Gifting Season is Almost Upon Us!

It’s almost October, the fall mini sessions and then Christmas mini sessions are almost upon us, and honestly I’m still trying to figure out how we got here. Not in a “oh my gosh it’s been a weird year” kind of way (even though it has), but in a “oh my gosh, I am not prepared in the slightest for Christmas” kind of way.

And whether you’re a Christmas celebrator or not… the gifting season is coming fast. If you’re already all prepped and have your gifts hidden in the basement, kudos. You’re ahead of me. But if you don’t, then it’s time to start getting that preparation done, and I wanted to highlight a few ways you might be able to make your life easier in the process!

I talk a lot about photo gifts…

Photo gifts can fill in the gaps in your gifting options this year (and every year). And every year, there are more and more fabulous, ridiculous, amazing things you can order online, all with your photos printed on them!! So we’re going to walk through a few options that can absolutely go on your gifting list this year, and that your family and friends will enjoy (and possibly laugh at) for years to come.

Your photo session can fill out your gift roster this year!

The other fabulous thing about photo gifts, is they make your photo session work for you, longer! Because as I talk about all the time, your photos deserve to be more than just files that sit on a hard drive. You should have them hanging in your home, and worked into your decor, and situated around you so that you’re surrounded by magical memories, as you go through your day to day. Life is hard, and the world is weird – and these little reminders of your favorite people, and your favorite moments… they help make life just a little more beautiful.

1 – Prints as photo gifts

The standard you probably think about when you think “photo gifts” is prints. But that’s because they’re an amazing starting point for gifting your photos to friends and family! I know the days are gone where we gave wallet sized photos to our loved ones, but that doesn’t change the way we should look at photos for our respective homes. How much would your mom love a photo of her and your daughter to hang in her home? Or a printed portrait of your whole family, together, enjoying life? Whether these photos have been taken in a professional session, or snuck in a private moment on your phone… there’s a place for printed photos in your gifting list this year.

The other super magical aspect of this, is these gifts can fit ANY budget! Smaller, archival paper prints intended to be framed are sometimes perfect for a specific space, and are a super affordable option. But on the complete other end of the spectrum, you can opt for a large-scale canvas print, meant to become a family heirloom over time! No matter what your gifting budget is, or the space the gift is meant to fill in someone’s home, there’s a print option that will fit the bill. And when you work with Jessica Strobel Photography for your photo sessions, you can order those kinds of gifts simply and easily through your session gallery! There’s no guess-work, at all. It’s a win-win, for everyone involved! (So more like a win-win-win-win, not that anyone is counting.)

2 – Home items with Printed Photos

Simple paper/canvas/metal prints aren’t the only way you can gift photos though – there are also home items on the list! Now, this ranges hugely from things like photo blankets, to keychains, to Christmas ornaments. There’s just SO much to choose from! And sometimes, it’s a bit of a merger between “prints” and “home items” because there are things like memory boxes full of polaroid style prints you can order, or albums that gorgeously feature the photos from your session in a tabletop book.

You can find some of these kinds of gift items in your gallery shop from Jessica Strobel Photography – but don’t be afraid to go further afield to find options, too! The internet is a vast, creative ocean, full of all kinds of custom printed home items you can order for your people. So go check out etsy, or another online marketplace you love, and search for “custom photo gifts” – it’s unlikely you’ll be disappointed!

3 – Absolute silliness

Now not every custom photo gift has to take itself too seriously, and there are definitely options out there that will not only be cherished, but that will also end in hysterical gift-opening-morning-laughter! When I said that the internet is a vast, creative ocean… I meant it. And some of those creative gifts?

Think “socks with cut outs of your face on them”. Or “a custom pillow with the portrait of your dog from your last family session” or “your favorite portrait as a puzzle”. Are they silly? Yes. Are they still absolutely fabulous? 100%! Did you know you can have custom photos printed on Lego bricks? Well you can. You can even have them made into custom trading cards, for each of your family members, with a personalized note, and attributes. Is your uncle 20% goofy, 50% laughter, and 30% coffee, with an expertise in dad jokes you can’t even believe is possible? Tell him you’ve noticed, in the cutest way possible!

Silly photo gifts are sometimes even more cherished than serious ones – and not only that, but you get the memory of opening them together, too! More wins.

Are YOU ready for gifting season?

So – are you ready for gifting season? Or are you still looking for things to pad out your gift list? If so, you can start with your gallery from Jessica Strobel Photography, and go from there. Maybe grab a print for your mom, and an acrylic photo block for your dad’s desk at work. Then pop over to your favorite online marketplace, and get some of those silly socks for your brother! Photo gifts are personal, sentimental, silly, and fun – they run the full gambit. And you deserve to create those memories of opening magical gifts together, just as much as you deserve to be surrounded by images of your favorite people!