Unique gifts: 50 unusual ideas people actually love

The short answer: The best unique gifts feel personal, are a little unexpected and still get used. This list of 50 unique gifts and unusual ideas covers personalized keepsakes, experiences, hobby kits and food gifts, with a quick chart to match ideas to the person and tips for choosing something that will not end up in a drawer.

One of our favorite unique gifts is a book of family recipes. The Family Recipe Binder makes it easy to collect them, and the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner keeps all your gift ideas and spending in one place.

Personalized unique gifts

1. A family recipe book filled with handwritten favorites
2. A star map of the night they met or were born
3. A custom illustrated portrait of their pet
4. An engraved cutting board
5. A puzzle made from a family photo
6. A photo book of the past year
7. Handwriting turned into a necklace or bracelet
8. A custom map print of their hometown
9. A personalized book embosser
10. A recorded storybook with a grandparent's voice

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To assemble the printed family recipe book, use an Avery Durable View 1-inch binder with Avery heavyweight sheet protectors for the pages. Fill it with the HomeBase recipe pages and your own recipes before giving it.

Unique experience gifts

11. A pottery or glassblowing class
12. A cooking class for two
13. Hot air balloon ride
14. A local food tour
15. Concert or comedy show tickets
16. A rock climbing session
17. An escape room
18. A sunrise hike with breakfast packed
19. A dance lesson
20. A night at a nearby bed and breakfast

See more experience gifts. Not sure which outing they'd pick? These gift card ideas include experience and activity cards that let them choose.

Unusual hobby and DIY kits

21. Mushroom growing kit
22. Hot sauce making kit
23. Cheese making kit
24. Candle making kit
25. Terrarium kit
26. Embroidery starter kit
27. Bonsai tree kit
28. Sourdough starter set
29. Watercolor postcard kit
30. Build-your-own birdhouse

Unique food and drink gifts

31. Tea sampler from around the world
32. Olive oil tasting set
33. Spice blends from a local shop
34. A monthly snack box from another country
35. Fancy hot cocoa bombs
36. Local honey sampler
37. Coffee from a small roaster (gifts for coffee lovers)
38. A cookie of the month club
39. Homemade jam with custom labels
40. A build-your-own charcuterie kit

More ideas in consumable gifts.

Unique gifts that give back

41. A donation in their name
42. Adopt-an-animal kit from a zoo or wildlife group
43. A tree planted in their honor
44. Fair trade goods from artisans
45. A gift from a local small business
46. A microloan gift card
47. A sponsored park bench plaque
48. A charity calendar
49. A handmade item from a local maker
50. Your time: a coupon book of help or outings

Match the unique gift to the person

Shopping for the person who has it all? See gifts for the woman who has everything and gifts for a husband who wants nothing.

Why unique gifts mean more

A study from Cornell University found that people tend to get more lasting happiness from experiences than from things, and that even waiting for an experience brings joy. That is one reason unique gifts like classes and trips stand out. The Emily Post Institute also reminds us that the thought behind a gift matters more than its price, so a small personal item can mean more than an expensive one.

How to choose a unique gift that gets used

Start by listing three things the person loves to do and one thing they have said they want to try. Unique gifts that connect to a real habit, like morning coffee or Sunday dinners, get used far more than novelty items. Avoid gifts that need a lot of space or upkeep unless you know they want them. When in doubt, choose something they can use up, like food, or something they can do, like a class. Add a short note explaining why you picked it, because the story behind unusual gifts is part of what makes them special.