Saturday, December 10, 2011

For Fun - Christmas Gift Idea #2

Personal copies!

What on earth does that mean?

Here's my story:

      Last year, I gave my kids their own dvd copies of all the family movies - and made master copies for my own files.   They were absolutely thrilled to have their own copies that they could play.... and we all liked knowing that a natural disaster wouldn't destroy the memories!  *Remember that 3 of my 5 children have their own homes & families now :-)

We had bought a recorder for under $200 (which is less than I usually spend on Christmas anyway and counted as a FAMILY Christmas present early :-)   The link below will give you an idea of what is available!

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=node%3D1266092011&field-keywords=vhs+dv+d+recorder&x=0&y=0

Recordable dvds go on sale for half-price regularly at OfficeDepot... I get 100 for around $25

So... I managed a great gift for all 5 of my children (and an ongoing gift possibility!) for a reasonable price and a bit of effort...  but the excitement was fantastic!

Sooo.... in that vein..... personal copies of digital things.  THIS year I began scanning in family photos to create a dvd for everybody.  The project is larger than I realized so it has now become a goal that is rolling over into 2012.  But it will include historical photos that will interest my extended family as well as photos for my personal crew.

But what I CAN do is:

#1. create a small personal hard copy photo album for each person with photos of each family member..... especially

           a) the littlest ones:  my toddler grandgirls!  A small $1 photo album with printed out photos of each family member that they can have for their own - to love on, to play with, to learn the names of people they don't see all the time!  (Another idea for any age is a laminated photo collage to use as a place mat - especially nice for someone in a nursing facility because it CAN'T be hurt and CAN be replaced easily)

          b) friends and family members without computer access!   I think we who play on the computer all the time and see the photos on Facebook FORGET that we still have people connected to us who do not (or sometimes CHOOSE not) to participate online.   The same small photo album is a fun much-appreciated gift that will keep them updated.

          c) BUSY family members!  I fall into this category.... I have access to the photos of close friends and family .. but I don't get around to printing them out to display in my home... or to carry around to show off... but I'd sure love to have them!

         d) friends and family members who struggle with the visual technology that is becoming the norm...  okay - specifically, this is ME!  I used to have a little keychain thingie that had photos on it... but I can't see it very well so it's no fun for me (even though I can show other people, it is difficult to tell them about the photos because I can't see them well!)  Wallet-size hard copies are better for me.

#2.  I asked my daughters to find and hand over their husbands' VHS recorded memories (and any of their own that I did not have) so that I could record them in dvd format.

#3.  I found zippered dvd cases that I will give to each of the kids so they have a place to store these items..  Shhhhhh!  Don't tell them..... I think I'm safe because my family doesn't read my stuff :-)

#4.  Scan in all those hard copy items that are personal to your children (or other family members) that you still have.... report cards, certificates, early artwork.. and create a cd / dvd with those files.

#5..... My favorite for this year!   Recording story books for my grandchildren!   No, I am not buying the expensive recordable books, though they might be great for many people!  What I am doing is buying the books I WANT to give them... old family favorites, their parents' childhood favorites, their parents' requests... or just what I want to give....  AND having my son video record me reading it aloud.

  So... the gift is a book AND a dvd of me reading it aloud.... 

Good luck with your frugal digital gifting!   Let me know what YOUR ideas are!

No comments:

Post a Comment