photo gifts Archives - London Drugs Blog

Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gift Ideas That Will Warm Her Heart

If you’re still on the hunt for the perfect Mother’s Day gift, not to worry! With Mother’s Day being a bit earlier this year, even the most seasoned gifter might be a little off their game. Luckily, there are still plenty of Mother’s Day gift ideas that are not only quick and easy to order but are still thoughtful and made with love. From one-of-a-kind cards to personalized mugs and photo books, below are some of our Photolab’s top last-minute gift ideas that will warm her heart.

A Thoughtful Mug for Mom

Showing mom you think she’s the best mom ever is easy: just put it on a mug! You can add personalized text to any of our Photolab’s mugs, so you can tell her exactly how much you care for her. Add a photo of your choice as well – one she will be able to cherish for years to come.

If you have young kids, you can encourage them to design their own special mugs for mom with the help of our Take and Create Books. These books are full of templates for items including our mugs, which they can draw their own artwork in, and then have those drawings digitized and printed on a mug (or other gift items). You can learn more about our Take and Create Books here.

Our mugs can be ready for pick-up in just 24 hours, making them an excellent choice if you’re in a pinch for a last-minute gift. Plus, they only take a few minutes to customize!

A Special Locket Full of Love

With a personalized locket, mom can keep her loved ones close to her heart at all times. Choose from locket-sized photos in various shapes, including circle, heart, oval, and square, to match your chosen locket. Each print also comes with a variety of sizes from 1”x1” to 0.2”x0.2” so you can pick the one that fits perfectly.

If you’re gifting to a senior/grandmother, it could also be a thoughtful surprise to include old photos of her and her children. Rather than cutting up the originals though, make sure they’re digitized first! Our Photo Scanning Box service can help you digitize large amounts of old print photos quickly and easily.

These locket prints are ready for pick up in just 24 to 72 hours at most of our locations.

A Photoshoot Just for Her

Treat mom to a photoshoot that’s all about her! This gift requires no prep time at all but is a thoughtful way to show your appreciation for your mom and how beautiful she is inside and out. Hire a local photographer, or pick up a camera and stage your own photoshoot at home for her. You can include the kids as well, but take some photos just of her too. Make sure to mention in your ‘Mother’s Day Photo Shoot’ gift that she’ll receive a selection of prints/enlargements or a canvas gallery wrap to commemorate the experience and preserve those special images. This can also be a thoughtful gift for a mom-to-be!

If you’re looking for pointers for doing your at-home photoshoot, make sure to check out our DIY Studio modules; it’s free to sign up, and you’ll get all kinds of helpful tips from pro photographer Erin Manning in each module. For your Mother’s Day photoshoot, we recommend checking out the modules on ‘Composition Tips’ and ‘Lighting Techniques.’

A Photo Book of ‘Moments with Mom’

So many of our most memorable moments in life are often with mom. Help her cherish them by preserving all of your favourite moments with mom in a fully personalized photo book. Hand-pick the photos displayed on each page, and even add thoughtful notes to tell her why those moments mean the world to you. Don’t worry about the design element – we have a Mother’s Day template all set to go for you, so you can simply drag and drop your images!

If you’re tight on time, not to worry. Our Express Book, an 8×8 photographic book with a leatherette cover, is easy to customize and ready for pick-up in just 24 to 72 hours.

A One-of-a-Kind Mother’s Day Card

Sometimes there just isn’t a Mother’s Day card in the card aisle that says exactly what you want to say. That’s where our personalized greeting cards come in. They can be customized with any theme and photo(s) of your choosing, plus you can add a truly personal and heartfelt message for mom that is one-of-a-kind. Just knowing you took the time to make a card for her is sure to warm her heart!

Left it a little late? Just because you’re looking for a Mother’s Day card last minute doesn’t mean it can’t still be thoughtful. Our single-sided photo cards and premium folded greeting cards on photographic paper can be customized and ready for pick-up in just 24 to 72 hours!

A Photo Button for the #1 Mom

Tell the world your mom is #1 by designing a photo button that she can proudly wear all Mother’s Day like a badge of honour! Want it to say something else besides ‘#1 Mom’? While ordering, add any text (and photo) you like! Our buttons are fully customizable. We also have both 3” and 1.25” round buttons, as well as heart-shaped buttons to choose from.

If you’re thinking of ordering one for your mom, just make sure not to leave it too last minute: our photo buttons are ready for pick-up in just 5 to 7 days.

To customize your Mother’s Day gifts on-the-go, just download our London Drugs Photolab App for iOS and Android to order straight from your smartphone! Otherwise, you can also always order through our Photolab online or in-store using our kiosks. For exact turnaround times, please check with your local London Drugs Photolab.

3 Ways to Celebrate with Dad on Father’s Day (In-Person or Virtually)

While many types of celebrations have had to change and adjust this year, there are still lots of ways you can celebrate with your dad on Father’s Day, no matter if you’re together or apart right now. Whether you can see your dad IRL (in real life) this Father’s Day or not, here are 3 ways you can celebrate together and show dad why he’s #1.

Serve Breakfast in Bed

The quintessential Father’s Day tradition, breakfast in bed, has become a classic way to celebrate for a reason – it helps him start his day off right, with a little indulgence and a lot of love.

In-person:

Go all-out on a breakfast that is just for dad. Pile it high with his favourites: waffles or pancakes, bacon or sausages, hash browns, eggs – the works! You can also surprise him with his favourite cuppa joe in his very own Father’s Day mug, personalized by you with the help of our Photolab. Add a personal message and some photos that you know will make him smile. Need it last minute? We can have your mug ready for pick up in-store in as little as 24 hours!

Virtually:

Not there to make dad breakfast in-person? No problem. Pick dad’s favourite local breakfast spot and order him a surprise breakfast, delivered right to his door! Plus, we can deliver our photo mugs anywhere in Canada, so you can customize a Father’s Day mug for dad online and then have it shipped to dad in time for Father’s Day. Then set up a Facetime or Zoom call together so you can catch up virtually while he enjoys his breakfast in bed.

Fire up the Grill

If your dad is a self-proclaimed grill master, why not center his Father’s Day celebration around the BBQ?

In-person:

On your run to the grocery store, pick up some barbeque must-haves like steaks, ribs or burgers that you can grill up on the BBQ together on Father’s Day. Make sure you have the necessary condiments too. As a special gift for dad, customize his own BBQ apron that he can proudly wear as you both grill up a perfect Father’s Day dinner.

Virtually:

See if there are any local restaurants offering meal kits that you can send directly to dad, complete with everything he needs for a great Father’s Day BBQ. Better yet, order one for yourself too, so you can grill together (while apart) and enjoy over Facetime or Zoom. Order his own customized BBQ apron with a photo of your choosing, and have it shipped to him in advance, so he can wear it the day-of.

Play Some Golf

Does dad’s idea of a perfect day involve golf? If so, why not make it an activity for the two of you to partake in on Father’s Day!

In-person:

Some golf courses are open and allowing people to play while physically distancing. If available in your area, book a tee time for you and dad to get out and play a round of golf in the fresh air – just make sure to book soon, as tee times are now more spread out. As the perfect accompanying gift, personalize dad a golf towel with a fun photo that he can use while on the course!

Virtually:

Play golf together…virtually! PlayStation 4 has an online multiplayer option for the Everybody’s Golf game, so you can both play together. Send dad a copy of the game, along with a golf towel from our Photolab that you personalized yourself.

Of course, a Father’s Day card is always a thoughtful addition to any Father’s Day gift. Customize your own card from the comfort of your home with the help of our Photolab! Pick a Father’s Day template, add some photos and a personalized message, and either pick up in-store or have it shipped (to yourself or directly to your dad). It’s a great way to show him you’re thinking of him, whether you’re together, or apart right now.

Mother’s Day Gifts Made at Home with Love

If you’ve already exhausted your supply of puzzles, we’ve got a new activity to keep yourself and the kids busy while self-isolating. Our Photolab’s free Take and Create Book is now available online! Even better, you can use this Take and Create Book to create unique and personalized gifts for Mother’s Day – right from home in 4 easy steps.

1. Get your Take and Create Book

You can pick up your free Take and Create Book at our Photolab if you happen to be in-store, but if you’d like to get your hands on a copy while you’re self-isolating at home, you can simply download it here.

2. Fill in the Templates

These Take and Create Books are full of templates for custom gifts like mugs (for mom’s daily cuppa joe) and ornaments (to hang in her car or anywhere at home) that both you and your kids can draw and colour in. Let the creativity flow! Have the kids write a special message for mom, or draw an image they think mom will love. You can even put your artistic skills to the test too – doodle something that shows your appreciation for your own mom. It makes a great art activity for an afternoon indoors. Plus, mom is sure to appreciate that you crafted her Mother’s Day gift yourself.

3. Scan Your Drawings

Once you’re done filling in the book, simply scan the templates using an at-home scanner or a smartphone scanning app to digitize them as image files. Crop what’s outside the template lines, and you’ll be all set to upload to our Photolab’s website or to our London Drugs Photolab App (available for iOS and Android).

4. Upload to our Photolab

After your images are uploaded, you’ll be able to browse our Photolab’s products to find the ones that match your templates, like mugs and ornaments. Then just customize each gift with your images, and choose delivery to have them shipped directly to your home!

All done making a gift for mom and looking for another activity to pass the time? We can help you customize your own puzzles! Just choose a photo, and our Photolab can turn it into a puzzle with 25, 114, 120 or even 1,000 pieces.

Mommy Outside the Box’s Gift Ideas for the Hard-to-Buy-For

Stumped on what to give the hardest-to-buy-for people on your holiday shopping list? Shayna from Mommy Outside the Box has lots of creative ideas. All you’ll need is some photos and a little help from our London Drugs Photolab!

Photo credit: Mommy Outside the Box

There is snow on the ground (at least where I am). The tree is up. Holiday music is playing in the grocery store. Our local tree lighting ceremony is this week. I do believe the holidays are upon us! Just like every year, I feel like that sort of snuck up on me. Wasn’t I just carving pumpkins? But here we are and it’s time to get into the holiday spirit. It’s a busy time of year that’s for sure. There’s baking to do. Decorations to put up. Gatherings to attend. And gifts to buy.

I love giving gifts! There is so much joy in finding the perfect gift for those special people in your life. It’s just not always easy to know what that perfect gift is. I’m sure we all have at least one person on our list that is a little difficult to know what to get. I know when I’m stuck on ideas for people close to me I try to come up with something a little more personal to give them.

Gifts to Cherish

We all have memories that we cherish and we are making more all the time. I bet you can pull up your phone right now and scroll through your camera roll and find a lot of pictures that make you stop and smile. I bet they would make other people smile too. There’s nothing better than sharing a smile. And that’s so easy to do with photo gifts. I love it when I’m unpacking my Christmas decorations to put up, and come across the photo ornaments that I’ve been given in the past. Those always get a special place on my tree or on mantle and they bring me joy throughout the holiday season.

We are already into December but, luckily, it’s not too late to check off that Christmas list and order some precious photo gifts from the LDPhotolab! They have so many options – from holiday cards to beautiful ornaments and everything in between, it’s easy to find that perfect gift to add a photo to and share a smile.

I just placed an order myself so I could share some ideas with you. Photo gifts are so easy to order from London Drugs. You can upload your photos and order your gifts from your computer, at a kiosk in store or make it super easy and download the London Drugs Photolab App on your iOS or Android device!

Greetings Cards – Order by December 17

Photo credit: Mommy Outside the Box

I love getting actual Christmas cards in the mail! And I imagine others do as well so I try to send out at least a few every year. I had some lovely photos from a family shoot that my daughter and I had done earlier this fall and I knew I wanted to include one of those pictures in our cards this year. And rather than send cards with a picture tucked inside it just made more sense to put our photo right on the card. You will find a large selection of layouts and styles online to make your card perfect!

Personalized Ornaments – Order by December 17

I have a small collection of personalized ornaments and they are by far my favorite! I also give them every year. Ornaments with my always growing daughter make the perfect gift for her grandparents! The LDPhotolab has a ton of styles and finishes for ornaments. You can order them in metal, crystal, ceramic and even wood.

This crystal ornament that I ordered with a picture of my daughter and one of her best friends is my new favorite. These girls are so adorable and the ornament is so beautiful! It’s really hard to capture how lovely it really is in a photo. The colors are so vibrant.

Photo credit: Mommy Outside the Box

So, I actually didn’t mean to put my own face on this wooden ornament. It was supposed to be a picture of my daughter but the mix up was completely user error on my part! I just might just hold on to this one for a while and gift it to my daughter when she’s older and is putting up a tree of her own. Maybe then she can remember when her mom wasn’t quite so old! But, mistake or not, I do love how this wooden ornament turned out. I’m a sucker for anything with a “rustic” look and feel and that’s exactly how this turned out, especially with the black and white photo.

Photo credit: Mommy Outside the Box

Pet Tags – Order by December 17

My daughter and I have three adorable cats. I mean they are a lot of trouble, but they are so stinking cute! Now our cats hate collars so there is no way they are going to wear pet tags but I knew my daughter would love this keepsake and I will be ordering more with pictures of her other two cats. These are things she will always cherish.

Photo credit: Mommy Outside the Box

Fine Art Prints

Special gifts are awesome but sometimes a simple picture really does say a thousand words. This particular picture is tied a very specific and important memory and event in my life and I really wanted to get it printed as a reminder of where I was and where I am. There are lots of print options at the LD Photolab. You can get your standard prints in glossy or pearl or you can also try out some of their fine art paper like Bamboo, Baryta and Kauai. I had this picture printed on Kauai paper and I absolutely love how it turned out. This is such an easy way to make your favorite photos just a little more special. Both the Baryta and Kauai paper are a smooth cotton and they completely change the look and feel of your photos.

Photo credit: Mommy Outside the Box

And Many More

This is just a small sampling of the unique and creative photo gifts you can order from London Drugs. Here are a few other ideas that caught my eye:

Photo calendars – wall calendars or desktop in a variety of sizes.
Photo books always make a lovely gift. The LDPhotolab has a variety of beautiful and creative photo books to choose from.
Canvas gallery wraps come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit any space and are such a beautiful way to showcase photos.
Photo mugs are another great choice for the tea or coffee drinker on your list.

There are just so many ideas that it would be impossible for me to write about them all in this post. You really should head over to the website and check them out yourself! You still have time to order and have your gifts in hand before Christmas. You can check out the holiday ordering cutoff dates here.

A $100 gift card to London Drugs sure would help you get a headstart on your own personalized holiday gifts, wouldn’t it? Check out Mommy Outside the Box’s blog post here to see how you can enter for a chance to win one!

On the Hunt for Easter Treats? Egg-citing Gift Ideas for the Entire Family

Everybody loves getting something sweet Easter morning, but there’s nothing wrong with shaking it up every now and then, especially when the majority of us are still working through that Valentine’s Day bulk.

Personalized Mugs

With 47 different customizable Easter mug templates, you’ll have no problem finding the perfect breakfast companion for everyone at the ‘big kids’ table.

Spend some quality time with the tots! Have little ones create their own handprint art, which can be easily digitized so you can add it to an Easter-themed mug design. You can digitize your artwork using an at-home scanner, or visit your local London Drugs Photolab in-store to use our self-serve scanner, or have an LDExpert scan it for you.

April long weekend is best spent with the family, April 1^st – get personal.

Easter Cards

For the family unable to make it – or the sentimental aunt, cousin or grandparent – customize an Easter-themed greeting card! Choose your favorite vacation photo, a dance recital snapshot, or the hockey goal candid – tell a story, share some news, or just send a ‘Happy Easter!’ greeting.

There are over 30 different templates to choose from, and our LDExperts are always available to help you through, step by step, at every London Drugs Photolab.

But what is Easter without eating an entire Lindt bunny before breakfast? We’re all kids at heart – can anyone say no to the kind eyes of the marshmallow Peep, or turn down cracking open that mysterious orange plastic at the center of every Kinder Surprise egg? So why not fill that personalized mug with Easter goodies, as an added treat!

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids (and Parents)

We’ve got just over a month until Christmas. Time to get your shopping sorted!

Starting with last week’s Holiday Gift Guide for the Home Cook, we’re posting gift guides every week until Christmas. Each will be aimed at different groups and include gift ideas from stocking stuffers to show stoppers.

This week, our guide has gift suggestions for all the kids in your life that parents won’t mind playing with either! Whether you’re a parent yourself, or you’re buying presents for other kids and parents in your life, London Drugs has plenty of ideas and options.

Board Games are Big Again

Board games have gotten incredibly popular over the last few years. Board game cafes and bars in Calgary and Vancouver can attest to their popularity! Board games are tried and true, and (actually) fun for the whole family. They make great gifts, but choosing between the hundreds of games available can be overwhelming. That’s why we’re here to help!

Modern board games range from serious strategy games like Ticket to Ride or Settlers of Catan to classics with a twist like NHL-OPOLY. Strategy games tend to be better for older kids, but Dixit is good for kids three and up while still being super fun. Pandemic is a cooperative game, teaching valuable lessons about collaboration while players work together to save the world. Kids and parents alike will appreciate learning new games.

Or, you can give the parents in your life some classics from their childhood to share with their own kids, like Twister or Battleship. Monopoly Deal is a great new version of an old classic that is quick to play and won’t cause any family feuds!

Tech Toys

While board games are great, video games are really the modern classic. This year’s ultimate gift is the Nintendo Switch, especially bundled with Super Mario Odyssey. The Switch can be a home gaming system, or a portable device kids can continue playing on for those long car rides.

Gift Guide for Kids - Super Mario Odyssey

Image via Nintendo.com

If the kid on your list is into computers, teach them the basics of programming with this cool programmable robot.

Gift Guide for Kids - WowWee programmable robot

Image via WowWee.com

iPads are incredibly versatile techie gifts, good for young and older kids alike. They’ve got YouTube and Netflix for watching kids shows, tons of easy-to-learn games, and they make it easier to connect with family through FaceTime. There’s nothing better for grandparents, aunts, and uncles than a video chat with excited kids on Christmas morning!

Kid Crafts

For families wanting less screen time, crafty gifts are endlessly fun. Scientifically minded kids will be into these Cool Science Experiments, ranging from invisible ink to lava lamps to hoverboards.

Those who love to draw will appreciate a fresh set of pencil crayons. Pair them with a sketchbook to make a complete drawing kit.

Colouring books are always fun and relaxing. Give them a colouring book with their favourite movie characters (be it Minions or Spider-Man) or opt for beautiful shapes or animals and let the recipient tell their own stories with colour.

Lego

As frustrating as stepping on those tiny pieces can be, Lego is a classic toy for a reason. Get fancy sets for older kids, like this Star Wars Resistance X-Wing, or go back to basics with a classic creativity set. You can make anything with Lego.

Personalized Presents

Personalized presents are great for kids—they love seeing pictures of themselves and their family! The PhotoLab can put your family photos on just about anything, but some particularly good gifts are personalized mugs, ornaments, and puzzles.

For more gift-giving advice for the kids (and parents) on your list, speak to an LD Expert today. To make a purchase, visit London Drugs in-store and online.

We’ll be back soon with a top gift guide for techies. See you then!

See all of our 2017 Holiday Gift Guides here:

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Techies

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for the DIYer

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Music Lovers

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for the Home Cook

Giving Gifts They’ll Actually Love

Hint: It’s not the thought, it’s the personalization that counts!

We all know that one person who seems to always give the perfect, thoughtful and most unique Christmas gifts. How do they do it? Our Photolab Experts have the secret, and it’s easier than you think. It’s all about personalization. Adding a personal touch, like a photo or custom text, will give your gifts a unique quality that your loved ones will cherish. Our Photolab has virtually endless possibilities to customize your gifts for friends, family, colleagues and anyone else on your holiday shopping list.

Greeting Cards – Whether it’s your family’s annual Christmas card, or individual cards to give out to family, friends and colleagues, spreading the holiday cheer starts here. Rather than picking out a set of generic cards to send, why not create unique holiday cards with personal photos? Our Photolab can now customize Greeting Cards using a wide variety of themed templates on 6 new premium card stocks: linen, natural white, matte soft white, shimmer silver and shimmer soft gold. We are the only local Photolab to use these premium card stocks, so your greeting cards are guaranteed to be entirely unique.

Photographic Albums – Give a truly thoughtful and personal gift by curating a collection of special photos and creating a personalized photographic album for loved ones. The book’s photos are printed on thick photographic paper that will brilliantly display cherished memories in a high quality format. Share photos of a recent trip together, a collection of photos taken over the past year, or even old childhood and family photos.

Personalized Large Fleece Blankets – Brand new to the London Drugs Photolab, this is the ultimate cozy Christmas gift. Got a hockey player in the family? Customize a fleece blanket with a photo of their team, and parents can use it to show support and to keep warm at their next game. Grandparents would love a personalized blanket with a photo of their grandchildren, and a dog lover would be over the moon to see their prized pup immortalized on a super-soft fleece.

Photo Crystals – Choose a meaningful photo to share with your loved ones and gift it to them in the form of a crystal. Our new expanded selection of shapes includes heart, teardrop, moon, wave and rectangle-shaped crystal blocks, which can transform your photo into a unique, eye-catching Christmas gift. This would make a great personalized hostess gift for any of your upcoming holiday parties.

Express Books – Need to whip together a quick and easy Christmas gift, and need it right away? The 8×8 photographic Express Books can be made within 24 hours at any London Drugs location. Just choose your photos, and we’ll create a sleek photographic book complete with black leatherette cover. So if you forgot one last person on your list, or if you received an unexpected gift from your neighbour or colleague, don’t fret: we can take care of that.

Instagram Books – This small personalized Instagram Book makes the perfect stocking stuffer gift! Simply select your favourite square Instagram photos from your feed, and our Photolab will turn them into a beautiful square photo book you can easily pop into someone’s stocking. This is a great gift for hard to buy for tweens and teens and for hobby photographers who showcase their work on Instagram.

Photo Calendars – Have a few people on your shopping list that you’re just not sure what to get them? Our photo calendars are easily customized, which make them the perfect gift for almost anyone this Christmas. For family, feature images of your kids growing up, or for co-workers, perhaps feature some of your favourite landscape photos. It is useful all year round.

Personalized Mugs – Whether they’re a coffee person or a tea person, you can’t go wrong with gifting a personalized photo mug. Pick a colour, design, and then choose your photo: it’s as simple as that. You can even choose our Magic Mug that reveals your hidden photo when hot liquid is added. These personalized mugs make great stocking stuffer gifts, as well as gifts for colleagues or your kids’ teachers.

Order any of these gifts at our new Photolab website or by visiting any London Drugs location.

Holiday Order Deadlines

A great selection of products are available for same day or next day pickup, up to Saturday, December 24 including Enlargements, Canvas Gallery Wraps, Express Books, Photographic Calendars and Mugs. See a photolab expert for details.

Be sure to place your orders for the below products before the listed dates to ensure Christmas delivery:

Photobooks, Calendars and Traditional Greeting Cards: Wednesday, December 14

Creative Products: Wednesday, December 14

Crystals: Tuesday, December 13

Crystallize-it 3D Photo Crystals: Tuesday, December 13

Bobbleheads: Monday, November 14

Yes Video: Friday, November 25

Click here for information about order deadlines.

Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gift Ideas That Will Warm Her Heart

A Thoughtful Mug for Mom

A Special Locket Full of Love

A Photoshoot Just for Her

A Photo Book of ‘Moments with Mom’

A One-of-a-Kind Mother’s Day Card

A Photo Button for the #1 Mom

3 Ways to Celebrate with Dad on Father’s Day (In-Person or Virtually)

Serve Breakfast in Bed

Fire up the Grill

Play Some Golf

Mother’s Day Gifts Made at Home with Love

1. Get your Take and Create Book

2. Fill in the Templates

3. Scan Your Drawings

4. Upload to our Photolab

Mommy Outside the Box’s Gift Ideas for the Hard-to-Buy-For

Gifts to Cherish

Greetings Cards – Order by December 17

Personalized Ornaments – Order by December 17

Pet Tags – Order by December 17

Fine Art Prints

And Many More

On the Hunt for Easter Treats? Egg-citing Gift Ideas for the Entire Family

2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids (and Parents)

Board Games are Big Again

Tech Toys

Kid Crafts

Lego

Personalized Presents

Giving Gifts They’ll Actually Love

Archive

Categories

Pages

Newsletter