Friend's Birthday

I think a photo book is a great idea, there are plenty of online companies that you can use to put one together.
I personally would find a video a bit creepy.

I agree a photo book with pictures of the two of you over the years. I did one for my friends 60th and she loved it.

I agree about a photo book but it will work if you have enough photos. If not, I'd suggest making a slideshow, it is almost like a video but not exactly, more like a PowerPoint presentation. I made slides with the photos I took while travelling this summer and used a special slideshow program for that. You may try doing the same but with the photos of your friend, also you can add some text in there. The good thing is that you can choose a birthday template but don't make it too long, it may be tiring.

Another vote for the photo book! Apparently you can do it online, I've been shown some really good ones of holidays, weddings, etc.

Thanks, ladies! I don't have a lot of her photos to fill the whole photo book with but I will look for something

I made ( well my son did) a Photoshop album for my friend’s 60th. He superimposed her face on to various pictures related to her hobbies, so she appeared as the Queen, one of the Spice Girls, marrying Rod Stewart, as Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music, as Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, winning a gold medal at the Olympics, advertising the Great British Bake off and The Archers, along with others I can’t remember. She loved it.

Making a photo book can take a few days if you want to make a nice one and have to source pictures from different places. You can scan documents, concert tickets for example, and include them (anything in jpeg format)

But allow at least 3. days for uploading and return postage. If the birthday is next week, you might not have it on time. Maybe just make a conventional album, sticking photos etc in, and writing your captions and comments by hand. Don't forget to put the date where possible!

It won't be made by you, but done to your specification, how about a personalised caricature/cartoon of her or you both to include a relevant setting or background of your choice?
When staff left work we used to get these done and they went down well. There are many sites when you Google, but here is one:
www.stephssketches.co.uk/

Could her family send you some pictures?

@shysal good idea, maybe that will do, thanks!
@Missfoodlove yeah, I thought about it, too

A friend of dd2 makes the most fabulous personal pictures of people. Like this one of dh and I. PM me if you would like her details.