There`s no better feeling than watching your loved one`s face light up with surprise and joy when she opens the gift you have given her. The reactions of the special people in your life - your parents, your siblings, your spouse, your kids, and your friends - are what makes gift giving such a pleasure.

Although we have more choices than ever when it comes to selecting a gift, there are times when we wrack our brains trying to come up with a unique idea. There are those people who are hard to buy for because they really don`t "need" anything, and there are those who are hard to buy for because nothing you can find is special enough to convey the feelings you have for them. You can traipse through malls or spend hours clicking your computer mouse, yet everything you ffind seems to be a variation of the same old thing.

Instead of throwing up your hands or settling for the less-than-perfect gift, think outside of the box. A personalized photo gift is guaranteed to be the one-of-a-kind present that your loved one will cherish forever. Imagine transforming your family portrait into a throw blanket for your grandparents, or using that photo of you and your best friend at the beach house to create an unforgettable keepsake box. When your sister is having her first baby, she will treasure a custom photo gift baby blanket that is woven with a picture of the baby`s parents.

Whether the gift keepsakes photo is of a memorable scene or memorable people, it can be turned into anything from a personalized baby blanket to a coffee mug, from a pillow to a mouse pad.

The ubiquitous nature of digital photography makes transforming a picture into a custom photo gift a breeze. You can simply order the gift, upload a photo, and congrratulate yourself on coming up with a gift that will become an unforgettable memory for someone special.

With digital imaging technology, a personalized photo gift of a blanket or throw means that weave of the fabric itself will contain the image. Typically, black and white photos have better reproductive quality than color photos, but the company that makes your personalized photo gift can convert any color digital image to black and white.

The thoughtfulness demonstrated by giving a personalized photo gift is sure to touch your recipient. So, whether the occasion is a birthday, an anniversary, Christmas, or no occasion at all, keep it simple, but keep it personal.