Working World

How many times can you give or get a scarf or box of cookies during the holidays and still call it a "thoughtful" gift? Unless you actually took the time to knit that scarf or bake those cookies yourself, they simply aren’t very inspired. That’s okay; it’s the thought that counts, right? Hmmm…but giving someone a gift with absolutely no thought involved is a message you don’t want to imply! What to do?

Fortunately, the advent of print-on-demand websites (www.cafepress.com, www.zazzle.com, www.printfection.com or www.spreadshirt.com) make personalizing and creating cool gifts a cinch for Hanukkah or Christmas. All you need to get started is your gift list and some great photos of your family, friends, colleagues and pets.

How it works is they provide a wide variety of gift “blank” items ready to be printed with your artwork or photo. You merely select the item you want — a pillow with your face on it for your mom, perhaps? — and click on it to be walked through the steps of uploading your photo image onto the product.

The online software allows you to see exactly what your photo will look like on the product you’ve chosen before you buy it. Some cool ideas to play with:
• Know a cat or dog fancier? How about a set of four magnets with a different pet photo on each one. Great stocking stuffers!
• How about creating a calendar with each month featuring a photo of the officemate whose birthday falls in that month?
• Put someone’s favorite vacation photo on a coffee mug to remind them daily of the great time they had.
• Journals and note cards make great gifts — how about using some black-and-white photographs of famous city landmarks to showcase
your artistic flair?

More ambitious? A self-published book of images, with or without adding a text story, can make a big splash. These days, it’s easy and inexpensive. Check out www.lulu.com. If you’re on a Mac, go directly to your iPhoto application and click on the book, calendar, or card icons to get started instantly. Happy Holidays!

Katy Allgeyer is an artist and freelance writer. She writes the Feng Shui column for Working World and the Tell Us About It column for Working Nurse.