6 Thanksgiving Gifts for Family That Keep Memories Alive

1. Looki L1 — Keep Everyday Family Moments Close

For: loved ones who enjoy documenting daily life, family time, and shared adventures. Price: $249; standard AI memory services have no mandatory subscription.

Looki L1 is a small wearable camera that captures everyday moments hands-free and uses AI to turn them into recaps, vlogs, and personal comics. A parent can wear it while cooking with the kids or taking a family walk, then revisit those moments in the Looki app.

How it becomes part of their day

• Capture: the camera weighs 32 grams (1.1 oz) and can be worn as a pendant, attached to clothing, or mounted with a suitable accessory.
• Revisit: the companion app lets them look through captured moments and turn them into recaps or vlogs.
• Everyday AI support: Get timely reminders, helpful suggestions, and health reports based on context from daily life.

Before buying: when comparing AI wearable devices, consider whether your loved one would enjoy wearing a camera day to day. Talk with family members about when to record, and ask before sharing footage that includes them.

See Looki in everyday life: this short film from Looki shows how ordinary moments shared with loved ones can become meaningful memories over time.

Looki · Official video.

2. Storyworth Memoirs — Help a Loved One Tell Their Story

For: adults who enjoy telling family stories. Price: Basic $69; Color $99.

Storyworth Memoirs sends a loved one weekly questions about their life, then collects their stories in a printed book. If your dad or grandmother always has a story to tell, this gives them a place to write it down so the family can read it again.

What the gift includes

• A question each week: regular prompts help them get started when they're unsure what to write about.
• A book to share: the Basic plan includes a year of questions and a book with a black-and-white interior and color cover.
• Room for color photos: the $99 Color plan includes a full-color book, a good choice if they want to include plenty of photographs.

Before buying: this is a year-long project, so choose it for someone who likes sharing stories. They'll create the book over time. Offer to help them get started and check in about what they're writing.

3. My Family Cookbook — Keep Recipes and Traditions Together

For: the cook whose dishes bring everyone together. Price: $30–$40, depending on version.

My Family Cookbook from Uncommon Goods gives family recipes a home. Write down the dishes everyone asks for, who taught you to make them, and the little tricks that never appear on a recipe card.

Choose the right format

• Bound book: space for recipes and photographs, for someone who likes writing everything in one book.
• Three-ring binder: recipe cards, protective sleeves, and dividers let the cook organize and rearrange the collection.

Before buying: you'll fill in the recipes yourselves. Add a few before wrapping it so your loved one has something to enjoy as soon as they open it.

4. Shutterfly Photo Puzzle — Turn a Shared Memory into Game Time

For: relatives who enjoy a hands-on activity. Price: $34.99 regular price for the selected 252-piece version.

Shutterfly's Upload Your Own Design Puzzle turns one photograph into a puzzle with a matching photo box. A picture of the old family house, a beach trip, or last year's reunion becomes something to gather around after dinner.

Match the puzzle to the players

• 60 pieces: labeled for ages six and up; an option for younger school-age participants.
• 252 pieces: labeled for ages nine and up; a manageable starting point for a family that enjoys puzzles.
• 520 or 1,014 pieces: also labeled nine and up, with more pieces for those who want a longer project.

Before ordering: choose a clear photograph with varied details, preview the crop, and allow for personalization and shipping. Large areas of nearly identical color can make assembly harder. Think about how much time your family likes to spend on puzzles, too.

5. Aura Carver Mat — Share Family Photos Across the Miles

For: loved ones who enjoy seeing new family photographs. Price: $179; no subscription required.

The Aura Carver Mat is a digital frame that relatives can keep updating with photos and videos. It suits a parent or grandparent who would enjoy seeing the ordinary parts of family life between visits: a school project, a weekend walk, or a new attempt at baking.

What makes it work as a gift

• Photos ready to enjoy: Aura lets you add photos and a message before you give the frame.
• More than one contributor: invited family members can keep adding content remotely once the frame is set up.
• Setup help for relatives without a smartphone: a family member can use the Aura app to set up the frame for them.

Before buying: the frame needs power and home Wi-Fi. If your relative needs help getting it connected, offer to set it up during your visit. After that, family members can send new photos remotely.

6. The Adventure Challenge: Family Edition — Start a New Family Tradition

For: parents and children who enjoy trying activities together. Price: $49.99 regular price, book only; activities may cost extra.

The Adventure Challenge: Family Edition contains 50 scratch-off activities. Use the hints to pick an activity, scratch it off to find out what you'll do, then add photos and notes afterward. It's a way to answer the familiar weekend question: "What should we do today?"

Who it's designed for and what to budget

• Household: the brand describes this edition as especially suited to children ages 4–15 and around four to eight participants.
• Budget: official guidance lists challenge costs from $0 to $50, with room to adapt activities.
• Keepsake: space for pictures and notes turns completed activities into a record of time together.

Before buying: the $49.99 price is for the book; camera bundles cost extra. Choose it for a family that enjoys trying new activities and making time to do them together.