Photo gifts that are not a mug

There is nothing wrong with a photo mug. It is cheap, it is useful, and most people are pleased with one. But it is the first thing everybody thinks of, which means a lot of households now have three.

Jigsaws take a busy photograph

A jigsaw is the one that surprises people. It takes a busy photograph, which most things do not, and it turns the gift into an afternoon rather than an object. Group shots and holiday photographs work well because there is plenty going on to look at while you are doing it.

Cushions want one subject

Cushions suit the opposite kind of image. One subject, reasonably close, nothing important near the edge, because a cushion is not flat and the corners curve away from you. A dog or a child fills one properly. A wedding group does not.

Sets beat repeats

Coasters and placemats work for sets. Six different photographs of the same people over the years is a better present than one photograph repeated six times, and it costs the same.

Chopping boards and aprons go down better than they sound, particularly for someone who actually cooks. Keep the image simple, because it will be viewed from above in a busy kitchen rather than studied.

Blankets need resolution

Blankets are the one people order for someone who is away, at university or further. They are the largest print surface of anything here, so they want a photograph with some resolution behind it rather than something pulled off social media.

Whatever you pick, send the biggest version of the file you have. The single most common disappointment is a good idea let down by an image that came off a messaging app at a fraction of its original size.