That time of year again: Mariah Carey, lumpy sweaters, hot cocoa, and—oh right! Gifts. If you already feel stumped on how to tell that special someone in your life you care, fear not. Whether you want to find an extra unique gift for a partner, friend or family member to show that you care, this list of creative gifts gives you plenty to work with. Sit back, pull up a new window on your computer screen and get ready to put on your gift-giving hat.
These ten creative gift ideas to say “I love you” will save your holiday stress.
1. 365 Reasons…
What makes a better way to say “I love you” than the gift that keeps on giving? A jar filled with 365 reasons—one for each day of the year, of course—will do just that. Write down “reasons I love you,” “reasons you inspire me,” “reasons I am happy to have you in my life,” on colorful or aesthetically pleasing paper. If you start running out of ideas, you can always turn to song lyrics from the gift-receiver’s favorite bands or quotes from their favorite movies. Decorate the jar, then include a card explaining that your special someone should only remove one note per day and you’re good to go! Alternatively, if words don’t come easy to you, you can always find a pre-made note-filled jar from Amazon or Etsy.
2. Customized Playing Cards
Do you know a board game or card playing lover in your life? Lucky for you, the perfect gift already exists for them: customized playing cards. Several websites provide the option to create these. On one side, you can include favorite photos of the two of you together. On the other, you can feature cute, funny or inspirational sayings you think the receiver of your gift will appreciate.
“I absolutely love giving personalized gifts, especially when it comes to a significant other,” said Kate Dressel, a junior at George Washington University. “Because playing cards was a large component of the start of our relationship—it’s how we got introduced to each other’s friends, see each other at our lowest and highest moments and bond over our love of games—creating a personalized deck of playing cards with pictures of us and cute little sayings on the back was a way to incorporate memories special to our relationship into an otherwise pretty basic gift.”
This gift also pairs well with more practical options. You can present it alongside another game you caught your loved one with their eye. Or, you can try discovering a game they never mentioned but you know they’ll love. Even if the person receiving your gift only obsesses over card games, you could add a few other decks either from their favorite card making company or ones themed on another interest of theirs (such as a favorite book series, movie, or era of history).
3. CD or Playlist (or Even Vinyl Album)
What better way to tell someone you love them than by saying it in song? To do that, you can go with a couple options. The most affordable one, of course, includes creating a playlist for them. If your partner, friend or family member’s car features a CD player, though, you could burn them one with a customized mix that they can listen to whenever they want. For the vintage lovers out there, you could even consider customizing a vinyl record. That way, they can listen to your mix even when using their well-loved turntable.
“I always give personalized gifts to my loved ones,” said Taryn Mitoma, a junior at UC Davis. “Something small and thoughtful can be the best gift to show how much you care! Something I’ve made for friends as a gift is a personalized playlist of songs that remind me of my friend…I think music is a really special way to connect with people and say how you feel without actually saying it, so this makes a great gift for anyone special in your life!”
What sort of songs will you include? You’ll find yourself with plenty of possibilities here. Start with the songs that remind you of them. Then move on to the songs linked to special moments. Do the two of you have a song? What song featured on the setlist of a favorite concert you went to together? What song always makes the two of you laugh? Which one can neither of you help but belt along to? If you’re burning a CD or creating a customized vinyl record (where the listener can’t shuffle the songs), consider too the order in which the songs will play. For these two options, you could even include short recordings of you saying why you chose that song, or simply wishing them a happy holiday.
4. Get-To-Know-You Game
It might seem a little counterintuitive to give a “get-to-know-you” gift to the person you probably feel closest to in your life. Speaking from experience, though, these types of games always turn out way more fun when played with people you already know. They allow you to discover new details about your friend, partner or family member that just somehow never came up in conversation before. Shopping online provides a lot of options for this gift, from the game We’re Not Really Strangers, to books like 3000 Questions About Me.
5. A Creative Endeavor
Sometimes the best way to say “I love you” simply includes participating in an activity your loved one enjoys more than anything else. Whether the person you want to give a gift to possesses artistic abilities that make your jaw drop or just loves trying out new ways of expressing themselves, picking out a creative activity will delight them. You can consider a pottery making class, visiting a painting studio, or scheduling a date at somewhere like Color Me Mine. If your special someone feels especially adventurous, maybe even consider a glass blowing class. With this idea, the options prove endless.
6. An Outdoor Excursion
Not everyone’s favorite person aspires in the arts, though. If your special someone loves the outdoors, you can also pick from a variety of activities to show them that you support their interests. Maybe your significant other loves photography—find a photogenic spot to explore with them. Or, maybe your best friend considers themselves a hiking fiend. Plan out a day either on their favorite trail or one they’ve been wanting to visit for a while and include cute snacks for a picnic moment if the terrain permits.
“One Christmas, I decided to give the gift of an outdoors travel experience to my mom,” said Mia Rosati, a junior at UCLA. “Our favorite hiking destination is Point Reyes…I decided to do a watercolor painting of the view from one of our favorite hiking… On Christmas morning, I told her that the rest of the gift would be me treating her to all of the dining and shopping we’d do before and after our hike. I could tell she really appreciated this present, as it created an opportunity for us to share a beautiful day in a place that holds meaning for both of us.”
For the active loved ones in your life, an outdoor excursion presents an exciting way to show them you care about what they like to do. Plus, it creates the perfect opportunity to make new memories together. Putting something small along with the gift of an excursion—whether a watercolor painting or another item—also enables them to still receive a physical gift to unwrap. What adventure will you and your special someone go on?
7. Scrapbook or Zine
A scrapbook provides a wonderful option if you want to give your special someone something to commemorate all your adventures together. It’ll serve as a great way for them to remind themselves of the good things in their life when feeling down. If you consider yourself the kind of person who enjoys taking a trip down memory lane, you’ll also find creating this a lot of fun. To start with, you’ll want to get a scrapbook with a nicely designed cover that you feel matches the vibe of the receiver of your gift. Then you’ll want to start gathering the photos—scroll through the camera roll on your phone and sort through those polaroids. After that, you’ll want to consider the non-photo elements. What are some physical symbols of your relationship or friendship? You can include these as doodles you create, tickets from movies, concerts or other events you attended together, receipts from a favorite restaurant you ate at together, pressed flowers and anything else you can dream up.
Alternatively, if you don’t think you can fill a whole scrapbook, or if you want to create something that your special someone can display more clearly than tucked away on a bookshelf, consider creating a zine. Short for “magazine,” these tiny works pull upon text and image, traditionally created about social or political issues. The wonderful thing about zines, though, is that they can turn into anything you want. If the person you want to give a gift to is a fan of 80s or 90s punk or subculture, or is especially socially conscious, they probably know about zines. Creating one for them that commemorates your relationship together, or that focuses on “reasons you inspire me,” will serve as a great way to show that you know about and listen to their interests. Or, if they don’t know about zines, this gift can serve as a fun and touching way for them to learn something new.
8. Where We Met (& Where We’ll Go) Map
How did you meet the person you want to say “I love you” to this holiday season? Somewhere other than home? Or did you meet at home, and the two of you hope to travel the world together in the future? A “Where We Met” or “Where We’ll Go” map will create the perfect gift. To do this, you can take a few different approaches. One: you can create a custom print zoomed in of the geographic area or block where the two of you met, with a heart or other special symbol on the precise location. Two: you can get a world map and customize it yourself, marking the place you met with a unique symbol, the places you went together so far with another symbol and the places you hope to go together in a third. That way you can always add on to the map and expand it as the years go on and your relationship grows.
9. Customizable Magic 8 Ball
The world of customizable items truly proves never-ending. Playing cards, vinyl albums and—oh yeah, Magic 8 Balls. If the person you want to say “I love you” to likes novelty items or unique bookshelf decor, a Magic 8 Ball could prove the perfect gift. Several websites and vendors, including those on Etsy, offer the option to create this special gift. What short messages will you settle on? Maybe you’ll put reasons you love the person, favorite things about them or silly inside jokes. Or, you could include affirmations you know they’ll find helpful in the future. Even still, you could turn it into a game for the two of you.
10. Matching Charm Bracelets
Probably the most basic suggestion to finish off this list, matching bracelets always prove a good option for the jewelry lovers in your life. Charm bracelets, too, can make the standard matching jewelry gift unique because you can truly customize them. Pick one to two symbols that represent your relationship to add to the bracelet. The symbols could include a reference to a favorite memory you share or play upon your similarities and differences. Is one of you the moon, the other the sun? Maybe French fries symbolize you, while hamburgers symbolizer your best friend. Now comes the time to pull out all the obscure inside jokes. The other reason these make the perfect gift to say, “I love you”? With charm bracelets, you can continuously add on charms as the years go by and your friendship or relationship grows.
More Gifts For the One You Love
I love you. Three little words that can change a relationship or friendship forever, especially when it comes to gifts. Now the gift-giving has to go up a notch. Sure, telling them you love them is great, but how about showing them?
It’s time to open up another computer tab and add all these gifts to your cart.
11. NoteCube
The best way to say “I Love You” just got easier. The NoteCube features a beautifully wrapped box with personalized notes, pictures, quotes and more inside. You get to create each slip of paper that goes into your NoteCube, upping the personalization factor for any holiday, engagement or birthday. “I love when people are intentional with words of affirmation. One of my friends got me a framed quote that reminded her of me when she saw it. Remembering those stories and memories mean the world to me,” Wake Forest University sophomore Molly Todd said. The NoteCube wraps words of affirmation, pictures and memories all into one box that you can have for a lifetime, leaving whoever receives it absolutely speechless.
12. FaceTime Photobook
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All of our pictures nowadays just hoard in our photo app for years and years without as much as a single glance and no plans of going anywhere. You could put all of your old photos in a scrapbook for a sweet gift, but what about adding a creative twist? How many times do you find yourself FaceTiming your best friend, significant other or even family? Next time, take a screenshot at a memorable moment every time you FaceTime them. Then, once a holiday or birthday rolls around, print them out and put them in a photo-book. You can include the date, what was going on, etc. This gift shows that you have been thinking about them all year round.
13. Coordinate Jewelry
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etsy.com14. “Open When…” Cards
For those not looking to break the bank, Open When cards say “I Love You” and come straight from the heart. Make these cards completely your own or search templates to see what most people include. Write on the front of the card things like, “open when you get to college,” or “open when you’re missing me.” This stack of cards gives you the reigns as you can make as many or as little as you want. “These letters come from the heart and aren’t materialistic — they don’t cost a thing,” Wake Forest University senior Lydia Faber said. As the special occasion passes, the ‘I Love You” spans all year round.
15. An Adventure
Everyone has that friend who’s an adrenaline junkie or who thrives off making memories. Give them something that they’ll bring up at parties for the rest of their lives. Take them ax throwing, on a zip-line adventure course, skydiving or to see their favorite band. This also shows that you care about their interests and truly listen to what they enjoy. “If they saw a gift and said ‘I saw this and it reminded me of you’ that is my favorite kind of gift,” Colorado School of Mines junior Aaron Guillory said. This gift means more than just getting someone more stuff, but shows that you want to do something with them and give them an experience of a lifetime.
16. Custom Candle Making
Who doesn’t love a candle that smells absolutely amazing? Now, instead of going to Yankee Candle or Bath & Body Works, add your own special twist. You can either make a candle for them yourself or take them to the class with you and make them for each other. Nothing brings back memories or tugs at the heartstrings like a scent. No matter where you go, they can light that candle and your memory and love will fill the room, and no gift can compete with that.
17. A Subscription
Give them a gift that reminds them of your love all year long. A subscription can go for as long as you want and fall into almost any price range. Do they love spicy food? Get them a subscription to the Spice of the Month Club. Do they only talk about makeup? Subscribing them to Ipsy would make their year. “Gifts that say ‘I love you’ are the ones where people have picked up on things that I love, so when they’ve given those gifts to me I had no clue they were paying that close attention. It shows they really care to know me well,” Wake Forest University senior Caroline Rassenfoss said. A subscription shows the time you have taken to care about the things they love.
18. A Children’s Book
Have you ever wanted to write a book but could never seem to find the time? Well, the time is here. Go online and make your own children’s book about whatever your heart desires. Make one about you and your friend, sibling or significant other. Do they have a favorite pet? Make one about the bond they share. The thought that goes into this gift overflows and the recipient and no one else has anything like it, making it completely unique. Your gift (and bond) will live on the coffee table display forever.
19. A RetroViewer
Looking for something vintage but can’t afford another record player? Head over and make your own RetroViewer. Once you buy the viewer itself, you can continue to make more and more reels for as long as you want. Did you just have graduation or go on a vacation? Create another reel of photos to commemorate that time. Please any hipster friend or the grandparents by giving them a little slice of their childhood back. This isn’t just another photo album on the shelf; giving this gift makes a memory in itself.
20. Name or Initial Jewelry
A beautiful tribute to the one who makes your life special. The possibilities with this gift are endless. Whether you want to put your name or initials on a necklace or bracelet for them or do their own, make it big or leave it dainty. Either one shows how much they mean to you. This type of jewelry proves that you care more than just grabbing an expensive necklace in store, but that you took the time to have something made that represents them. Jewelry lasts forever and sparks many questions of ‘where’ and ‘who’ everywhere they go, and they’ll always have a story to tell.
* Updated on November 23, 2022 to include gifts 1-10 by Sydney Schmidt
