With the holidays around the corner, chances are you’ve got some big family gatherings planned—perhaps a Thanksgiving dinner, a gift-exchange or family trip. Coordinating over the phone or by email can be difficult. Instead, create a Shutterfly photo sharing site and do all your planning and collaborating online.

Here’s a quick, step-by-step run-through of how to set up your photo sharing site and make it holiday-friendly.

1. Click the “Share” tab and choose “Create a site” button.
2. Choose a category and style for your photo sharing site. It’s easy to change the design once your site is up and running.
3. Name your site and create a personalized web address. Make it something that’s easy for people to remember during the seasonal crunch time, such as “[Your family’s surname]holiday.shutterfly.com“
4. Select members for your site by entering your family’s email addresses. They’ll get notified when you make updates to the site.
5. Post pictures and enter content. There are default sections to help you share photos quickly and easily. You can also add content to sections, add or remove sections, add new pages to your Share site, or move things around on any of your pages (just use drag-and-drop).
6. Invite others to view and collaborate.

What sort of details might you want to include on your family Share site? Start with pictures of course—favorite dishes from last year’s gathering, a Christmas tree with decorations (to get everyone in the holiday spirit) and snapshots of family members. Add a calendar to keep track of everyone’s flight and train schedules. Create a list or forum where everyone can see what dishes need to be made for the big meal, or what gifts the kids are wishing for. Don’t forget a weather section so everyone knows what clothing to pack for their visit. And when the holidays are over, use your family Share site to share photos from the gatherings. The memories are sure to keep you warm through the coldest of winter days. And it's easy to keep up with your site and stay connected all year.

For more detailed information about creating a Share site, visit our page of Frequently Asked Questions.