Thoughtful gift-giving made easy
The holiday season is the time to celebrate friends and loved ones, and what better way to do that than with your memories preserved in print? Embrace thoughtful gift-giving this year and consider crafting a custom photo book or album for the loved ones on your list. Whether it’s documenting their creativity or celebrating memories from the year that was, a custom keepsake that can be enjoyed for generations will make this Christmas truly special.
14 inspiring photo book ideas for Christmas
1. Family yearbook
2. Visual love letter to someone special
3. Artistic coffee table books
4. A family heritage album
5. A storybook of your child's adventures
6. Your travel highlights
7. Make a pet project
8. Baby's first milestones
9. Home renovation journey
10. Friendship memories
11. Your wedding day
12. Family recipe book
13. A year of celebrations
14. Your child's artwork
Your family’s story is made up of moments - ordinary and extraordinary. Each new year brings with it a new collection of great memories to cherish. Celebrate the year that was in an exquisite photo book, photo album, or magazine. A yearbook is a great addition to the library of your family’s life and makes for a thoughtful gift for a loved one.
2. Visual love letter for someone special
Let your love and appreciation be reflected in a personalized MILK keepsake, filled with photos and anecdotes for a truly meaningful gift that will be treasured for years to come. For that extra special touch, add text throughout, narrating your relationship and journey together. Take Elissa’s beautiful Fifty Things I Love About You photo book for her husband as inspiration.
Forget what you think you know about photo books. Our books are perfect for proudly showcasing you or your loved one’s artistic side and they look great displayed on coffee tables. Share the world through their lens, pencil or paintbrush. Take inspiration from members of the MILK community, who have thoughtfully documented any and every creative pursuit, from photography and illustrations to poetry and more.
4. A family heritage album
Old photographs are a treasured part of each family’s history. Passed down for generations, we look back at the formative places, times and people that came before us. These glimpses of time gone by ought to be cherished. But unfortunately, these old photos do deteriorate over time. Preserve and give them new life in a beautiful, archival quality photo book or album this holiday season.
5. Create a storybook of your child's adventures
Make your children the main characters in their very own storybook, ready to be revealed come Christmas day. Capture the spark in their eyes and the wonder of exploring. Our Designer Templates and Autofill feature make it easy to make playful and creative photo books. Plus, you can narrate the book to create a tale of adventure that your kids will look back on and cherish. Get inspired by customer project Here We Go! lovingly made by Graham Rhodes for his children.
Second to being there, nothing compares to experiencing travel moments in print. Be it a weekend away or a bucket list item ticked off, bring you and your loved one’s travel photos to life in the stunning 6-color print of a Premium Photo Book, a Travel Magazine, or the world-renowned design of Moleskine, with an inner pocket to store mementos. Add custom text to tell the story of your travel adventures and revisit those iconic memories from your coffee table.
7. Make a pet project
Don’t forget the four-legged family members! Never far from our side, there’s no doubt that your camera roll is full of personality-packed portraits of love, loyalty and companionship. Scatter these throughout your family photo album or give them a project of their own. Either way, get those photos offline and celebrate them in print.
The first year of a child’s life is a whirlwind of countless special firsts. From the first giggle to the first steps and every moment of calm and chaos in between, these are the precious memories that deserve to be documented in print. A photo book is a timeless way to capture and relive such fleeting memories, making for a thoughtful Christmas gift for parents or grandparents.
9. Home renovation journey
From architectural drawings to the build and finishing interior touches, capture every step of a home build or renovation journey with a photo book or album. The perfect housewarming gift for someone who’s poured their heart into the task, it’s a timeless way to document and celebrate a major life project.
10. Friendship memories
For the friend that’s impossible to buy for, consider creating a friendship photo book this Christmas. Fill each spread with photo memories and personal anecdotes that thoughtfully document your relationship over the years. Whether it’s a childhood friend or someone that’s been with you through thick and thin, a keepsake that documents fun-filled moments is a meaningful way to show someone how much they mean to you this festive season.
Nothing quite comes close to the excitement of your wedding day, but enjoying the memories by way of a wedding photo book, album or magazine comes close. If you and your significant other are yet to celebrate your big day in print and you’re stumped on what to gift them this holiday season, consider turning all the photos of your special day into a keepsake worthy of the occasion. Not sure where to start? Discover our guide on how to create the perfect wedding album.
12. A family recipe book
Treat the foodies on your gift list to a curated collection of their most-loved recipes. Whether it’s scanned copies of old family favorites or new kitchen creations, it’ll make for the perfect addition to any gastronome’s culinary toolkit. We love this customer project, Homegrown by Nikki Topcic. She’s turned our popular magazine format into a personalized cookbook, uploading her own custom spreads to give beloved family recipes a permanent home.
From birthdays to vacations, graduations and reunions, if you’ve had a busy year of festivities consider collating all the photos and making one special ‘Year of Celebrations’ project for a loved one this holiday season. This helpful theme will guide you as you bring each spread to life. Plus, there’s nothing quite like reliving the special milestones that mark our lives.
14. Your child's artwork
Turn your child’s artwork into a display-worthy photo book this Christmas. Instead of discarding the creations that make their way home from kindergarten and school, or giving them a home on the fridge door, take photos of them to fill the pages of a photo book. They’ll love looking back on their creative pursuits for years to come.
Surprise your loved ones this festive season with a gift that means more. Whether it’s a celebration of milestone events or capturing everyday family memories, a custom photo book or album is a meaningful way to connect with loved ones. Start gathering your photos and create a timeless keepsake today.
