It happens every year.
We know the holidays are coming, and we can see them approaching as we get closer to December. But somehow, when December 1 rolls around, we are still unprepared.
Holiday shopping can be stressful, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be. Like most things, holiday shopping has a science to it. The key thing to keep in mind? The best gifts come from the heart, and the most memorable gifts are things you can’t buy in a store. For some helpful tips and gift ideas for smart holiday shopping this year, follow our handy guide below.
Choose Unique Gifts For A Unique Year
The year 2020 has been rough. It has been a year like no other, and our holiday gifts should reflect this reality. While 2020 has provided many challenges, there have been some bright spots, too. Lockdowns kept us inside, but they also brought families and “quaranteams” together. Social distancing kept us from those we love, but these guidelines also made us appreciate social connection and inspired innovative and creative ways to connect.
If we summed up 2020 in one word, it would be “appreciation.” With public health scares and frantic runs on toilet paper, there came a real appreciation for the people that enrich our lives most.
This year, honor those special connections in your life by creating photo gifts online. Photo gifts provide the comfort of friends and family even at times when we can’t physically see one another. From blankets featuring your long-distance beau to mugs made with photos of you and your parents from years past, photo gifts create connections to our past and present that can truly brighten the holidays.
Photo gifts are not only stunning, but they’re also unique. The year 2020 has not been your typical year. Trying to mask this fact with the same genres of gifts that you’ve always given won’t change the reality that we are living in a new normal. Like most creatures, when change is on the horizon, we look for the comfort of familiar faces and objects to help us feel secure and to conquer whatever lies ahead. Dogs cling to old blankets and balls, birds collect buttons and fabric scraps, and humans revisit photos of the memories and people that make them feel safe and whole.
This year, more than any other, we need that safety and connection, and the best holiday gift is one that provides this essential service. With photo gifts, you’re offering a personalized security blanket (literally and figuratively) to create comfort and joy for your friends and family.
Create Photo Books To Redefine The Bookworm
No, we are not suggesting a collection of T.S. Eliot’s life’s work as a 2020 holiday gift. Keeping with our theme of connection, we suggest creating photo books for your loved ones.
Photo books are the unsung heroes of the gift world. These memory-packed anthologies hold our happiest moments, most loved humans, adored pets, and favorite memories. Rather than raiding department store shelves or spending hours online looking for gifts that won’t stand the test of time, opt for a photo book that will be treasured and shared for years to come.
When designing the photo book, we recommend choosing a theme to create continuity and bring the book together. However, random assortments of favorite photos and images also work well. With a photo book, there are no rules, which is a rarity in the gift world. An added bonus to this thoughtful gift is that photo books are an active present. You can share these gifts over dinners and holiday get-togethers for years to come.
What’s more, nowadays, you can create personalized photo books online, making them a safe, socially-distant compliant gift. There’s no need to wear a mask or face crowds of shoppers in order to design it. Instead, it’s just you, your home, your favorite images, and a few clicks of your mouse or smartphone, and you’re good to go. Photo books have never been easier to make, and we promise they will be a hit with whoever you choose to gift them to.
Make Photos The Ultimate Accessory
Even if photos are not on your gift-giving radar for 2020, they can make a great gift accessory.
Looking for a Christmas card but don’t feel like leaving your house? Print photos online, use the back as your card canvas, and you have instant card success. Meanwhile, is your wrapping paper looking a bit sparse and dull? Print out some photos from your computer, social media feed, or phone, and you have the perfect wrapping paper enhancement. Whether you choose to make the photos your main gift or go with photos as a gift accessory, we promise these memory-packed items will bring a smile to the face of your nearest and dearest.
Styles come and go, technology advances rapidly, but photos and their allure are timeless. Our grandparents loved photos as much as we do, and our kids’ kids will treasure photo albums just as much. Some gifts last one generation, and then there are those presents that remain on tables, bookshelves, and in closets for decades. This year, especially this year, go for a gift that will stand the test of time. This year, say it with photos.
Don’t make holiday shopping more complicated than it needs to be. Follow our gift guide to smart holiday shopping, and you will be well on your way to spreading cheer this holiday season.
Sophie Kellett is a Junior Marketing Executive at Printerpix. When she is not writing blogs, she enjoys cooking and spending time with friends.
