WRITER | TODD MCMILLEN

The holiday season is upon us, and many activities come into play as we embark upon our annual holiday traditions: finding the perfect outfit for that holiday party, decorating the Christmas tree just so, planning special holiday meals weeks in advance. Then comes the biggest challenge of all: finding the perfect, and personal, holiday gift. For some, the gift is considered long before the first holiday lights are hung; others wait until the last possible moment. We live in an era when that allows us to find any number of “perfect” red sweaters at the click of a button, but stop for a moment and take a look around your home. The perfect holiday gift may actually be right in front of you… a cherished keepsake. Now add custom framing. Your gift just became the perfect heirloom.

Gift ideas are limitless. You could start with a family event or a day that marked a special occasion for the year – a birth or a marriage, perhaps. Select a few of your favorite photographs to arrange within one frame. Then add a personal touch with a date in calligraphy or a watercolor image on the mat. These special thoughts and extras are not cost prohibitive, and they add personality and depth to any story you choose to frame.

Are there movie posters or concert tickets from your first date that you could frame? A ribbon from your first 5K? These are just places to start in beginning a family wall of traditions. Now add your parents’ wedding announcement, your engagement photo, your children’s handprints.  Framed memories are a gift with meaning, and, if framed correctly, they will last a lifetime.

Want to take it a step further? Why not visit your local framer and enlist their help – you’ll be astonished at what can be done with special family mementos. Perhaps you have a bottle cap collection, a baseball from a special home run, or a pin collection from your days of traveling. Frame your great-grandfather’s military flag and ribbons, your grandmother’s wedding veil, or your daughter’s dancing slippers and you have a family gallery to pass down for generations. These ideas are thoughtful and very personal, unique to the individual they are gifted to.

There is no reason to panic because you think time is short; most professional framers need only a week or two.  With a warm thought, a good eye, and limitless possibilities, you can be certain your personal holiday gift will be well received and enjoyed for years to come.  More so than your aunt’s fruitcake.