Top 10 Photo Holiday Gift Ideas!
**This is NOT a sponsored post but does contain affiliate links (marked by each product) that earn me a small commission if you purchase through the link.There is no additional cost to you but it does give my small business a tiny boost!
Are you looking for the perfect personalized holiday gift? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! Why am I posting this at the beginning of November, when we are still on a sugar high from Halloween? Because while some of the suggestions below are quick and easy, some photo gift ideas take time to create and order so now’s the time to start thinking about them. And, wouldn’t it be great to have some time to really think about the perfect gifts for your friends and family?
I am a big believer in photo holiday gifts (obviously!). Below are my top 10 (actually there are a whole lot more than that, but top 10 has a better ring to it).
Your Face on Legos!
Ok, so maybe you don’t want it to be YOUR face. But you can create a LEGO set from a photo as a gift. My kids were obsessed with LEGOs for most of their childhood, and probably secretly still are. I may have to get one - do you think college kids would like a LEGO set with a pic of mom’s face? 😂😂😂 Maybe not, but I bet they’d love one of the dog. Shhhhh….. Check it out here; maybe with a photo of the family, or the family pet, or even a pic of their favorite LEGO set!
Screenshot from Lego.com.
Photo Frames
Photo frames can be so fun. Order it a bit ahead of time and load it up with your favorite photos. Then after you give it to your recipient, you can continue to send photos and videos to it. My son loves to send jokes to his grandparents’ frames (bad ones, of course). I like this Aura frame or this one from Nixplay (affiliate links).
We gave my parents a Nixplay a few years ago and just yesterday I sent a video of my dog tapping his “water” button to the frame … 😂
Projector Video Streaming
Have lots of videos of your kids that you share with grandparents and other family members by text or email? There’s a better way! Last holiday season I gifted my in-laws with Projector - essentially Netflix for your home movies - and upload videos for them to view on their tv. They could not be with us for my son’s graduation, so I uploaded the videos I took from my phone and they were watching them shortly thereafter on their own tv. I also uploaded the slideshow that I made for the occasion. Want to learn more? Check out our Inside Photo Organizing Podcast (June 1, 2024, Season 2 Episode 12) with Robert Marks, the founder of Projector. Available wherever you get your podcasts, on our YouTube channel, or here.
I have my own Projector account for all our home movies - both new and old. I created a playlist just for my in-laws. This is a gift both you and your giftee will enjoy.
Check out what Projector can do here, then click here for a special 40% discount off of your first year (valid until 12/31/24)!
Even better, get those old tapes digitized and surprise your friends and family with them. Reach out to get the process started. I can even set up and upload them into your own Projector account.
Photo Books
Often when people think “photo book” they automatically think, “I don’t have time for this.” But photo books don’t have to be big and involved. If you are looking for a gift for a close friend, search your library for 10-20 pictures of you and your friend together and make a quick book of the two of you. I guarantee your friend will love it! And many printers have an auto function where you just upload your photos and let them do the rest. I don’t use these as I’m very particular about layout and design, but for something quick and easy I would absolutely give it a try. Printique and mpix both do a nice job with photo books. Don’t know where to start? Check out the courses below 👇!
Now is a great time to gather some photos together. As you come across your favorites put them in albums on you phone titled by the person they will be for or the project you might make. Then when the holiday sales start you’ll be ready!
Photo Education
Have you wanted to learn how to take better photos, or wish that the people you are with would take better photos when you ask them to take a picture for you? Or do you know someone who wants to make a photo book but needs some help getting started? The Photo Managers has a whole plethora of courses that make great gifts, and maybe a little something for you?
Here is a general link (this and the other courses are affiliate links) to browse all courses, here are a few I think make great gifts:
iPhoneography 101: Do you find yourself taking frequent iPhone photos that rarely turn out? Is your phone’s camera roll packed with photos you will never print? Do you own the latest and greatest iPhone but you don’t know how to use all of the features? You’ll learn to use your iPhone camera in a proficient and thoughtful way, creating photos you are proud to hang on your walls and print for books!
Snap it & Scrap it: In this course, you’ll learn the 6 steps involved in creating Photobooks. You’ll get practical ways to include Photobook design into your everyday life, and will dive into 5 different programs options, covering 4 in-depth (Mixbook, Project Life, Album Stomp, Canva) and touching on a 5th (Artisan, by Forever). This course will take you from beginning to end, from not knowing how to start, to having a photobook in your hands. Plus you’ll get some design tips and tricks to keep you expanding your toolbox!
Privacy Advocate Training (taught in part by yours truly!): In today’s interconnected world, online privacy is paramount. From data breaches to identity theft, the risks are real and ever-present. This course will give you the information you need to protect yourself and your clients from potential risks.
Preserving your Legacy: your path to becoming the keeper of your family’s history. This course equips you with the skills to protect, organize, and celebrate the photographs and stories that define your family.
Trustworthy
Trustworthy is a family operating system for your important documents. How is this related to photo gifts? Here’s how - in almost every client collection I work on, there are photos of passports, drivers’ licenses, social security cards and other important documents. They don’t belong in your photos, they belong in a secure, 2FA protected account. I keep all our important documents in Trustworthy and every member of my family has access to the documents they need, so they don’t need to constantly text me with “mom, where is my…” Want to learn more? Check out our Nov. 1, 2024 Inside Photo Organizing Podcast where we interview one of the founders of Trustworthy. Also available wherever you get your podcasts and on our YouTube channel.
Check out Trustworthy here (affiliate link).
Photo Organizing: Mylio
Is someone on your list looking for a new way to get their photos organized? Get them a year subscription to Mylio (affiliate link), one of the softwares that I use for my own photos. Mylio allows you to access all of your photos from all your devices (Android, iOS, PC, Mac) with or without cloud storage. Better yet, give them a subscription and hours with me to help them get set up! I have several blog posts on how I use Mylio, this one provides more on why I use it. I also have several webinars on using Mylio, which you can watch here.
Track Important Stuff with Artifcts
Does your loved one have lots of stuff with stories that should not be lost? Artifcts is a cool app that allows you to preserve the stories and memories behind the stuff. Simply choose an object, take a picture, add a story and save. It can then be shared with friends and family, or even your insurance agent in case of catastrophe. That cool vase you bought in Venice? Artifct it so that in 20 years everyone knows that it came from Burano, and was bought after watching local gondola races in 2014. Oh wait, that was me 😁. And those coins you found in your parents’ closet? Artifct them and request the valuation included with the subscription. Who knows, maybe that Buffalo Nickel is worth something? Oh wait, that was me too 😁😁.
Want to learn more? Check out our Inside Photo Organizing podcast from January 2024 (Season 2, Episode 7).
Scanners
Have a family member with a bunch old photos they want to scan themselves? You could get them started with their own scanner. The Epson FastFoto FF680 (affiliate link) is great for standard size photos, and is fast. If you want a scanner that can also do negatives and slides, check out the Epson V600 (affiliate link). Note that the flatbed is very slow, but it does a nice job and can handle many more media types than the FastFoto. Don’t think they want to do it themselves? Send them to me!
Your Own Personal Reel Viewer
Do you remember the View Master, big in the 1980s (did I just date myself)? Well now you can make your own, with your own photos! How fun is this? Select 7 images, send them in, then show them in 3D! This seems like a great gift for someone who grew up in the 1980s and for whom you have no idea what to get.
Screenshot from Uncommon Goods.
Bonus: Quick Photo Gifts
These only take a photo or two. Find your favorite photo and put it on an ornament, pad of paper, calendar, t-shirt, tote bag, keychain, bottle opener, tattoos (this is one of my favorite joke gifts), pillow, magnet, mug, glass, puzzle, coaster, button, literally anything you can think of can showcase a photo!
Here’s one of my favorites, although I think of it more as a joke gift - a statuette from mpix of a loved one or pet! I also love these blankets from FOREVER (affiliate link), it’s like getting a constant hug from someone who can’t be with you at the moment.
I also love photo playing cards, these are always a conversation starter!
Or how about a pet pillow! I sent these to college with my boys and they were a big hit!
Funny story, I bought one of these for my son, and a good friend did the same as a grad gift!
I made this blanket to commemorate one of our favorite vacations.
There you have it, a whole boatload of gift ideas to suit every budget. Do you have additional photo gift ideas? Tell me below!