Whatever happened to photo albums?

We've had a digital camera for some time now, but I can't say I've really bonded with it. We haven't become friends in that I still don't know all the stuff it can offer me, I just know it's there when I need it and produces good pics. What is still a mystery though is what to do with those photo's once uploaded (or it is downloaded, never sure).

I know it's great being able to bore the arse off people universally by emailing your holiday snaps to all and sundry and I suppose it saves long-suffering friends the pain of having to come round for an evening of "there's me, about to fall backwards into a ravine, and there's Jo phoning the emergency services" etc., but frankly, I miss photo albums, and I don't mean the virtual kind.

There was something quaint and lovely about coming back from your hols or some other memorable event and immediately hoofing it down to the local chemist with your film and waiting eagerly for your packet of photos to come back, sitting in the car and having a sneak preview, hiding all the ones where you accidentally took a picture of your foot or nostrils as you loaded the camera, etc. You'd get home, put the kettle on and settle down for your own private show. Great. You could take a packet of pictures to work, weed out all the unflattering ones and just show the select few where you looked a)thinner or b) younger or c) the backdrop made everyone bilious with jealousy, and pass them round human-chain style. Loved it.

I know you can print your digital photos out, but why don't we, ever? Husband keeps saying "choose the ones you want and I'll print them" - but we never do, it's just another thing we don't get round to.

Ah, progress.