A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words (Especially if it's on a sparkly necklace)

The joy of children at Christmas is only second to the joy of giving gifts that include their photographed license in some form or another.

Okay, so that's not totally true. But since I'm a member of a family where people do not need yet another sweater, coat, or piece of costume jewelry, photo gifts are the way to go. My in-laws, however, don't really appreciate a nice 8 x 10 black and white -- "Where's the color?" they ask. "What am I supposed to do with this?" they reply.

So they're not the loving grateful for a piece of bark covered in glitter type of grandparents. But that's not to say I can't find something with my kids' photos on it that will satisfy them.

But of course, the perfect recipe for a photo gift is as follows:

a) Fantastic camera
b) Unique gift idea
c) Picking the right photo

Now, I'm not going to even try to attempt "c;" I've enlisted the help of my friend and photographer Tracey Clark to help you pick the best photos for your gifts. I mean, a photo for a piece of jewelry compared to a bag is very different. Check over to her blog today (at some point, she's West Coast people) and she'll give you some tips based on some of my suggestions! (How cool are we?!)

But with "a" and "b," I've got you covered.

To be quite honest with you, I wish I had registered for a camera when I was pregnant. There are definitely specific things about a camera that I look for as a parent, and I had NO CLUE as to what they were when I was pregnant. My Canon (RIP) was terribly difficult to manage. I think it was actually heavier than my baby and unless you had about six hours to read the manual, you were just lucky to get a shot.

So, when that camera died, I was pretty excited to find something new, but had absolutely no clue as to what to look for, other than a few specific things that probably no one but me cared about.

- How long does it take to actually take a picture? (will your kid be able to take his own picture and spell "camera" by the time it clicks?)

- Can you easily turn the flash on and off without having to just hold your finger over it?

- Can you take quick video without having to stand on your head?

- Can you use the camera without having to read the entire manual (okay, or any part of it)?

And so, the HP Photosmart Mz67 wins that prize. Now if you want numbers like 8 MP, 6x optical zoom, bla bla bla, then go read the product reviews on it. Honestly, that stuff doesn't necessarily matter to me. What matters is that I whipped that thing out and stuck the batteries in and was taking pictures in five seconds without reading the manual (what person with kids has time to read through a manual??).

And they were good pictures.

You can change the flash, you can get rid of red-eye, and you can put pretty little borders around your photos all before you print them out (if that's what you do). And the video is soooo easy. Who thought that video would be easy? Plus, you can favorite your photos so you only download (and print) the good ones without having to go through and delete the ones you don't like.

Basically, the camera lives up to its name as being "smart" (but not too smart so that you can't use it and it makes you feel stupid -- that is not a good smart).

So, now with my new camera in hand, I am ready to take a slew of fantastic photos for presents (and lots of them).

Expensive but Worth it

Other than the camera and the HP Photosmart Printer (for the grandparents who insist on printing out every freaking photo you send)...

tj&co key chain -- I love this because it's not cheezy for the dads and grandpas. And her stuff is exquisitely made. I've seen it in person. [Her lariats are amazing -- a real treat just for you!] (Code CMP15 for 15% off -- but order by today for X-mas!)

Kiki & Polly Art -- These are incredibly unique! (Code 403008515 for 10% off)

Holly Marie Jewelry Rings -- I'd love one of these, if anyone is looking to buy me a present.

MeArt -- Modern and funky.

Won't Make You Fall Over From the Price

Snaptotes -- Very cost effective photo bags. Plus a very nice company overall.

Snapfish Photo Book -- I've heard people RAVING about these. Must be worth checking out.

Personalized Photo Light -- These are just nifty.

Photo Lunch Box -- Kids are narcissists anyway, so why not let them bask in it?

Photo Note Pad -- So maybe it's weird for people to be writing all over your face, but still seems like a cool idea.

Digital Photo Key Chain -- Back ordered but still available for X-mas. Very cool. (pssst Red Envelope has about 14,000 photo gifts...) And here's a cheaper one -- slightly less photos.

So You're Cheap. That's Okay.

Stickers, Gift Tags, and Stamps -- Always a nice touch. And you'll definitely impress your recipients (aside from your amazing gift, of course!).

Personalized Book -- My mom brought the one I had done for Q into work and sold like 14 of them. Very cool.

Smoy Photo Cuffs -- Great for the tween or hipster. Handmade in Brooklyn, NYC.

Photo Ornaments -- I'd get one every year ($12 a pop).

Now go visit Tracey for helpful hints in picking just the right photo for just the right gift.

WIN WIN WIN! And leave a comment with your favorite photo gift idea (either one listed here or one you've used before that's not), and you'll be entered to win a gift card for 50 free Snapfish prints. (Enter by Midnight EST tonight -- only one entry per person per email per blog...).