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Photos make the best gifts. Remember the handmade photo ornaments you made in preschool with your school photo in the center of a star or as the face of snowman? And are those ornaments still brought out and put on the tree years later? You bet!
This is my yearly list, with a few edits for 2024, of my favorite ways to give unique and meaningful gifts that make your photos, new or old, the star of the season.
Day 1: Holiday Cards
The Christmas card has been around almost as long as photography, both dating back to the mid-1800's. And custom photo cards became the norm with the transition of film photography to digital.
Whether it's a photo from a professional family photo session or a candid from vacation, designing and send photo Christmas cards is a simple gesture that connects you to the people on your Christmas list and beyond. Over the years, I've used Sam's Club, Costco, Wal-Mart, Shutterfly, Diversified Lab and Minted to print my Christmas cards. The choices and budget options are endless and the process is fairly simple. And if you order by the first week of December, you should have plenty of time to get them in the mail. But if you're like me and are just getting your family session finished, a New Year card can be a nice surprise after Christmas.
Day 2: Photo Ornaments
Commemorate the year's biggest moments or display your family portraits on a photo ornament. Heirloom photos are great for ornaments too! My next project may be to pick a few of my favorite photos from Christmas Past to display on the tree. Popular online photo labs have many options to choose from, like a classic brass frame or a metal double-sided ornament. You can always find ornaments frames and add your own photo like these fun and inexpensive frames. Or, you could go really old-school and get out the popsicle sticks and glitter to make a one-of-a-kind handmade, just like we did in preschool.
Day 3: Framed Photos
If you've been working on organizing your photos, you've probably found some hidden gems that deserve to be on display. A beautiful frame that holds a special photo may be the perfect gift for just about anyone. Formal photos are most people's go-to for framing, but a snapshot can be just as frame-worthy.
Day 4: Black and White Print Sets
Choose a collection of photos from a special event, trip or milestone. Print them in black and white at your favorite lab and place them in simple frames. This idea can work for every room in every house.
Day 5: Enlarge and frame a favorite travel photo
A beautiful beach
A winding mountain road.
An incredible city skyline.
Look through your photos, old or new, and choose a scenic view to make into art for your favorite travel companion.
Day 6: Desk or Wall Calendar
Birthday months of grandkids
Baby’s First Year
Seasonal Landscapes
Old photo or recent make for unique and thoughtful gifts for grandparents, new parents, or anyone who spends time at a desk.
Day 7: Photobooks
Everyone loves a photo album. The feeling of flipping through the pages and rediscovering photos and memories from years or decades ago.
Completed photobooks make wonderful gifts, but time isn't always on our side. It's hard to finish a book before Christmas; impossible if you're trying to include the whole year. So a gift certificate to a diy service may be perfect for some, while a gift certificate to have the book designed and printed may be a better for others.
I've created some truly unique travel photobooks for clients in 2024. Travel is one of the most popular topics for photobooks, but the ideas for making these books are endless.
Who do you know that would love to received a photobook this Christmas, New Year or Valentine's Day?
Day 8: Special Memories
Watch Me Grow or Remember When can be great inspiration for a photo gift.
These acrylics print frames are a fun stocking stuffer for all ages.
Day 9: Get yourself in the photos
If you're the person in charge of photos, I'll bet you're not in very many of them. (I'm not sure if selfies count). I am just as guilty as the next busy elf.
Christmas morning, I make a point to be part of the photos. I would set up my "good camera" and get out the remote. And take a ton of candid photos of our complete family enjoying those moments.
If you don't have a little a tripod that can hold your phone, I think it's time to ask for one. There are a million version of gadgets that can help you get in front of the camera, with your family and in your own photos.
Be visible in the memories. Your family will thank you for it later.
Day 10: 2024 Video
How many little snippets of video to you have on your phone? As I’ve been doing more video conversion, I’m becoming more aware of the videos I make and where they will end up.
I’ve started making compilations of the videos on my phone, by month or year, that I can stream on tv and watch in a longer session. I think these will become popular as our kids, the generation who knows video to either be on phone or streamed, have more video content to save.
Day 11: Preserve your Prints
Magnetic album. Tape. Glue. Acidic papers.
These are some common tools and album supplies that may be slowly damaging your print photos. If the photos and pages are discolored, it’s time to take a look at different storage solutions for your family’s older photos.
As you spend time with loved ones this holiday season, will you look through old photos?
I provide complete photo management services for digital, print and video. If thoughts of planning for the new year are already on your mind I would love to help you get your photos organized in 2025!
Day 12: Find the Memories
While it's not easy to wrap up neatly and put under the tree, taking care of your old photos and videos can be a perfect gift that will be loved by family of every age.
Dig out an old print of you or your parents as children and put it in a frame.
Compile a photo album of babies growing up.
Find the old videos and watch them together.
As you spend time with loved ones this holiday season, bring the photo album or the video camera. Snuggle in with the stories that old images bring.
Enjoy this time with family and friends.
If would love to help with any of your Christmas or New Year projects,
I'm just an email away at amy@recollectphotomanager.com
Or reach out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/recollectphotos
Happy Holidays!
Amy
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