Christmas Photo Gifts For Mum

It’s easy to say ‘I love you’ to your mum. But it’s a phrase we throw around so casually nowadays – signing off every phone conversation with it – that it loses some of the meaning behind it.

Reasons We Love You is an opportunity to articulate why you love mum. From the profound, such as ‘You taught me to stand up for others’, or sentimental; ‘You still have all the trophies I got as a kid’, to the lighthearted; ‘Every time you visit, you organize one of my closets or shelves!’. Highlighting all the reasons she is loved, valued and appreciated will make a touching Christmas gift for mum – whether from just yourself or the entire family.

Ask Mum what she really wants for Christmas and chances are, she’d much rather have you call or visit more often, than whatever’s in the gift-wrapped yellow box from Selfridges that you had in mind. But living busy lives, that’s not always possible. Which is why photo gifts make such a fitting alternative; they’re uniquely personal, evoke a memory and celebrate relationships.

Spell It Out allows you to combine this with heartfelt sentiments – something that reminds mum what she means to you – to create a truly meaningful Christmas gift for Mum that she can look at over and over again. For when you can’t be there to say it in person.

Mums work pretty hard on Christmas Day. It’s no mean feat pulling off a culinary feast for twenty guests – all the while supervising aunty Jean’s sherry intake, ignoring granny’s comments about tidiness and smiling politely when your sister’s boyfriend announces he’s a gluten-intolerant vegan. So why not treat her throughout the day?

A Gift Every Hour is a fun way to give mum 12 smaller presents; one to be opened every hour. Include a mix of gifts with sentimental value, homemade items and practical things you know she’ll get use out of (but that, on their own, would feel too small to give as her main present). Whether it’s a coupon to get out of doing the washing up, a surprise video message from a long-distance friend or a photo calendar with a different picture of your siblings through the years for each month, it’s a lovely way to remind her how much she’s appreciated. And it might just keep her sane until the in-laws go home!

Christmas is not usually a time when honesty is the best policy. Whether it’s pulling your ‘just what I always wanted face’, complimenting mum on her deliciously moist Turkey; that doesn’t feel at all like swallowing razor blades or biting your tongue when granny asks why your sis isn’t married yet. But The Usual Suspects is a great way to poke a little fun at your crazy relatives with a tongue-in-cheek family portrait that gets them to own their funny or annoying character traits and confess whatever shady behaviour they’re most guilty of.

Whether dad is ‘The Thrifty One’ guilty of being a ‘Central Heating Tyrant’, mum is ‘The Control Freak’ who confesses to being a ‘Helicopter Mum’, or your brother is ‘The Nerdy One’ who ‘Corrects Everyone’s Grammar’, mum will definitely appreciate this honest family portrait of her very own Most Wanted.

With Pinterest-envy always pushing us to try something creative, new and different, it’s easy to overlook the beauty in something simple and understated; particularly when it comes to family portraits. Ultimately, it’s the people in the photo that matter most – especially to mum. So, keep it real.

Head to Head is a creative way to photograph you and your siblings. Resulting in a unique family photo that’s relaxed, informal and above all else, authentic. Simply by shooting from an unexpected angle it keeps the portrait natural, while elevating it above the everyday. It’s a wonderfully way to capture an intimate moment between siblings, which makes it the perfect Christmas gift for mum.

They say as you grow older your Christmas list gets shorter, because the things you really want can’t be bought. I’m pretty sure most mums would agree. And while it might be a Christmas miracle if your family doesn’t get into a single argument all day, mum is probably just happy to have everyone together under one roof again. So what better gift to give her than a group photo of the entire gang – in all their silly, chaotic, peculiar glory.

The Motley Bunch is a fun, creative way to put a modern spin on a family portrait; one that captures who you really are as a family and let everyone’s personalities shine through. I guarantee it will bring a smile to mum’s face at Christmas.

Chances are your mum’s probably got plenty of photos of you and your siblings on display. From old school photos with dodgy haircuts, to wedding photos in ‘what was I thinking’ dresses and of course, the obligatory formal studio portrait with cheesy painted backdrop and forced smiles – most of which probably make you cringe when you look at them.

Profile Portraits is an easy way to create a modern family photo simply by experimenting with different angles and positions. No gimmicks or props, just some subtle art direction that results in a beautiful portrait that’s both classic and contemporary.

Frame it or print it onto a canvas as mum’s Christmas gift, then maybe it can take the place of that hideous one of you and your brother in your 1980’s school uniform that’s still hanging on her wall!

You’ve heard the phrase ‘a face only a mother could love’? Well, it’s not just your brother’s ugly mush this applies to. The truth is, mums are amazing because they love their kids in spite of all their flaws, shortcomings, mistakes and imperfections. Yet, most family portraits have everybody pretending to be the perfect family. How about creating one that’s a little more realistic as a Christmas gift for mum?

Head Swap is a more lighthearted family portrait where stiff and posed is replaced with lively and expressive. These natural, animated shots allow everyone’s real personalities to shine and results in a far more authentic depiction of your family. One that captures their true spirit and reminds mum what it is she loves about you all.

While mums might grumble about having to cook for so many, not having enough chairs or where everyone’s going to sleep, the truth is, what they typically love the most about Christmas is that it’s one of the rare occasions when all the family comes together.

Heart and Sole is a wonderfully sentimental Christmas gift for mum because it celebrates the very essence of Christmas: family. Using the natural, relaxed and informal style of modern portrait photography, it’s a great way to affirm relationships in a creative and playful manner, without seeming cheesy. And or course, it perfectly encompasses the thing mums love the most about Christmas.

Christmas typically serves as an annual reminder that your family puts the fun in dysfunctional! And I’m betting mum has long-since abandoned any pretense of being the perfect harmonious family. So why are all your family portraits the same? Everyone dressed up smart, standing in a line and smiling politely at the camera; as if that really sums up your family. Pur-lease, who you trying to kid?

Little Boxes is a fun way to create a more lighthearted and authentic family portrait that shows the reality of family life; with all it’s disorganized, spirited, unruly, chaotic charm.

I’m sure mum would much rather look at a photo that captures the true spirit of the crazy and boisterous family she knows and loves, over a formal shot where everyone’s pretending butter wouldn’t melt?