Printed Gift Ideas for the Christmas Holidays

It’s that time of the year again when people brave the mad queues in stores everywhere and when online shoppers collectively break ecommerce records to find the perfect presents for their loved ones. It’s all in the name of Christmas, the holiday that has already become synonymous with highly commercialized gift giving.

While the Yuletide season is now inextricably linked to the world of commerce and mass-produced miscellany, you’ll find that there are still ways to give this holiday your personal touch. Printing, for instance, is an invaluable tool that can help you make your gifts more unique and individualized for the person you plan on giving them to. Here are some ideas on how to take advantage of it.

Holiday cards – If you think that the Christmas cards sold in stores have become too pedestrian, why not create your own cards instead? You can get crafty and try your skills with scissors, glue, paper, and other art materials, taking inspiration from online art videos or craft blogs. You can also print your own cards with personalized designs and messages for the people who’ll receive them.

Some pro tip: If you’re giving printed cards to a lot of people, consider buying remanufactured or compatible printer cartridges to save on ink. Such printer cartridges cost considerably less than the products made by original equipment manufacturers, allowing you to maximize your printing mileage.

Photo books – Remember the good old days when photos were still printed on paper and are put in photo albums to be shared with people you care about? You can now recreate those times by giving photo books to your family and friends.

Usually printed on premium–quality paper and bound with hard covers, photo books are sort of an updated version of the photo album. You won’t have to put the photographs inside transparent sleeves, however, because the printing service provider will print your photos directly on the book’s pages, along with any captions you might want to include.

You can be as creative as you want. For instance, you can include images that represent a combination of the everyday and extraordinary moments in the recipients’ lives.

Personalized mugs and shirts – Okay, not everyone wants to see his or her photo transplanted on a mug or shirt, but this personalized gift idea could still work. Other possible design themes to consider include the person’s favorite city or destination, sports team, TV show, movie, pop culture fandom, pet animal, or actor. The list goes on and on!

Framed wall art – Take wall posters to a whole new level by giving your loved ones a framed printed work of art instead. Again, the design will depend on interests of the person you’re giving it to, but you can also get inspiration from the thousands of ideas available on popular sites like Pinterest.

Whether it’s a large printout of a friend’s favorite quote, an artistic representation of a world map for an avid traveler, or a blown up photograph of a starry night sky for someone who loves to contemplate about the majesty of the cosmos, there’s always that special something that you can translate to a piece of wall art, something which the recipient will be happy to display in his or her home.

3D Printing – You probably can’t give a gift that is more personalized than a 3D-printed one. Whether it’s a special iPhone accessory, an action figure made in the likeness of the recipient, or a cool filigree sculpture, 3D printing is truly the future of customized gifts.

In a world where drab, useless gifts are a dime a dozen, personalizing your Christmas presents can really make a difference in terms of showing your loved ones how much they mean to you. So go out there and think of ways to make your gifts this year more exciting. While it’s always the thought that counts, you can never go wrong when you go the extra mile to make your presents a bit more special.