As a military family, we are always searching for gifts that not only warm the heart but ease the ache that the miles apart create in our hearts. It’s so hard to miss births, weddings, and holidays year after year. That’s why I spend the entire year trying to come up with military Christmas gift ideas. I pin unique gifts to my Pinterest boards, ask for ideas in my favorite military forums, and spend my nights browsing gift catalogs.

Christmas is such a fun time of year, but I don’t take gift buying lightly. When I buy someone a gift, I want them to know that I was thinking about them when I purchased it. I want to make them feel important and special to me. If you are in the military or have family members and friends in the military, I hope these gift ideas will be helpful to you.

You’ll notice that every idea I’ve included is personalized, and there is a reason for that. I want my gifts to send a message to its recipient. I love that when my family and friends open their gifts they know that I had them in mind and that I designed each gift with a purpose.

5 Military Christmas Gift Ideas Under $25

Personalized Notebooks (As low as $11.99):

I purchased this gift for my tween niece. I love it because it perfectly shares the message that is in my heart for her. I want her to continue following her dreams, and I want her to remember that I believe in her every time she writes in her journal.

Glossy Easel Art (As low as $24.99):

In the past twelve years, I have designed so many different photo gifts for my parents. I usually use pictures of my children and our family because it helps them feel closer to us. I also like to surprise them each year with impressive photos they have never seen, but this year I decided to go a different route. My parents went on a trip to Paris this year, and even though I couldn’t be with them, I wanted them to know that I followed them on their journey. So I decided to create a gift that would help them remember the fun they had. That’s why I used photos from their trip to create this Easel Art. Remember, just because you are giving a photo gift, it doesn’t mean you have to use pictures of yourself or your family. I know they love those gifts, but sometimes it’s nice to show them that I enjoy sharing in the exciting things that happen in their lives as well.

Personalized Photo Mugs (As low as $14.99):

Much like the glossy easel art I designed, this mug also went in the direction of celebrating with our family even when we can’t be there. This year my sister-in-law gave birth to her first child after trying to conceive for five years, which is why this is one of the most incredible gifts I have ever had the pleasure of designing. My sister-in-law enjoys a good cup of coffee (yeah, she’s good people) so I created a mug for her using pictures of her growing family. What new mommy wouldn’t want to wake up to those sweet memories every morning?

Photo Ornaments (As low as $24.99):

This gift was surprisingly a first for me this year. I am not sure why I have never given personalized ornaments before, but I’m so glad I did. This ornament is beautiful and I know that my father-in-law will love it. I decided to use pictures of him with his favorite people (his grandchildren, of course). It’s also a very fitting gift for him because my late mother-in-law had a very unique Christmas tradition with our children. Each year she would wait until they arrived to decorate her tree even if it was the day before Christmas.

Personalized Notepads (As low as $14.99):

My bestie Jenn is also a military wife and even though we have spent most of our friendship hundreds of miles apart, our friendship remains as close as one can be. When I saw this notepad, I immediately started laughing, and I knew she had to have it. Thankfully we only live about an hour apart now so this year she will be getting this gift in person!

Remember, you can get as creative as you like with personalized photo gifts. I like to start shopping as early as possible so I can gather all the photos I need for each project. It also gives me time to ask for photos that I may not have access to. I can also tell you that I have never given a photo gift that wasn’t absolutely adored by the person I gave it to. My dad will actually ask me every few years when he will be getting a new mug! So what are you waiting for? Head over to Tiny Prints and start designing gifts your family will cherish for years to come!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Tiny Prints through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Tiny Prints, all opinions are my own.