Gift Giving Guide for this Holiday Season

Last Updated October 2022

Hopefully, you have your holiday photo cards ready to mail and your corporate holiday party invitations distributed to your colleagues already. Every year gifting seems to get tougher and tougher. But we’ve got some unique gift ideas for you that won’t break the bank and may cause recipients to break into tears (of joy). We may be biased, but for good reason. We think a custom-printed gift is perfect for the holiday, to show how much your family means to you and reminisce on your favorite memories.

The first step to picking a gift is choosing one that means something special. Realize that it's not about the size or lavishness of the gift, but it's all about the meaning behind it. That's where Mixbook excels!

Custom photo gifts show the true spirit of the holidays. It's handmade by you with a full heart. Wait to hear that infamous "aweeee" reaction when they unwrap your gift and you'll win the holiday season for sure! If you struggle with holiday gifting, let's breakdown some great ideas that will solve your hardest holiday dilemmas.

What do I get my mom for Christmas?

Face it, no matter what, Mom's going to love what you get her. But let's aim higher ;) To this day, my mom shows off her year in review photo books from Mixbook to all her guest and our relatives when they come visit.

Photo books are naturally something mothers love. They take her classic photo albums to the next level. Here are some fun ideas for photo books for mom:

• A custom cookbook of grandma's most famous recipes
• A photo book highlighting the grandkids best (&messiest) moments of the year
• A family photo book of scanned photos from her vintage photo albums
• A summer recap photo book from her travel adventures

PRO-TIP: Surprise her with our Ultra-Premium Lay Flat Books.

My favorite thing to do is grab photos from Mom’s Facebook and Instagram (because moms love to share on social) and I have all the ammo I need for a great Mixbook photo gift. If you're in a time crunch and want to create a quick gift, Mixbook home decor is the way to go. All it takes is one photo and BOOM, Santa's coming to town. Try these home decor options:

• For the classic mom - Canvas prints of the grandkids or family.
• For the cool mom- Metal prints are so hot right now. Available in curved or flat, they're a trendy gift idea that's gonna blow her away.
• For the elegant mom - Acrylic prints look like they're encased in glass and reflect pure elegance. Classic wedding photos would be great for acrylics.

What do I get my dad for Christmas?

Big poppa is my hardest giftee during the holiday season (and during birthdays).

I can only get him so many wine or golf related presents before it gets unoriginal. As we inch closer to the new year, revamping their home or office desks with custom calendars or decor is a quick gift solution. Dads would love:

• Photo calendars of the family
• Curved metal prints for their desktops or man caves
• Framed poster prints to redecorate their office wall
• A photo book of his most handsome teenage photos

What do I get my significant other?

We can't all be Andrew Lincoln in Love Actually with a grand romantic gesture. But hey, you could technically use Mixbook poster prints and reenact that same scene. That would actually be awesome.

Turn your love's Instagram into a fun Year in Review photo book using our Instagood theme. Made with great square layouts, this theme was made for your insta-faves. Turn those couple selfies into a photo book they can treasure and fall in love with.

Book Build Recommendation: 8.5x8.5 Semi Gloss Paper Hardcover or Softcover books

And lucky for you, it's also a calendar theme! 12 months of lovey-dovey photos to cherish.

If you're recently engaged or married, this is the perfect opportunity to print your professional photos using Mixbook. Acrylic prints are the classiest way to go. They do this really cool thing where light refracts from the inside to illuminate your photo naturally. It's super scientific.

Our wedding photo books are the most high quality photo books you can find. The New York Times did name us best photo books of the year, after all. Turn all your wedding photos from the nuptials into that wedding album you've been procrastinating on. They’ll be floored by the effort and quality of your gesture.

Book Build Recommendation: 10x10 or 12x12 Premium Lustre or Matte Lay Flat Hardcover

What do I get my best friend for Christmas?

The BFF needs something fun! Or maybe you're in a Secret Santa situation, we've got the solution for you.

Our BFF Friendship Calendar is the perfect starting point for a quick and easy gift idea that's full fun sayings and bold illustrations. Your gal pal is going to love the collection of silly photos you can pull from social media.

You can customize and add your personal holidays, birthday, and friend-versaries.

You can also memorialize your favorite moments with your bestie is a flip book style photo book. Softcover books are really affordable and still make for a meaningful gift idea.

Book Build Recommendation: 6x6 or 8.5x8.5 Semi Gloss Paper Softcover Book

10 Reasons Why I Love You BFF

Have a friend who just landed a great new job? Or are they a photographer, artist, or writer? Maybe they're a sucker for a handwritten letter. You can make custom stationery on Mixbook.com! Jazz up the traditional "From the desk of..." stationery with beautiful designs or uploaded artwork of your choosing.

I hope you've been able to get some great holiday gift ideas from these examples. The best part about the custom photo products is truly how unique your gifts will be! They'll never expect it and never get the same thing from someone else. Start browsing Mixbook.com for your holiday gifts.