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A Christmas photo book from your Instagram

A photo book of the year from your Instagram makes a personal Christmas present, and the photos are already chosen and dated. Start by the end of November if you want a printed book. Request your Instagram export first, since that takes a few hours to a day or two. Making the book takes under an hour, and printing takes the rest of the time.

When to start

  1. End of November: request the Instagram export

    It takes two minutes to request and a few hours to a day or two to arrive. See how to download your Instagram data.

  2. Early December: make the book

    Pick the year’s posts, check the layout and add a text page with a greeting after the cover. Usually under an hour.

  3. First half of December: order the print

    Online photo book printers set their own Christmas deadlines, often in mid-December, and they get busy. A local print shop can often print in a few days. Check the deadline before you start, not after.

Ideas for the book

  • The family’s year for grandparents, with dates and captions under the photos.
  • Your year together for a partner, with a text page for each season.
  • A child’s year, month by month, for the rest of the family.
  • The best trip of the year, as a thin book with large photos.

Late? Give the PDF

The PDF is ready to download as soon as you have paid, even on Christmas Eve. Print one page as a card, put it under the tree, and print the whole book after the holidays when the print shops are quiet. The gift guide has more ideas.

What it costs

The PDF costs €9 whatever the number of pages, so a year with 300 photos costs the same as a trip with 30. Printing is paid to the print shop you choose and depends on size, pages and binding. The printing guide lists what to ask for.

Questions

When is the last day to make a Christmas photo book?

For a printed book, it depends on the print shop. Online printers often stop taking Christmas orders in mid-December. The PDF itself can be made and downloaded any day, including Christmas Eve.

Can I make a photo book from someone else’s Instagram?

Only with their export, since Instagram only lets you download your own account. A book of your own photos of them works just as well and keeps the surprise.

How many photos should a Christmas photo book have?

Somewhere between 40 and 150 photos gives a book that feels full without getting heavy. A book can hold up to 999.

Ready to make yours?

Bring in your photos, pick the ones you want and preview every page before you pay.

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