Help with photo books for a crappy year!

[WineLife]

I could really do with some help and ideas please!

Each year I do my dds (14 & 12) a photo book for Xmas. They love it and look forward to it each year. I’ve tried to take as many photos as possible this year but feel like they don’t quite match up to previous years. I don’t mean that in a negative way, we have had some lovely times still in spite of everything! But also I sort of feel like I want to mix it up a bit this year. I’m thinking of interspersing the photos with some other bits and pieces but can’t really put my finger on what it is I want! Maybe some poems/phrases/famous photos, actually even writing this I’m now thinking maybe some photos from around the world relating to when we all stopped for lockdown?

It’s been such an difficult year and although we’ve had our ups and downs I’m so proud of how they’ve handled it and I kind of want to mark it in a bit of a different way than usual.

Any suggestions/examples/ideas would be greatly appreciated! I am terrible for leaving the photo books to the last minute so am determined to try and get a bit ahead this year!

Could you write each of them a letter which you sort of chop up, so every fourth or so page is a page of writing from you to them, including best lockdown memory, how you're proud of them dealing with it etc

Could you get a professional photo shoot done, with some make up etc, to include?

You could also maybe do some funny photoshopped pics?

Could you do some “notes/letters to them” and upload as a photo - saying how proud you are or what you especially remember that day ?

I’m the same do a photo book but this year will be different and I think a little memory every now and then could fill it out and make it unique (let’s face it this year is unique) then at the very end the very last page put a final note something like

It may not have been the year we thought we were getting our plans changed many times; but we stayed together we stayed safe and we grew as a family ....

Something like that ? I’m sure they will understand it isn’t going to be the “usual” photo book but considering this year isn’t “usual” I think it would be okay....

Ahh brilliant both great ideas thanks! Love the idea of a letter and I could get my brother on board with photoshop he’s great with that.