If you take lots of pictures around the holidays, you probably have photos laying on your coffee table, stuffed in drawers, and slipped hodgepodge into photo albums. As the years go by, it’s easy to lose track of which holidays you’re looking at—all those stuffed stockings and Christmas cookies look a lot the same after a while.

Publishing your own picture book can be a great way to preserve your photos in one place, keep track of your holiday memories, and create a lasting heirloom for yourself and your family. Many companies such as Shutterfly, Picaboo, and Mixbook make it easy to publish your own photo book. You can upload your photos, order online, and even add captions and formatting to your book. You can order as many copies of your book as you like. These make great gifts for your family. Make a Thanksgiving photo book for Christmas gifts for your Thanksgiving guests, or give out IOUs at Christmas time for a special book to remember the holiday by!

Choose your style.
Many online companies offer different styles and themes for your photo book, from vintage to elegant to fun-loving. Choose a style that compliments the tone of your holiday. For a quiet Christmas in a mountain lodge, choose a forest theme. For a big family Christmas at Grandma’s house, choose a theme that uses gingerbread, stockings, and a homemade fire.

Choose your pictures.
Be sure to select pictures that have a lot of variety. Choose close ups and group pictures and different combinations of family members. Consider telling a story with your pictures by putting them in chronologically and grouping major events together. If you know in advance that you will be making a photo book, be sure to take pictures of important events in your holiday, like family dinners, moments of reunion between family members, and gift giving.

Make photo books of a specific family member.
If you have a small child, make a photo album of her to give as a gift this holiday. Collect pictures of her during all the seasons. Capture school plays, sports activities, first steps, and major events. Include pictures of her with various family members and during other holidays. Place your pictures chronologically. If you will cover a large number of years, you can show her growth over her lifetime. Grandparents will love this gift—particularly if they are long-distance and may not see her very often.

Image Credit: Aunt Owwee, Flickr