Refreshing Ideas

Thanks for the memories! Capture photos and video from the holidays and turn them into keepsakes and thank you gifts.

The holidays leave—in their festive wake—hundreds of pictures and hours of video. And what good are captured memories if you never share them? Just like how the taste of Coca-Cola® brings you back to a favorite moment, so can all those photos and videos: so share them while the memories are still fresh. Here's how...

Picture-Perfect Memories
First, in the relative calm (that is to say, the "relative-free" calm) after the holidays, download images from your camera to free up space on your memory card (or, if you have prints of your photos, scan them for safekeeping and to give you more flexibility in terms of what you can do with all of those great photographs.

To help you keep track of all those pics, be sure to delete unwanted photos, and add descriptive file names and labels (a hundred files named "winter_09.jpg" just isn't going to cut it). Creating sub-folders categorized by year or by subject—instead of dumping everything in one folder—will also help you sift through photos later with ease.

Now, with the pictures neatly organized on your computer, you can make prints for friends and family, create scrapbooks, custom calendars, or make your own greeting cards and photo books. Your photos can also be used to create custom photo thank-you notes. For example, choose a photo of the kids opening the gift Grandma sent. Then use a festive digital template or even have the kids decorate the photos themselves, and you have a personalized piece of gratitude that oozes your family's attitude!

To help truly capture a memory—and to put your photograph in an emotional context—try asking the friend or relative pictured for the story behind the picture. These stories can be used as captions that help bring the viewer into the moment.

If you are already a member of our My Coke Rewards® loyalty program, you can find many helpful reward items from our partners, including photo books, photo mugs, free prints and photo collage posters to kick start your creative engine. If you aren't already a member, then check it out!

Make a Digital Keepsake
Fabulous memories burned onto a CD or DVD guarantees a treasured memento or a thank you gift that will keep on giving. Try creating a digital photo album enhanced with captions, family stories, a holiday-inspired photo CD label and a matching jewel case cover.

Are there any favorite songs permanently associated with these soon-to-be classic family memories? Put them on your disc for a sentimental soundtrack!

You can also serve up a favorite family recipe—such as that beloved Barbecued Ham with Coca-Cola Glaze (link to Heritage recipe) entree—in a whole new way. A CD collection of holiday recipes can easily be burned (the disc, not the dish!) and given to all the branches of the family tree. Accompany each recipe with a photo of the finished dish, who prepared it, and any memories surrounding it to give everyone a "taste" of the holidays, wherever they may be.

Moving Pictures
Transfer your holiday videos to your computer and—using a simple digital video-editing program—whip up a quick cinematic tour de force of the season while the memory is still strong. If possible, connect with other friends and family members who may have taken video footage to get other moments, perspectives, and angles of those precious gatherings. To create something that connects the recent holiday with years past, collect videos and Super-8 footage that have been tucked away in your attic or a relative's garage and transfer them to digital media. Preserving your videos digitally ensures great picture and sound. And you can title and edit your videos to tell a complete story. Use a frame from your footage for a distinctive label or sleeve that immediately tells people what's on the disc.

Deck Your Halls with Memories
Surround yourself with your favorite shots from the season and use them to turn your home into a warm live-in photo gallery. Start by matting your photos in coordinating frames and either group tightly in an arrangement on an empty wall, or hang along a stairway for a fun walk down memory lane!

You can also create a rotating snapshot gallery by positioning a corkboard or foam board inside a large frame, then arranging an array of family photos using pushpins or adhesive. Photos and videos have the power to keep all of those holiday memories alive all year round. So be sure to flaunt them!

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