Visiting the Photobox Gifty Grotto in London

‘When I get 100 will I be as old as grandma and grandpa?’

Four-year-old Big Girl was in a great mood yesterday evening, talking non-stop while I was driving us home from Oxford Street. I was not surprised she was excited though, as she had just completed Christmas gifts for her giraffe towel and her teddy.

Baby Boy, Big Girl and I had been to the opening of the Photobox Gifty Grotto at Getty Images Gallery, a one-day pop-up open to the public today, and we had made some very sweet personalised photo gifts. At the pop-up, visitors can make photo gifts for free, and see many of the Photobox gift options, such as baby cloth photo books and personalised cushions, on display.

While munching on mini canapés and chocolates, Baby Boy and Big Girl made a cute snow globe and Christmas bauble with festive photos we took at the event, and we also had Christmas mugs made with a picture we took earlier in the week.

In addition, we made a start at a retro advent calendar with little parcels we can fill with photos, poems or perhaps more chocolates.

Our photo presents and creations were beautifully wrapped and collected in a canvas bag for us to take home.

The only challenge was to persuade Big Girl that perhaps her giraffe towel didn’t really need a photo bauble for Christmas. In fact, I would quite like that photo bauble present myself. It seemed like the perfect present for a mum and one that could make me smile for years!

Photobox Gifty Grotto at Getty Images Gallery, near Oxford Circus, is open on 4 November