When it comes to raising children, there’s no doubt it takes a village. And that village will definitely want photos from along the way! Compile pictures from baby’s first year or a recent time period, featuring cameos of family and friends. Loved ones will flip through for a guaranteed smile. Great for: parents, grandparents, in-laws, partner, aunts, uncles, godparents
Travel album
Revisit trips together.
Whether they accompanied you on the trip of a lifetime or a simple weekend away, your travel companions will always love the recap in physical format. Make one for everyone who went, and even swap in a photo or two catered to each recipient. Don't forget to look to our travel album tips for an assist along the way! Great for: friends, siblings, partner
"We have a ton of film photos from our quarantine days, so I created Everyday Photo Books to honor the memories made with my quarantine buddies. There's something extra special about having photos in print, and it’s the sweetest gift to share with those you love."
—Amelia E.
Photo by @oakandoats
If you ask us, this is one of the most meaningful gifts for family that you can ever give. Sure, the process of creating a family history book requires time and energy — but is repaid tenfold in decades of enjoyment to come. The effort to make an heirloom never goes unappreciated, and it helps that it all goes toward one gift for the whole family. Get started early on this one by reaching out to family members for those vintage photos that bring it all together. Great for: members of your immediate or extended family
For your college crew, mom-friends, or even the book club — gather just 12 photos together as a group to create a calendar for all to keep on display throughout the year. At the turn of each month, you’ll all be on the same page, no matter where you are. Don’t have photos for everyone? There are plenty of DIY calendar ideas that still make for meaningful gifts! Great for: each person in a friend group or quaranteam
"This calendar is absolutely beautiful! My photos look amazing, and the finishing and modern stand are just gorgeous. I bought three as gifts, and everyone loved them!"
—Leslie B.
There’s no better way to put those professional photos to good use than to print them for loved ones as the best family gifts. After all, a weddings isn’t just special for the ones getting married — it’s a milestone remembered by parents and grandparents too. For this album, we recommend using a foundation of scene-setting and general images, then pulling in photos that feature special moments with any given recipient. We break this down further in our guide that shows how to design a wedding album, spread by spread. Great for: spouse, parents, grandparents, in-laws, maid of honor, best man
Prints and storage
Give their photo display a head start.
Picture frame meets photo storage in the Brass & Wood Display Box: a versatile gift anyone would love. To customize it for each person, order a single set of photo prints and add a few photos inside of every display box. This way, the gift feels both personal and practical! Great for: Any combination of friends and family
Family recipe book
Savor a kitchen staple, together.
So many family traditions revolve around food and time spent around the table together. Collect recipes from each person or document those that have been passed down for generations, all in one book. Homemade family gifts like this always stand the test of time — even when they’re stained with a little spaghetti sauce. For an in-depth guide, here’s how to make a DIY recipe book. Great for: Each household of the family
"Growing up, the heart of our house was the kitchen, so when the idea came to mind to create a cookbook for my sisters and mom, I knew just who to order from. The recipes this book holds are ones we will cherish for a lifetime!"
—Taylor M.
When you’re short on time or photos, giving a scrapbook album allows each person to fill it with memories meaningful to them. Especially when it’s a gift for multiple people, we recommend making each book personal by accompanying it with a handwritten letter and/or photo that kickstarts their moment-marking. Great for: Friends, travel companions, new parents, college students, siblings
You can never go wrong with simple framed photo as the best family gifts. So when you have a handful of people on your list, you can easily make this single idea work for them all — while still feeling personal. One way is to give each person the same frame, but vary the photo featured inside. Conversely, you can give everyone the same money shot (like a group photo with everyone in it!), and switch up the frame based on individual styles. Both are winners in our book! Great for: Any combination of friends and family
Who doesn’t love looking through childhood photos? What makes them even better is sharing the blush-worthy storytelling with siblings who were there by your side. Do yourself and your family a favor by digitizing old photos and putting them into copies of a book you can all hold onto — parents, too! Great for: Siblings, parents, grandparents
Cocktail book
Share something worth a toast.
Create your own bar-cart staple, with cocktail recipes you’ve collected or invented. Not only can you share the drinks with friends and family in person, but you can send them home with a copy for themselves to cheers from afar. Great for: friends, family, groomsmen, coworkers
"My husband and I love making cocktails at home, so we created a cocktail book filled with classic recipes and a few we made up ourselves. We’ve since made many copies — one, of course, for our own home but also one for each of our friends. To make it feel even more special, we customize the 'featured drink' page to highlight one we know they love."
—Hayley Z.
A Quick How-To
Steps to Clone Your Project
Whenever you’ve made your original project, it’s easy to make a copy (or a few!):
- Go to My Projects and find the project that you would like to clone.
- Hit the "Duplicate" button to make a new copy you can customize.
- Find the copy at the top of your My Projects list and tap "Edit."
- Use the customize tab in the top left corner to change color and more.
Duplicating one gift for the whole family doesn’t make it impersonal. In fact, there are several ways you can personalize your photo gifts, including simple switches to color, title, fonts, foil, and the featured cover photo. No matter what, they’ll love it — guaranteed.
