Personal photo calendars are actually really quick to make... but the fun of owning (or giving!) one will last the whole year through.

Whether giving a customized photo calendar or making one for yourself, the key step in ending up with something really great is taking the time to plan. Before you ever get started with Picaboo, Shutterfly, Kodak Gallery, or the other photo calendar printers out there, you'll want to be sure you've got two things: a theme, and a point of view.

Read on for some great tips on making your own photo calendars really special and personal. When you're done here, check out All About Custom Photo Calendars for more ideas and info!

Creating a Personal Photo Calendar with Pizazz

Of course, the first step in making a photo calendar online is to choose a theme or a perspective for your calendar. Some of the most popular photo subjects include:

• Nature
• Children
• Friends and family
• Pets and animals
• Hobbies
• Travel

And, sure... these are the commonly seen themes, but what about the your personal photo calendar will really catch the viewer's eye and truly makes them stop to take a look every day?

Personalizing Your Custom Calendar Theme

An interesting, personalized theme can make your custom printed calendar into a very unique present with your personal perspective shining on every page. A lot of custom calendar printers offer special options to help highlight your photo calendar theme. Picaboo's photo calendars, for example, allow you to make really creative custom calendars with fun scrapbook-type formatting. Or Shutterfly allows you to lots of different kinds of calendars, from desk calendars to year-at-a-glance poster calendars. You have tons of options!

Nature and Outdoors Calendars. Each month brings a change in the outdoors, so seasonal pictures of a memorable location taken throughout the year can help give a sense of time moving forward, while your photos remain connected.

When creating personal photo calendars with outdoor or nature themes, you don't have to stick with the obvious. For those snow birds who crave warmth, for example, try mixing up your photos with beaches during the winter months and skiing during July. Choose scenes that relate more to YOU than to the seasons themselves.

Friends and Family Photo Calendars. Family and friends make great subjects for a calendar with personalized photos, but you don't have to stop at just a single head shot each month, with a total of twelve people. There are lots of creative ideas out there for family calendars with photos.

For example, pick two photos per page and have men on one half and women on the other doing the same activities, or perhaps find the pictures where everyone is wearing a costume or has a funny expression on their face. If you love your dog or cat, mix up the pictures and have the many faces of Fuzzy or Fido, as well. If, for you, personal photo calendars are all about celebrating your friends and family, be sure your photo choices represent who those people REALLY are.

Go to Creative Photo Calendar Printing Ideas for more fun themes, photo ideas, and ways to personalize your calendar.

Fun Themes & Options to Make Your Calendar REALLY Special

Aside from the main photo marking each month in your personalized photo calendar, there are also other things you can add --from fun themes and color schemes to additional calendar options-- to truly personalize your calendar and make it seem really special.

Day-to-Day Calendar Personalization

Most of the photo book publishers like Kodak Gallery and Picaboo offer ways to personalize the individual days during a year. Gather together your family's important days, such as:

• Birthdays
• Holidays
• Anniversaries
• Scheduled Trips/Activities
• School Days (First Day of School, etc.)

to put on your special calendar. Personal photo calendars even allow you to sneak in a few of your favorite historical dates or celebrity birthdays just for the fun of it. Think creatively, and you can come up with plenty of fun photos and comments to add to just about any day on your calendar.

Use Your Scanner!

For personal photo calendars that are a real twist on the traditional, try scanning in items for use in your calendar, either as a main photo or to mark specific days on the calendar. Some fun ideas for things to scan and include are:

• Your child's artwork from school
• Antique newspaper articles from the attic
• Photos of someone's favorite items with details underneath
• Flyers/Brocures from special events
• Ticket stubs
• Old family photos

Let these pictures tell a story... whether it be the story of the year you and your spouse fell in love, the the commemoration of your child's first year of college life.

Keep Track of the Year (or the Sports Season)!

This kind of personal photo calendar makes a really special gift for a child involved with (and in love with!) a particular sport. Dedicate the whole calendar to your child's sports team! Consider marking the dates that his or her team plays or practices, or even add draft days for players. Frame your pictures in team colors whether you include pictures of the stadium or the players.

Go Nuts Adding Photos

When creating personal photo calendars, most people stick to just one main photo for the month. But keep in mind there are benefits to having multiple pictures on a page. For example, three pictures across could show a child's progression through something like eating spaghetti for the first time. Or it could show a collage of something like the traditional chores done during that month on your family's farm.

Digital photography and creative themes from photo calendar publishers can help make your personal photo calendars very uniquely you... or perfectly crafted for that someone special. Don't be afraid to get inventive or even quirky. That's half the fun! And don't forget the kids! Children will enjoy having a calendar with pictures of family, letters based on their world, or dates marked for special grandparent visits. You can even start your calendar in their birthday month!

Go from Ideas for Personal Photo Calendars to the "All About Custom Photo Calendars" Main Page!