Just Buy Your Mom (or Grandma) the Digital Picture Frame
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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Everyone with a camera roll full of family photos should have adigital picture frame. And everyone with a mom, grandma, or other beloved family member who would kill to see more of said family photos should buy that person a digital picture frame. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever bought myself — and it also makes a fantastic present, especially forMother’s Day. Which may feel a little cliché, as far asgiftsgo, but you should ignore that impulse and buy one anyway.
The reason is pretty simple in the end: It makes seeing and sharing photos as easy as possible, and there’s no social media involved. This is crucial for me, the parent of two daughters who are currently 7 and 9. I know I’m not alone in my ongoing aspiration thatthiswill be the year I curate the beautiful photo book, print portraits of the girls to give as gifts, actually frame and hang one of the extended family group shots that I scheduled a photographer to take and coordinated outfits for, while hoping the weather and my kids and their cousins would corporate. Nearly all of this has yet to happen, because depending on the day, I am either too busy or asleep to make the time. What works for actually seeing and appreciating the photos I’ve taken — or paid to have taken, both old and new — is the digital picture frame.
I actually have multiple digital frames in my home. My current favorite is the newAura Aspen, which is remarkably thin and has an especially attractive mat, as well as an anti-glare display. This elevates the overall look and makes it nearly indistinguishable from a traditional picture frame, as long as you artfully conceal the power cord. You can choose between a portrait or landscape orientation, and it’s sized to perfectly fit the 4:3 aspect ratio of smartphone photos, so they display without any borders at the edges.
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At this point, I’vegifted various Aura framesto so many family members — including my parents, my in-laws, my sister, my sister-in-law, and an aunt who lives several states away — that we essentially have our own mini social network, using the brand’s app to share photos to one another’s frames whenever the mood strikes.
I’ve seen lots of Mother’s Day marketing this year that emphatically cautions against buying her another candle or bathrobe. Fair enough. But sometimes the “obvious”Mother’s Day giftsare where it’s at. Buy your mom or grandma or wife a digital picture frame and gift it pre-loaded with photos that you already have in that camera roll. I promise it will bring so much delight.
More Digital Picture Frames I Personally Recommend
For more details on our favorite digital picture frames,read our full best-in-class guide.
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