Getting ahead of holiday shopping can be a little overwhelming. The lists get long. The stores get crowded. Time gets short. And does Dad really need another pair of socks or a men’s nail trimming kit yet again? I don’t think so. So this year, I’m taking a more creative approach. Now that I’ve got a little one, he’s the gift-for-grandparents jackpot. Never being one to do much in the DIY department, when it comes to creating personal gifts, it can be hard to know where to start. Thankfully, the internet has given rise to professionals who can figure these things out for you.

Enter Mpix. Having just returned from our Hawaiian vacation, what better way to capture those memories than to get them off my phone and turned into something tangible? Mpix is a professional photography lab that’s been family owned and operated in the heart of the mid-west for 75 years. Now they offer their photography printing services to the masses in the form of cards, home decor, gifts and photobooks.

This is a DIY novice’s dream come true. I could quickly upload images to the Mpix secure photo gallery, select from a variety of pre-designed book layouts, et voila; grandparent holiday gift gold. It didn’t take me long to figure out their online editing tools. There were a couple of images that printed across the fold so you’ll want to triple check your placements. But with easy zoom and cropping, you can find the perfect spot for each image.

The best part? The books ship to you in 24-48 hours. I’ve never gotten a photo print product back that quickly. Perfect for my last-second tendencies.

With most of our lives being captured electronically these days, it’s interesting to think about our kids growing up without having pictures to flip through. But it’s by looking through photos and telling (and retelling and retelling) stories that help children cement their memories. Now that I know it’s so easy to create keepsakes like this, I think I might start my own photo album collection. No glue sticks necessary.

For more holiday gift ideas CLICK HERE

This is post is in partnership with Mpix. all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. thanks for supporting collaborations we’re excited about and that have kept apartment34’s doors open.