The 2025 Photo-Based Holiday Gift Guide
**This is NOT a sponsored post but does contain affiliate links (marked by each product) that earn me a small commission if you purchase through the link.There is no additional cost to you but it does give my small business a tiny boost!
Photo-related gifts are my favorite gifts, and everyone loves them. Whether sentimental or funny, it doesn’t matter - your recipient will love the thought you’ve put into them.
I am a big believer in photo holiday gifts (obviously!) so below are my top favorite photo-related gifts. Confession: I have almost all of these! But that’s why I can recommend them 😁. Many of these are having Black Friday sales at the time of writing, so act fast!
Backblaze Backup: Give the Gift of Security
My first gift is not exciting or flashy, but honestly it is my number one pick for a gift this year for literally anyone and everyone. It is the gift of peace of mind. With all the various natural disasters and cloud outages over the past year, wouldn’t you love to gift a loved one the peace of mind that the next time something like this happens, and it will happen, they won’t lose all their precious memories and data?
I have been using Backblaze (affiliate link) for years to backup all of my computers and external hard drives. If one of them dies, or if something else happens, they will send me a drive and I will recover EVERYTHING. It runs in the background so all of your data is backed up in real-time for just $99/year.This is one you should gift to loved ones and for yourself.
Preserve the Story: Remento
Do your parents or grandparents have stories you want to preserve? Remento (affiliate link) would be a perfect gift! Remento turns a year of memories into a book of stories, no writing required, and features your storyteller’s voice. For the last year or so I have been using it with my dad - it sends him a prompt (either one they suggest or one that I write) once a week with a link. He clicks on the link, records his answer in a video. When he’s done Remento will turn it into a book complete with photos, the story and a QR code to the video. So simple! He’s been having fun with it, and we’ve been having fun coming up with the questions. I can’t wait to get the book!
I met Charlie, the founder, at a conference and I just knew this would be a big hit. Even Shark Tank thought so! Want to learn more? Check out our May 1, 2025 Inside Photo Organizing Podcast where we interview Charlie. Also available wherever you get your podcasts and on our YouTube channel.
Through December 3, 2025, take an extra $20 off with code BFCM20.
These are some of the prompts that I have sent to my dad. Even before we get the book I can listen to his recordings. I’ve started adding some photos - the Vizsla was my dog growing up, the prompt was to “tell us about your favorite pet”.
Digital Photo Frames
Photo frames can be so fun. Order it a bit ahead of time and load it up with your favorite photos so your recipient can open it, plug it in, and immediately see their favorite photos and videos. Then after you give it to your recipient, you can continue to send photos and videos to it. My son loves to send jokes to his grandparents’ frames (bad ones, of course). I like this Aura frame or this one from Nixplay (affiliate links). The biggest difference between them? Aura frames have unlimited storage, Nixplay frames have playlists.
I have one in my living room and it is a constant source of discussion. And when no one else is around I find it catches my eye and makes me smile.
This one is the 10” Aura Carver Mat frame. This is the perfect size for a side table or mantle.
Projector Video Streaming
Have lots of videos of your kids that you share with grandparents and other family members by text or email? There’s a better way! Two years ago I gifted my in-laws with Projector (affiliate link) - essentially Netflix for your home movies - and uploaded videos for them to view on their tv. They could not be with us for my son’s graduation, so I uploaded the videos I took from my phone and they were watching them shortly thereafter on their own tv. I also uploaded the slideshow that I made for the occasion. Since then I’ve also shared some older family videos and some from our trip to South Africa. Want to learn more? Check out our Inside Photo Organizing Podcast (June 1, 2024, Season 2 Episode 12) with Robert Marks, the founder of Projector. Available wherever you get your podcasts, on our YouTube channel, or here.
I have my own Projector account for all our home movies - both new and old. When I have clients that bring me their home movies to convert I will often give it back to them in Projector. This is a gift both you and your giftee will enjoy.
And if you have home videos that you can’t watch anymore, send them my way - I’ll convert them so that you have a gift for yourself too!
Organize Physical Photos: DIG YOUR PHOTOS!™
Do you have a loved one with “do something with my prints” on their list? Check out DIG YOUR PHOTOS!™ (affiliate link). This DIY kit has everything they need to get their photos in order including step-by-step guidance, tools, videos, and templates. It turns the overwhelming task of organizing printed photos into a simple, satisfying, and meaningful project. This is a great gift for anyone, but trust me when I say gifting this to a loved one is really a gift for you too as it puts your family legacy in order to enjoy (and you won’t have to!).
Get 20% off through December 7, 2025 with code BLACKFRIDAY.
And when they are in order, bring them to me to digitize so everyone can share and enjoy them!
Photo Education
Have you wanted to learn how to take better photos, or wish that the people you are with would take better photos when you ask them to take a picture for you? Or do you know someone who wants to make a photo book but needs some help getting started? The Photo Managers has a whole plethora of courses that make great gifts, and maybe a little something for you? Use code JOY25 for 25% off through December 2.
Here is a general link (this and the other courses are affiliate links) to browse all courses, here are a few I think make great gifts:
iPhoneography 101: Do you find yourself taking frequent iPhone photos that rarely turn out? Is your phone’s camera roll packed with photos you will never print? Do you own the latest and greatest iPhone but you don’t know how to use all of the features? You’ll learn to use your iPhone camera in a proficient and thoughtful way, creating photos you are proud to hang on your walls and print for books!
Photo Organizing Made Easy Bundle: Tackle both your digital and printed photo collection with these courses. One will walk you through making sense and organizing your physical photos. The second will do the same with your digital photos.
Privacy Advocate Training (taught in part by yours truly!): In today’s interconnected world, online privacy is paramount. From data breaches to identity theft, the risks are real and ever-present. This course will give you the information you need to protect yourself and your clients from potential risks.
Preserving your Legacy: your path to becoming the keeper of your family’s history. This course equips you with the skills to protect, organize, and celebrate the photographs and stories that define your family.
Peace of Mind: Trustworthy
Trustworthy (affiliate link) is a family operating system for your important documents. How is this related to photo gifts? Here’s how - in almost every client collection I work on, there are photos of passports, drivers’ licenses, social security cards and other important documents. They don’t belong in your photos, they belong in a secure, 2FA protected account. I keep all our important documents in Trustworthy and every member of my family has access to the documents they need, so they don’t need to constantly text me with “mom, where is my…”
For my birthday a few years ago I told my husband that this was all I wanted and it was the best gift ever. We now know where everything is and have the peace of mind knowing that should anything happen to us our loved ones have a roadmap to our estate. It’s a gift for us and for them.
Want to learn more? Check out our Nov. 1, 2024 Inside Photo Organizing Podcast where we interview one of the founders of Trustworthy. Also available wherever you get your podcasts and on our YouTube channel.
Check out Trustworthy here (affiliate link).
Photo Organizing: Mylio
Is someone on your list looking for a new way to get their photos organized? Get them a year subscription to Mylio (affiliate link), one of the softwares that I use for my own photos. Mylio allows you to access all of your photos from all your devices (Android, iOS, PC, Mac) with or without cloud storage. Better yet, give them a subscription and hours with me to help them get set up! I have several blog posts on how I use Mylio, this one provides more on why I use it. I also have several webinars on using Mylio, which you can watch here.
Want to learn more? Check out our September 1, 2025 Inside Photo Organizing Podcast where we interview the founder, David Vaskevitch. Also available wherever you get your podcasts and on our YouTube channel.
The Story Behind the Stuff: Artifcts
Does your loved one have lots of stuff with stories that should not be lost? Artifcts is a cool app that allows you to preserve the stories and memories behind the stuff. Simply choose an object, take a picture, add a story and save. It can then be shared with friends and family, or even your insurance agent in case of catastrophe. That cool vase you bought in Venice? Artifct it so that in 20 years everyone knows that it came from Burano, and was bought after watching local gondola races in 2014. Oh wait, that was me 😁. And those coins you found in your parents’ closet? Artifct them and request the valuation included with the subscription. Who knows, maybe that Buffalo Nickel is worth something? Oh wait, that was me too 😁😁.
Want to learn more? Check out our Inside Photo Organizing podcast from January 2024 (Season 2, Episode 7).
Scanners
Have a family member with a bunch old photos they want to scan themselves? You could get them started with their own scanner. The Epson FastFoto FF680 (affiliate link) is great for standard size photos, and is fast. If you want a scanner that can also do negatives and slides, check out the Epson V600 (affiliate link). Note that the flatbed is very slow, but it does a nice job and can handle many more media types than the FastFoto. Don’t think they want to do it themselves? Send them to me!
Photo Flashlight: Create Your Own!
Want to project your photos onto any surface? Check out this create your own photo flashlight from Uncommon Goods! Project the included dinosaur, space, and safari reels or create your own with your personal photos. This would be a great gift for kids, parties, or even a gag gift to surprise a friend.
Bonus: Quick Photo Gifts
These only take a photo or two. Find your favorite photo and put it on an ornament, pad of paper, calendar, t-shirt, tote bag, keychain, bottle opener, tattoos (this is one of my favorite joke gifts), pillow, magnet, mug, glass, puzzle, coaster, button, literally anything you can think of can showcase a photo!
Here’s one of my favorites, although I think of it more as a joke gift - a statuette from mpix of a loved one or pet! I also love these blankets from FOREVER (affiliate link), it’s like getting a constant hug from someone who can’t be with you at the moment.
I also love photo playing cards, these are always a conversation starter!
Or how about a pet pillow! I sent these to college with my boys and they were a big hit!
Funny story, I bought one of these for my son, and a good friend did the same as a grad gift!
I made this blanket to commemorate one of our favorite vacations.
There you have it, a whole boatload of gift ideas to suit every budget. Do you have additional photo gift ideas? Tell me below!