their poster themselves later. It is valid until the end of the third year after purchase.
In time for Christmas
If the poster should be under the tree, these are the deadlines (destination: United States, Christmas 2026):
- Framed: order by 4 December (7–12 business days from payment)
The dates for every destination are in our article on Christmas order deadlines. If you miss the date, a gift voucher arrives by e-mail within minutes.
Frequently asked questions
The baby is not born yet. Can I give something already?
The poster needs the child’s name. Until then you can give a gift voucher that the parents redeem after the birth; it is valid until the end of the third year after purchase.
Does the poster show both families?
Yes. An ancestor chart automatically shows the father’s line and the mother’s line, each as far back as data is known. Modern Clean tells the two lines apart by colour.
Can older siblings be on the poster?
In Modern Clean, yes: under “People & family” you can show the child’s siblings in the same row. Heritage Oak and Heritage Fan show the root person and the ancestors.
Is the poster safe for a nursery?
The frame has shatterproof plexiglass instead of glass and comes with a hanging kit. Even so, hang it on a wall the child can see rather than directly above the cot.
More occasions
Design the baby’s family tree
Upload a GEDCOM file or type the family into the wizard. You see the finished poster before you pay.