Getting a new puzzle is a joy that many parents, kids, friends, and neighbors have experienced for hundreds of years. Sitting down and investing the time and mental energy in a genuinely challenging mental exercise gives the brain a boost and the spirit a lift. But what do you do after the puzzle has been completed? Many folks just throw it back in the box. This is great for some because it means you can take it back out next year, month or week and have at it again. For others, they want to keep the puzzle. Perhaps it reminds them of the moments spent putting it together—the relaxation and simplicity of the time. Or maybe it brings back memories of a special person with whom the puzzle was completed. Still, for others, it’s about the beauty of the puzzle itself. The image, once complete, is a work of art that deserves to be displayed. If you fall under any of the categories of folks that hold on to puzzles—or may want to in the future—you may want to frame your puzzle. When you frame your puzzle, you are immortalizing it for years to come. Check out some of the benefits.
Remember the Time
Because people’s lives are so busy these days, folks often only have time to do puzzles when they also have time to relax. Relaxation is at a premium nowadays, and because it’s so rare, it’s often memorable. Some people tend to do puzzles when they are on vacation or together with family during special times of the year. In these situations, when you frame your puzzle, you get to capture a moment in time and every time you look up at the framed puzzle, you get to remember what it felt like.
If you have an especially difficult puzzle, you have yet another reason to frame it. A hard puzzle is something that represents a formidable mental challenge. When you conquer a big jigsaw puzzle like this, you really don’t want to just forget the experience or forget the sense of achievement you felt when that last piece gently slid into place. So if you frame it, you have the chance to reminisce on the achievement for many years. When you frame it, you may even want to put a small inscription on the frame stating the date, with whom you worked, and maybe even how long it took you to do the puzzle. Keeping these things firmly ensconced in memory through framing is a great way to hold on to a special moment.
Remember the Person
Whether you are solving a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle, a 750 piece puzzle, or a 1000 pc puzzle, often the most important thing is not the number of pieces but the person you do it with. There’s nothing like spending time with someone you truly care about. Also, because solving puzzles is such a relaxed activity, people often open up and share personal things while they’re sitting at the table musing over the various shapes. When you frame your puzzle, you are also framing the time you spent with a special person. It is much like taking a picture with that person. You are capturing all the meaning and symbolism held within the activity, and putting it in a permanent vault. One of the best ways to keep someone in your heart is when you take the time to frame your puzzle.
It Makes a Great Gift
Framing a puzzle is also a fantastic way of letting someone know you care about them. A framed puzzle says so much. It conveys a thoughtful gesture because there’s no way it was easy to make that puzzle come together, and the recipient knows this. It took perhaps more time and effort than any gift they’ve received for years. It’s the thought that counts and the thought implied by gifting a framed puzzle is deep, considerate, and loving. Furthermore, if you give it to someone who helped you do it, you are telling them how much that time meant to you, as well as how much you want to remember it forever. Because you value that experience, you want them to value it as well. Framing a puzzle makes the best statements in the simplest manner.