A Photo Book of a First Birthday Party is a Gift that Will Last a Lifetime

What kind of gift is best to get a one-year-old? At that young of an age, they don't pay too much attention to clothing and they usually get an overabundance of toys. So when you are invited to a special one-year-old's birthday party, be original and give them a gift that no one else would probably think about giving: a hard cover photo book.

A child's first birthday party is a big occasion and, generally, mom and dad's time can be taken with all the festivities and entertaining. It is very difficult to juggle everything and still have time to take some memorable photos of their little sweetie. That is where you step in with the most original gift at the party.

Present the parents with a birthday card at the beginning of the party. Inside of this birthday card, make a note your gift will be a lovely photo book of the birthday party and for them to relax and not worry about the photos. You will be the photographer for the day! Be sure to bring along your digital camera and double check that you have plenty of battery power and disc space.

At this point take plenty of random shots of the party guests and the birthday boy or girl. If you aren't sure about someone's name, ask him or her and jot it down. This will be important later when you are creating the photo book. If the party is outdoors and it's sunny then you will have some great photos. However, if you are indoors, don't forget to turn your flash on for best results.

Once the party is over you will need to upload your photos to an online service that offers quality photo books. One of my favorite places that I have used in the past is Photoworks. They are competitively priced and their books are beautiful.

Many places will let you put captions with the photos and that is where your notes will come in handy. Use your imagination and make a wonderful storybook of the child's big day! Once you have completed the book, ship it to the child's parents. They will be thrilled and you will have the satisfaction of knowing your gift will be around for years to come as an heirloom. It is money well-spent and is something that the child and his or her parents will enjoy over and again.