How This Mother’s Day Gift Can Bring Families Closer Together

When you’re starting a family, it’s only natural to wonder about your own heritage and the traits you’re passing on to your future children. That was certainly the case for Marcel and Anastacia Kasmer — especially now that they’re parents with a toddler and twins on the way. Like many moms and mothers-to-be, Anastacia thought Ancestry® could help her and her husband learn more about their family history — and that’s exactly why it’s an ideal Mother’s Day gift for any mom in your life.

Both Anastacia and Marcel come from close-knit families — in fact, both of their parents have been married for more than 40 years. The excitement (and surprise) of the news that the couple would be expecting twins added to their desire to know more about their families and each other. “I was shocked when I learned I was having twins,” says Anastacia. “I never thought of twins, in a million years.” However, through Ancestry, she discovered that twins actually ran on both sides of her family.

With AncestryDNA®, Anastacia also learned that her DNA is rooted in the Northern Philippines on her mother’s side, with her father’s side of the family coming from Western Africa as well as a smaller percentage from Western Europe. Being able to dive deep into her cultural background was especially important for Anastacia as she prepares to raise her own kids. Growing up in a multiracial family, “it’s kind of hard to feel a certain identity with one ethnicity or the other, but it’s really important for me to maintain that connection to my culture,” Anastacia says.

Ancestry also gave Anastacia a deeper look into the mothers in her lineage. Now knowing that she is expecting twins, Anastacia had a newfound interest in learning more about the mothers who came before her. Growing up, Anastacia’s mother, Ann, told her about her great-grandmother, Brigida Novela. Brigida’s dream was to get all of her children to the United States and Anastacia saw her as a pillar of strength and resilience. With the help of Ancestry, Anastacia and Ann were able to uncover a never-before-seen image of Brigida, which inspired Anastacia to reflect on the generations of strong women she descends from. Being able to actually see what her great-grandmother looked like was especially powerful for Anastacia as a mother herself. Learning about the journey her ancestors had to make gave Anastacia a renewed perspective on motherhood and on how she wants to incorporate their narrative into her parenting. “It’s not even just my great-grandmother, it’s the generations before her — that spirit that is carried through,” she says.

As their family grows, Anastacia and Marcel are incorporating their history into the way they raise their children. The couple even decorated the twins’ nursery with a gallery wall filled with photos of ancestors like Brigida and other historical documents they found through Ancestry to ensure their heritage remains a part of their family’s future. “That’s how I think of motherhood with my children. It’s the strength that my great-grandmothers and grandmothers had,” Anastacia says. “I want my kids to feel all of that too.”

For this coming Mother’s Day, gifting the moms in your life an Ancestry Gift Membership is a deeply sentimental way of sharing the power of culture and heritage with the people you love. Ancestry offers the ability to build an interactive family tree and search through billions of records, including photos and documents from around the world, as well as Ancestry Hints to help guide their research. “As we mature and get older, whether or not you have children or you’re married, understanding your identity becomes more important,” says Anastacia. “I think also just in the cultural climate today — you’re giving more than just an [AncestryDNA] test. It’s like you’re giving someone a history to their life, to their family, to their culture. It’s a gift that keeps on giving in a sense.”

To give you a few Mother’s Day gift ideas for all the moms in your life, Marcel and Anastacia shared a few gifts they’ll be giving alongside an Ancestry Gift Membership this year. For Mother’s Day, Ancestry Gift Membership are on sale for up to 30 percent off and AncestryDNA is now $40 off through through May 14. Scroll through their selections below for Mother’s Day shopping inspiration.

  • AncestryDNA®

    $59

    Buy Now

    Ancestry® Gift Membership

    $95+

    Buy Now

    Meyer Lemon Tree

    $70

    Buy Now

  • Mom, I Want to Hear Your Story

    $18

    Buy Now

    Custom Handwriting ID Necklace

    $200

    Buy Now

    Custom Illustrated Family Portrait

    $40

    Buy Now

  • Everyday Photo Book

    $62

    Buy Now

    Digital Photo Frame with Unlimited Cloud Storage

    $179

    Buy Now

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