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Turn your digital photos into Christmas gifts

Gifts

With Christmas just around the corner, it's the perfect opportunity to organise some gifts with a truly personal touch by turning your digital photos into calendars, cards, stickers, fridge magnets, key rings and all sorts of other festive paraphernalia, writes Rob Beattie

Although modern inkjet printers do a decent job of most things, putting together something more complicated - that requires special paper or printing on an unusual surface, or binding, for example - can turn into a real mission. Instead, why not take advantage of the many internet-based printing services that can transform your photos into memorable keepsakes - and save you several trips to Hobbycraft into the bargain?

To use an online printing service, you'll either have to download some software that lets you combine your photos with their designs (this is free and they’ll provide it as part of the service) or fill in a series of electronic forms to select your photos and upload them to the site; either way, you'll need a broadband connection or access to a large pot of coffee and a good book.

(Seriously, if you’re still on a dial-up service don’t waste your time - look for those companies that let you post photos to them on a CD.)

Yophoto (www.yophoto.com) is a first rate place to start. The calendars are well-designed, simple to create, let you add your own entries (for example, important dates like your birthday) and cost £11.99 including postage; Yophoto also does a fine line in hard cover photo books from £8.99.

For cards and stickers of all descriptions, try Moo (www.moo.com). A set of 90 full colour stickers is under a fiver, while 100 mini cards suitable for gift tags (or business cards, their real purpose) come with a swanky matt laminate finish for £9.99.

For ready-to-hang stretched canvas prints and large framed photos visit PhotoBox (www.photobox.co.uk) where a 110 x 47cm widescreen photo will set you back £99.99 (plus £7.50 postage). The company also does printed cushions from £39.95, presumably so you can sit on those relatives who annoy you.

Treasure Your Pics (www.treasureyourpics.com) features 'Hannah' a little animated cartoon who's more difficult to stop than start and will be a bit stern for some tastes, but also showcases a nice demonstration photo book complete with animated pages so you can see what you're getting; and it accepts CDs through the post, so dial-up users can join in the fun.

Elsewhere, Bonusprint (www.bonusprint.co.uk) has novelty printing off pat with photo key rings (£2.99) jigsaws (£24.99 or £29.99) mouse mats (£5.99 each) and even snow globes (£9.99) and has added 'quick' wall calendar for £14.99 that you can complete online without downloading any software first.

Finally, don't forget that many companies will still print photos at a competitive price, so you can create a traditional photo album full of real pictures to give as a gift. Truprint (www.truprint.co.uk) for example, lets you upload photos for processing and still runs a films-by-post service.

 
The opinions expressed are those of the author and are not held by Saga unless specifically stated. The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal, medical or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation.