| What do you buy someone who has everything, | | | | These so-called memory books make compelling |
| or doesn't seem to be interested in anything? | | | | gifts that people are proud to show to anyone |
| How do you come up with thoughtful gift ideas | | | | and everyone. |
| for those people that you don't see that often, | | | | After all, who wouldn't want a book filled with |
| that you really don't know what they're into | | | | carefully edited photos of their friends and family, |
| anymore? | | | | accumulated over a year, together with witty |
| More specifically, how can you use technology | | | | comments? |
| that nearly all of us have in ways that easily | | | | Personalised gifts like this don't have to contain |
| enable you to create personalised gifts to suit | | | | photos of other people, though, they could |
| almost anyone? | | | | feature photos of the person themself, or of |
| The answer to all three questions: use a digital | | | | something that they were really interested in; e.g. |
| photo printing service. | | | | a local landscape, their own garden, their own car, |
| Let's face it, what's the point of using your digital | | | | or step-by-step photos of their home |
| camera (or camera phone) if the digital photos | | | | improvement project, etc. |
| are just going to stay on the camera! Family, | | | | The uniqueness of the gifts are limited only by |
| friends, colleagues, even your Grandma -- they all | | | | the imagination of the gift-buyer. |
| want to look at your photographs, and they all | | | | Here are some more ways that digital |
| want to do so without having to squint. | | | | photographs can be combined to create unique |
| And the great thing is, once you've taken your | | | | gifts: |
| photos on your camera or mobile phone, these | | | | - Personalised birthday cards or Christmas cards, |
| gifts are so easy to create. | | | | - Cushions and bags |
| Now not only do these digital photo printing | | | | - T-shirts (obviously) |
| services let you print your photos, they also let | | | | - Jigsaws |
| you create an ever-growing list of personalised | | | | - Etched glass |
| gifts too. So you get to share your photos and | | | | - Canvas prints |
| come up with unique gift ideas that show you | | | | - Framed photos |
| care. A win-win situation if ever there was one. | | | | - Posters |
| For example, everyone likes calendars but a | | | | - Wallpaper |
| professional-looking calendar containing photos of | | | | (Imagine how easy it would be to create |
| your own family, or of your friends, or of your | | | | something special for a wedding gift, from this |
| pets etc. -- isn't that so much better, so much | | | | modest list of gift ideas.) |
| more special? Yes, it might be a little cheesy, but | | | | So be different with your gift ideas. It works as |
| surely no worse than a calendar of Justin | | | | long as what you create doesn't look cheap and |
| Timberlake, Robbie Williams or Britney Spears, and | | | | tasteless and shows that you put just a little bit |
| if you add individualised captions, these gifts can | | | | of thought into it. |
| be lots of fun too. | | | | Personalised gifts like these are unique, and so |
| Another example of a unique gift idea is a digital | | | | much better than socks, books or CDs. |
| photobook or memory book. Digital photobooks | | | | However, if you're still just going to send socks, |
| are hiqh-quality versions of those photo albums | | | | CDs, books or T-shirts at least try and |
| you used to stick your photos in by hand and | | | | personalise them first with a funny photo or just |
| then force people to view. In this case a) you | | | | a nice photo that will make people smile. Or at |
| choose only the best photographs, and you can | | | | least send them a personalised digital photo card. |
| add funny or informative captions and b) your | | | | Come on. It's the 21st century now, so get with |
| photos are bound, and printed in, high-quality | | | | the personalisation program. |
| books. | | | | Who doesn't want to receive a unique gift? |