Family tree and birthday reminders in one place

A family tree that sends birthday reminders turns a hobby project into something the family uses every week. How it works and what to watch for.

A family tree is usually built once, shared once and then left to gather dust. A birthday calendar is used every week. Put the two together and the tree becomes useful: every birth date becomes a birthday, every wedding date an anniversary and every death date a day of remembrance.

Why combine them?

The data is the same. A tree already knows who was born when, who married whom and who has passed away. Turning that into a calendar costs nothing, and a calendar gives the family a reason to keep the tree up to date: when a baby is born, someone adds the baby, and the next birthday reminder is right.

What a combined app should do

• Show birthdays with ages, and mark milestone years such as 18, 21, 50 and 65.
• Show wedding anniversaries, with names for the milestones (silver at 25 years, golden at 50).
• Keep remembrance days for relatives who have died, switched on or off as the family prefers.
• Send reminders ahead of time, by email and in the app.
• Let relatives maintain their own details, so you are not the only editor.

Privacy comes first

A family tree contains the details of living people. Do not put it on a public site. Look for a system where living relatives are visible to the family only, where each person decides what to share, and where children are only included with a parent’s consent.

Start small

You do not need the whole tree. Start with grandparents, parents, siblings and children. Add relatives as you meet them. A tree that is a little incomplete and used every week beats a complete one nobody looks at.

Next step

You can start a family calendar and build the tree step by step, or read about the Dutch tradition of the birthday calendar that inspired it.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a complete tree?

No. Start with the people you know and add as you go; a small tree you use beats a complete one you do not.

What about living relatives’ privacy?

Living people should be visible to the family only, and each person should decide what to share.

Can I import a tree I already have?

It depends on the app. Ask for a GEDCOM import, and keep an export as a backup.