21 Best Personalized Gifts to Delight Anyone in Your Life

Gifts

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$43

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$295

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$99

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$259

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$36+

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$149

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$249

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$140

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$300+

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$99

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$13

$11

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$2+

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$99

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$38

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$45

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$46

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$138

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$57

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$595

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$24

$16

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$54

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$250

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$10+

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By Bellamy Richardson

Looking for an extra-special gift for a milestone birthday or accomplishment? Try one of these personalized gifts that will have them saying “You know me so well!” From a hand-cut paper portrait to a baseball cap embroidered with a loved one’s pet, our roundup of the best customizable gifts recommended by personal shoppers and expert gift givers is sure to have the perfect thing for everyone on your shopping list.

Why go custom? Julian Givi, Ph.D., an assistant professor of marketing at the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University, has been researching all facets of gift-giving as it relates to consumer behavior for the past decade, including the impact of personalized gifts. People are often happy to receive a gift when they feel “like the gift giver cared about them,” Givi says, adding that milestone occasions like anniversaries, birthdays and Valentine’s Day are perfect moments for personalized gifting.

Read on for expert-approved personalized gifts, and look to our gift guides for ideas for weddings, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day and retirement.

$43 at Uncommon Goods

If your little one already has the travel bug, consider this custom search and find adventure book akin to “Where’s Waldo”—except your child is the star. Create your child’s illustrated alter ego, then choose a secret message for your little globe-trekker to decipher by gathering clues from each destination throughout the book. Tami Claytor, a New York City-based image and etiquette consultant, remembers when her parents gave her a custom book when she was a child that included illustrations of her, her best friend and her dog. From experience, Claytor says a custom book is a gift that will be “cherished for a long period of time and remembered.”

$295 at Anya Hindmarch

While this leather keepsake box from Anya Hindmarch makes a beautiful gift box for a small present, it can be a great gift all on its own. Fort Worth, Texas-based gift consultant Eden Delaune loves this versatile leather zip-around box, which comes in seven colors. You can add a personalized name or message in metal type for an extra $30, and for an extra $40, you can upload an image of your own handwriting, which will be copied onto the box. “Having your handwriting in there is such a lovely gesture,” Delaune says. You can also upload a photo for the insert inside the lid for a thoughtful surprise as your giftee opens it.

$99 at Tinggly

$259 at Tinggly

“Personalization of a gift opens up a world of non-traditional gifts,” says Alex Fairhart, the Seattle-based co-founder of the gift-giving app Hugsi. That can include experiences over physical items, like sightseeing and walking tours, wine tastings and sports lessons. Fairhart suggests looking through the giftable experiences on Tinggly, where you can purchase this Happy Birthday collection, which lets the recipient choose one of over 1,900 experiences all over the world. Looking for something special for a milestone birthday or event? Try the Bucketlist collection, which lets the recipient choose from 1,800 outstanding experiences in the collection, including a zip line tour in Colorado, a heated manatee snorkel tour in Florida and a lunch cruise on the River Seine in Paris.

$36+ at Sprinkles

What’s better than one birthday cake? A bunch of personalized cupcakes! Delaune says customizing a box of cupcakes from Sprinkles is the perfect surprise for just about any occasion. “Sending baked goods to someone is a really lovely gesture, but then when they open it and see that it has a message for them, it just feels extra special,” Delaune says. On the Sprinkles website, you can customize a gift box by choosing from four box colors, 20 cupcake flavors, decorative letters and symbols—and you can even add a custom image on the cupcakes for $5. Note: Sprinkles only does local delivery, so you need to be near one of its 24 locations.

$149 at Aura Frames

$149 at Amazon

$249 at Aura Frames

Want to stay connected with a loved one who lives far away? With a digital picture frame, they’ll feel like you’re always with them. Cleveland, Ohio-based founder of the Better Gift Coach newsletter Patrick Kucharson recommends one from Aura Frames, such as the Carver frame, which comes in black and white and has a 1280 by 800 HD display, or the Mason Luxe frame that’s upgraded with a 2K display. Kucharson got one for his mother and pre-loaded photos onto it with the Aura app and says he and his brothers enjoy adding photos to it often, noting that he loves that they can “surprise her on a daily basis.”

$140 at Hammacher Schlemmer

Claytor says a bathrobe is a great choice for an intimate gift you can give your significant other. She likes the Turkish Cotton Luxury Bathrobe from Hammacher Schlemmer, which you can personalize with your giftee’s initials monogrammed in your choice of color and font for an additional $5. The robe’s machine-washable, tumble-dry material absorbs water and helps conserve body heat, and it has two handy side pockets.

$300+ at Reserve Bar

Know someone who loves a luxe liquor? This personalized tequila bottle from ReserveBar might be the perfect gift for a special occasion. Delaune says the bottle makes a beautiful housewarming or celebratory gift. To customize, select “Custom Engraving” and input your recipient’s name, which will then be hand scripted by a calligrapher onto the label of the crystal decanter. Pricing varies based on where it’s being delivered to. Is your giftee more of a wine person? Try one of these picks from our list of the best gifts for wine lovers.

$99 at Storyworth

Do you have a family member who always has a captivating story to tell from their past? Or maybe you are that family member and are looking for a way to immortalize your memories. For a special sentimental gift that will do just that, Fairhart recommends a year-long Storyworth subscription, which turns your (or your recipient’s) responses to weekly story prompts into a beautiful hardcover book you can keep in the family for generations to come. You can add photos that will print in black-and-white by default or in color for an additional cost. The final product will help you feel connected to your loved ones and learn things you never knew about your family.

$11 at Lovepop

$13 Save $2

“A nice card goes a long way,” Claytor says, “and it sets the stage for opening a gift.” For cards that go the extra mile, Kucharson recommends Lovepop, which carries options for nearly every occasion and holiday, including Christmas, Diwali, Hanukkah and Lunar New Year. Know someone with a birthday coming up? Try the Sprinkles Birthday Cake Pop-Up Card, which works for any age and features a pop-up cake, and can be personalized with a custom message, photo or gift card with an additional cost starting at $5. If your friend is super into “Star Wars,” “Ted Lasso” or “Friends,” check out the Pop Culture section for a funny reference they’ll love. Right now, you can save 15% on all birthday cards through the month of August, and ship cards directly to your recipient.

$2+ at Cameo

For another special experiential gift for a friend, Fairhart suggests heading over to Cameo for a personalized celebrity video message wishing them a happy birthday or congratulating them on an accomplishment. Scroll through thousands of famous figures including actors, athletes, musicians, comedians and more. Does your best friend watch “Jeopardy!” religiously? Gift them a personalized video from fan favorite champions Austin Rogers for $29 or Matt Amodio for $50. Are they a die-hard fan of “The Office?” Several actors from the show, including Brian Baumgartner, who plays Kevin, and Melora Hardin, who plays Jan, are also available for video messages.

$99 at Artifact Uprising

Want something special to give your (really) little one? “The Story of You,” a personalized, interactive photo journal from Artifact Uprising, helps you document your baby’s first year of life with guided prompts, places for photos and convenient pockets for mementos. Plus, pick from seven classic color combos including gray with a gold foil and dark blue with a copper foil. The book comes recommended by Rachael Shepard-Ohta, a San Francisco-based pediatric sleep specialist, who says the book is chic enough to keep on your coffee table. Your baby will cherish this book for the rest of their life, whoever they grow up to be. And check out these other unique gifts for first-time moms for more gift inspiration.

$38 at Uncommon Goods

“Who doesn’t love a good shortbread cookie?” Claytor says. With these custom message shortbread cookies from Uncommon Goods, you can send your loved one a message, including names, dates or inside jokes, and give them a tasty treat at the same time. Better than sending a text? We think so. Your recipient—and their taste buds—will thank you later.

$45 at Fellow

If you have a friend who can’t live without their cold brew, iced chai or kombucha, consider getting them a personalized Carter Cold Tumbler for a gift that’s both pretty and practical. In our roundup of the best coffee mugs, we named the Carter Move Travel Mug the best travel mug for serious coffee drinkers due to its great heat retention, ceramic lining for truer flavor and attractive, minimalist look. The spill-resistant Cold Tumbler promises to keep your drinks cold for at least 18 hours—a big win for hot summer days. The tumbler comes in six colors, and you can add a custom engraving in your choice of five fonts for an extra $10.

$46 at Etsy

Boston-based content creator AJ Hernandez loved the custom embroidered dog hat he ordered for himself so much that he now gives them as gifts during the holidays. Want to surprise your friend with a Custom Embroidered Pet Hat from Etsy? Just upload a photo of their cat, dog or other furry friend and let the illustrators at ModPawsUS convert it into an embroidered illustration. Plus, choose from nine colors of baseball hats, including navy, pink and khaki. Check out our gift guide for dog lovers for more pet-themed finds.

$138 at Stoney Clover Lane

When shopping for a teen who wants something fashionable and functional, look no further than this Stoney Clover Lane Personalized Panache Mini Backpack, which comes recommended by Delaune, as well as Los Angeles-based lifestyle expert Veena Goel Crownholm, who says the brand is one of her all-time favorites. Delaune suggests that a custom bag is great for a graduation gift, and recommends choosing a bag in a high school graduate’s new collegiate colors with their initials added on. Choose from 14 colors, including Bubblegum, Peach and Periwinkle, and six limited edition colors, including Berry Blue, Denim and Jellyfish. Then choose from hundreds of patches, including colorful sparkly letters, numbers and icons, and drag and drop to wherever you want on the backpack—or better yet, let your giftee design it themself! See more great gifts for teens in our roundup.

$57 at Kissy Kissy

If one of your friends just had a baby, consider gifting them a Personalized Baby Footie from Kissy Kissy for their new pride and joy. The onsies, which are made from incredibly soft Peruvian pima cotton, can be monogrammed with either a name or three initials in one of six embroidery thread colors. Check out our list of unique gifts for new moms and our roundup of the best gifts for a first-time dad for more ideas.

$595 at Kimai

For a simple yet beautiful piece of jewelry that can be personalized, Vicki Broadbent, the Yorkshire, England-based author of “The Working Mom” and founder of the Honest Mum lifestyle blog, suggests this Kimai Memory Bracelet, which comes in yellow gold, rose gold and white gold, as well as three sizes. Choose an initial to engrave on the front and/or back of its circular charm to make it your own. Broadbent especially likes that the bracelet is made from recycled gold and lab-grown diamonds.

$16 at Etsy

$24 Save $8

New York City-based Happy Box co-founder Hannah Redmond says the best part of personalized gifts is the creativity, thought and planning that goes into them. For a fun gift, she recommends these custom photo socks from Personalization Lab on Etsy. Choose from 20 colors and patterns, including rainbow and dollar bill prints, then send in the photo you want displayed on the socks. You can even send in two or three different photos for the same pair of socks. Finally, finish it off with a personalized message like “I love you” or “Happy Father’s Day.” See our list of the best gifts for the dad who has everything for more picks for dad.

$54 at Amazon

For a gift that’s equal parts thoughtful and practical, Givi recommends a personalized table clock. He got one for his mom with her name engraved for Christmas, and it was a success. This one allows you to enter up to four lines of text and choose from 11 fonts including Calligraphy, Times New Roman and Old English.

$250 at ETsy

San Francisco-based style coach and former wedding planner Leena Alsulaiman loves to put a unique spin on the classic wedding portrait. Instead of a photograph that a newlywed couple already has, she likes to give a beautiful custom handmade paper portrait like these ones from Etsy. Vendor MadebyHeatherArt hand crafts these portraits using acid-free Canson Mi-Teintes watercolor paper, and you can ask for a specific design theme like floral, patterned or even traditional folkloric motifs. Though Alsulaiman loves this idea for couples, you can also get any portrait custom made into a paper piece, so it works for anyone, including families and pet parents. If you are looking for unique wedding gifts, find more picks from our list of the top 23.

$10+ at Gift Cards

While most expert gift-givers would probably caution you away from getting someone a gift card, especially if you’re trying to go for something more personal, Kucharson says adding a personal flair to a gift card is a good idea if you’re truly stumped on what to get someone—or if you know for sure your niece or nephew just wants some cash. At Giftcards.com, you can upload your own photo and have it printed onto a Visa or Mastercard gift card. Kucharson says adding a photo helps you “feel a little bit better” about giving a gift card—and it gives your giftee the autonomy to buy whatever they want with it instead of risking buying them something they won’t like.