Christmas Gift Idea: Restored Family Photos (Start This Weekend)
Give restored family photos for Christmas: a timeline to finish before the holidays, the best photos to choose, gift formats for every relative and print tips.
By Ayoub Farid · · 2 min read
Restored family photos are one of the most loved Christmas gifts, especially for parents and grandparents who "don't need anything". The catch is timing: printing and shipping get slow in December. Here's a plan to finish in time.
Timeline
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Early–mid November | Collect and capture photos |
| Mid–late November | Restore, colorize, choose favorites |
| Late November–early December | Order prints, books and frames |
| Mid December | Wrap and add captions or letters |
Print labs often set Christmas ordering deadlines in early to mid December; photo books can take longer than prints. Check your lab's dates early.
Choose the photos
- The wedding photo of your parents or grandparents.
- A photo of the recipient as a child.
- Christmas past: old holiday photos of the family around a tree or table, often faded 1970s–90s prints.
- Lost relatives everyone misses.
- The old family home.
Restore them
Capture prints in soft daylight (see scanning photos with iPhone). Then in Refixo, tap Restore: scratches and stains removed, fading and color casts corrected, faces sharpened, and black and white photos colorized. Compare each one with the original before printing.
Gift ideas for every relative
- Grandparents: their wedding photo restored and framed, or a book of their life.
- Parents: a before-and-after frame of a childhood photo.
- Siblings: matching prints of the same family photo.
- Cousins and aunts/uncles: a set of restored photos of their parents, as a digital album plus one print.
- Kids: a "family tree" frame with restored faces of great-grandparents.
More ideas: restored photo gift ideas and family photo book ideas.
Make a Christmas slideshow
If the family gathers, show restored old Christmas photos on the TV during dinner. It's a guaranteed conversation starter (see family reunion photo slideshow).
Last-minute option
Missed the print deadline? Restore the photos and send them digitally on Christmas morning with a note: "Print coming in January." Or share a family album with everyone (see sharing restored photos with family).
Budget-friendly versions
A restored photo gift doesn't need to be expensive. A single 5 × 7 print in a simple frame, a set of restored postcards for each relative, or a digital album shared on Christmas morning all work beautifully. The value is in the restored memory, not the frame.
Frequently asked questions
What's a meaningful Christmas gift for grandparents?
A restored and framed photo from their wedding or youth, or a photo book of restored family photos.
How early should I start a photo gift for Christmas?
In November, to allow for restoration, printing and shipping before December deadlines.
Can I restore photos on my phone?
Yes. Capture prints with your iPhone and restore them in Refixo in seconds.
What if I don't have the original prints?
Ask relatives to photograph theirs and send them as files, not compressed chat images.
Restore it in seconds
Bring your old photos back to life
Refixo's AI removes scratches, tears and stains, sharpens faces and colorizes black & white photos in seconds. Free to download on iPhone and iPad, with a 3-day free trial.
Download on theApp Store