Struggling to think of a truly special gift? This article will help you choose the perfect personalised present, as well as introducing the top ten gifts you can make personal this year. From presents with photos to classic names and initials, we've scoured the internet for portable coffee cups, cushions, jewellery and home decor you can tailor to suit the recipient and no one else.
Carefully selected from John Lewis, Amazon and eBay and including options from Treat Republic, Rachel Jackson and Marmite, all of our customised gifts are thoughtful, affordable and top quality; the best presents to give no matter the time of year, even for the person who has everything!
Quick List - Top Personalised Gifts
Treat Republic
A Smart Reusable Cup With Great Customisation in a Modern Type Face
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Table of Contents
The choice when it comes to personalised gifts is close to endless! But when the options are infinite, making a sensible choice can take forever too. This section is here to inspire you with classic and quirky ideas, helping you make your decision that little bit quicker.
Each of our gifts fits into one of four categories; jewellery, home furnishings, office things, food, drink and receptacles (such as cups, plates, glasses and so on). Below, we'll explain the pros and cons of each and who we think such gifts are best suited to. We hope this will get you inspired and ready to shop for something smashing.
Jewellery is the perfect gift to personalise as it can be decorated with a name, date or initials to make it totally unique. A meaningful present like this is a good pick for family members or people you dearly love, as it probably won't be cheap!
The advantages of such a gift are that it can be worn over and over again, it will last the year and hopefully retain its value more than other kinds of gift. Choose simple styles, as statement items fall out of fashion more quickly and may not suit every taste.
A personalised cushion, chair or artwork is a fabulous way to show a friend or family member how much you care.
However, you should be 100% sure it will fit well with their interior design preferences, as you don't want to spend money on something that never gets used, or for them to have to politely drag it out every time you come over when it isn't really their cup of tea! Artworks that blend their favourite films, places or colours are a great shout, for instance.
If you want to buy a useful gift for the home but don't know the recipient quite as closely, perhaps consider a personalised treat for the office – monogrammed notepaper, a customised stamp or seal could all work nicely! They don't require as much inside knowledge of the person you're shopping for, but are practical and not the sort of thing we usually splash out on for ourselves.
Food, sweets and snacks are a whimsical gift which can fall at the more bargainous end of the budget bracket. They aren't overly intense or sentimental, and no one can refuse their favourite tasty treats, least of all when the jar or bottle has their very own name stamped on the front!
To take a food or drink-related gift to the next level, we suggest a personalised cup, bowl, flask or jug, which can be used many times over the years and serve as a regular reminder to the recipient of how much they are appreciated.
Decide which kind of food or drink your bestie likes best and give them the means to enjoy it daily, with their name or photo tacked on for good measure.
Aside from what it is, it's also worth thinking about how you'd like the gift you're giving to be personalised. The classic option is one which allows you to write the recipient's name on it – they'll know it's theirs and it'll feel a little bit special each time they use it.
You may instead want to put a date; that of a birth, death or wedding onto a present, to commemorate an important moment in your shared experience. These make a present truly significant and unique to the owner.
Another splendid idea is to give a gift with a photograph on it, as this can add nostalgia, or even humour, depending on how it is used! From a cushion with a beloved puppy's face on it to a snapshot of a childhood holiday, images pluck at our heartstrings, make us smile and even cry – and a moving present is a memorable one.
The task of present shopping is best kicked off by setting a sensible budget. Overspending never compensates for minimal choosing time, and the great thing about a personalised gift is that it feels extra special, so shouldn't have to cost a fortune. We're convinced meaningful presents can be gentle on your wallet too!
If you have plenty of cash to play with, your relationship with the recipient may have some influence on how much you spend. You may be prepared to spend a tad more on a husband, wife or favourite relation, while colleagues and the partners of friends may not be designated as hefty a slice of your budget.
In our article, we have suggested gifts for under £15, under £20, under £60 and over £100, so there should be a customisable present that suits your spending habits!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Rachel Jackson London Initial Pendant Necklace | ![]() | Elegant Gold Initial Necklace to Suit Any Style | |
2 | Treat Republic Personalised Name Ceramic Travel Mug | ![]() | A Smart Reusable Cup With Great Customisation in a Modern Type Face | |
3 | Yaldi Personalised Sweet Jar | ![]() | Packed Sweetie Jar With All the Classics and a Personal Message | |
4 | Stripey Cats Personalised Flamingo Clock | ![]() | The Perfect Personalised Birthday Gift for Kids | |
5 | Generic Personalised Printed Cushion | ![]() | Comfy and Cheap Cushion Adorned With Any Photo You Fancy | |
6 | Personalised Sports & Photo Gifts Official Personalised Marmite Jar | ![]() | A Little Jar of B Vitamins With Your Name on It | |
7 | Papier Art Designs Harry Potter Personalised Print | ![]() | Harry Potter-Themed Illustration With Amazing Customisation Options | |
8 | Treat Republic Personalised Emblem Dimpled Beer Glass | ![]() | A Classic Tankard With Space for a Special Message | |
9 | Jonny's Sister Personalised Deck Chair | ![]() | Comfortable Deckchair With Stylish Text and Eye-Catching Colours | |
10 | StompStamps Personalised Small Name Stamp | ![]() | A Traditional Yet Unique Stamp for Letter Lovers |
Topping our list is what we deem the most charming personalised pressie of all – the unrivalled gold initial necklace. For just over £50 you give a gift that can be worn again and again, that's totally meaningful and reminds the owner who they are in times of crisis (or at least gives them a decent lexical clue).
Rachel Jackson was born in Lancashire and began selling her handmade, 22-carat gold-plated jewellery at Spitalfields market, so if supporting UK based artists and businesses is your thing, consider that box ticked. These sweet letter necklaces are made from hypoallergenic sterling silver and plated with gold, to suit every skin colour and statement style.
Not just for coffee lovers, this stylish reusable cup is ideal for anyone who likes to indulge in a hot drink on the go. Great for the planet and cool to the touch even when your coffee is scalding, this cup looks cute and you can choose absolutely any definitions you like to go along with the recipient's name and its pronunciation.
Made from durable, double-layered ceramic in the UK, this product will last through multiple beverages. It has a capacity of 200 ml too, which is brilliant for filling up at a favourite hot drink spot, with the added bonus that no one will dare to nick it.
Perhaps a good shout for people you need a gift for but don't know so well, but also suitable as an extra for kids, family and friends too, this jar of sweets is tasty, timeless and won't break the bank. Add a friendly message to the front by customising the label and select the sweets you hope to find inside.
With exclusively five-star ratings, this gift is a hit with online reviewers who name the robust, reusable jar as a great feature along with the sheer deliciousness of the sweets which include sour gummy worms, fried eggs, flying saucers and a number of other nostalgic favourites.
Just right for your kid's bedroom but also totally acceptable as grown-up décor too, this seventies-style throwback is cute and kitsch with a personal touch at the bottom, where whoever it belongs to can have their name printed in a flirty retro typeface to match the old-school illustrative style.
This clock is part of a range which also includes a tiger, a lion, an owl and a rabbit version if those animals are more up your child's street. As well as its hilarious, watchful googly eye which provides some much-needed silliness, this clock could also help really little ones learn to spell their name which doesn't come as second nature to all kids.
What's better than a gift with your own name on it? A gift with your face on it of course! Upload any photo you like to be printed onto this bouncy cushion and prepare to delight as you watch the recipient unwrap their new favourite sofa adornment, which celebrates a special day, treasured memory or favourite pet.
According to online reviewers, this polyester cushion has a medium firmness and the print quality is excellent. You control how the image is angled and framed and can add text if you like as well. It doesn't have to be limited to family portraits though – why not choose your loved one's favourite cartoon or a moment from the sitcom you've binge-watched together? Top value and truly personal.
This one's not for everybody, obviously. If the treacly taste of Marmite doesn't float you or your loved one's boat, just scroll down politely, no questions asked. OK, now we've got rid of those losers, the rest of us can high-five about the undeniable sophistication of our tastebuds.
For the Marmite maniac in your world, there couldn't be a more appropriate personalised gift than this iconic jar of goodness. It's emblazoned with the recipient's name, so no one else can sneak a secret soupçon of this salty spread. Not cheap, but certainly great value in terms of flavour and fun. Plus it's packed with vitamins! What more could you ask?
Rare are those who can't be enticed into the world of Harry Potter given half a chance. And if you need a personalised present for someone who eats, sleeps and breathes the goings-on at Hogwarts then this illustrated print might be just the thing – and for less than £10 too!
The customised image is printed on semi-gloss paper, with two dimensions options available at A5 and A4 size and a single option at A3. Choose from Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff house colours as well as a huge range of hair lengths, styles and skin colours. Beneath will be emblazoned you and your pal's names, to celebrate your shared love of all things magic.
Just the right present for the beer-drinker in your life, this tankard is heavy-duty yet maintains a regal elegance all at once. Choose the name, dates and message you'd like to see printed on its textured glass and you've got a thoughtful gift that's both useful and meaningful.
This traditional beer stein has a perfectly-proportioned handle, making it just right for sipping a fine ale – which would make a great accompanying gift, we think! The top and bottom rows have space for 10 characters and the main name up to 12, so there's plenty of scope for birthdays, weddings or anniversaries alike.
If someone you're close to is lucky enough to have a sunny garden, live by the sea or even be the proud owner of a beach hut, this personalised deckchair could be just the right investment. It is bold and simple, providing a pop of colour and proudly telling the world exactly whose bum belongs in its comfy seat.
This gift sits (reclining) at the more costly end of the price scale, so it's a proper treat, best suited to family or a partner. As with many of our gifts, the colours and typeface are clean and classic so should suit a broad range of recipients, but take care to decide how well this chair fits with your loved one's tastes as it does make a pretty big statement.
This lovely personalised name stamp is satisfying to use, creates a gorgeous print in a tasteful, classic typeface and will inspire the recipient to rediscover the lost art of letter-writing, or perhaps it could serve as a branding for a crafter or small business owner. Either way, this durable and impeccably-made stamp will last the years, proving great value for money.
Be aware that this product doesn't come with an ink pad. Another possible downside may be the fact that we live in a world of emails and texting, so, depending on the recipient, the charm of the concept may outweigh the practicalities and amount of use.
Gifts are a glorious way to show friends, family and loved ones just how much we care. But shopping for them can leave the best of us scratching our heads! Below you'll find links to some cool present ideas that will help your recipient feel more loved, all while avoiding the classic cliches and staying within your budget.
By including both low-cost options for around a tenner as well as more luxury personalised gifts, we hope our article has given you some ideas tailored especially to the recipient. Make present-giving feel that little bit more special by choosing a token of affection including their name, photograph or other favourite things. Happy shopping everyone!
Author: Annie Hopkins
No. 1: Rachel Jackson London|Initial Pendant Necklace
No. 2: Treat Republic|Personalised Name Ceramic Travel Mug
No. 3: Yaldi|Personalised Sweet Jar
No. 4: Stripey Cats|Personalised Flamingo Clock
No. 5: Generic|Personalised Printed Cushion
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