It seems like Christmas comes earlier and earlier. At least it sure looks that way in the department stores. Have you started your Christmas shopping? Consider making scrapbooks as Christmas gifts. If you get started now, you're sure to have some unique, personalized gifts for everyone on your Christmas shopping list. Here are a few ideas for Christmas gift scrapbooks.

1. Recipe albums are a new trend in scrapbooking. Make an album of family favorite recipes for anyone on your Christmas gift list. You could even limit the recipes to holiday favorites or just desserts.

2. ABC scrapbooks are easy to make for young children. Each page of the album is used for one or more letters of the alphabet, depending on how many pages you want to scrapbook. You can make the album even more personalized by using photos that are meaningful to that child for each letter. For example, A is for Aunt Jenny, B is for Bobby, C is for cat with a picture of the child's cat.

3. Teachers always appreciate homemade gifts from their students. Have your child make an album for her teacher. You could also coordinate a group gift by sending each child in the class a page to make for the scrapbook.

4. Finding gifts for teens and pre-teens can be challenging. Consider making a "Friends" scrapbook with pre-made pages for photos, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses for each of their friends.

5. Photos are a welcome gift for grandparents. Any scrapbook made for grandmas and grandpas is sure to be appreciated. Try to get everyone in your family involved. Your children and spouse can make pages to contribute to the book as well. Don't forget you can duplicate pages to make multiple scrapbooks for different grandparents.

6. Pre-made scrapbooks save time for people with busy schedules. A wedding album already designed with places left open for photos makes a lovely gift for a bride-to-be. Also, consider making a baby book for a mother-to-be.

7. Completely pressed for time? Check out the digital photo books available online. Many online photo websites offer bound hardcover photo books that you design online with your digital photos. These can be very cost effective, and you can order multiple copies for several people on your gift list.

Start working on your Christmas gift list now. Scrapbook albums make wonderful gifts for nearly any time of the year, but especially at Christmas. This holiday season, be creative and design a personalized, homemade scrapbook album for someone on your list.  Christine Perry