Personalised Gifts: 6 Ideas for Truly Unique Presents

Do you know that feeling when birthdays, Christmas, or another special occasion are just around the corner and one question completely dominates your thoughts: What on earth should I get them?
It should be personal, not a last-minute emergency solution, and preferably something that ten other people don't already have.

With a gift that is truly tailored to the person, you can't go wrong. Because what if your gift only exists once? No duplicates, no quickly shopped standard product. Instead, something that only exists in this form because YOU had the idea for it. That's exactly what happens when you personalise gifts: they get personality, history, meaning... and an honest "Wow!" or an "Oh, WHAAAT??!?" when they're unwrapped.

A personalised gift shows that you put in the effort and thought at least one or two more thoughts than necessary. Whether DIY, personalised, or both – here you'll find 6 ideas that make it easy to create unique gifts that make an impression and are remembered.

Idea 1: Acrylic on canvas

And it's beautiful, affordable, and easy to do. All you need is one or two acrylic markers or a tube of acrylic paint, as well as a 6-Minute-Diary you'd like to give as a gift. The 6-Minute-Diaries are the perfect canvas: after all, the high-quality cover is made of real linen (or, depending on the version, Surbalin Seda – but that works just as well). Acrylic paint simply adheres perfectly to the slightly rough surface. This is how you turn a 6-Minute-Journal, which is already a great gift in its own right, into a real one-of-a-kind piece in no time.

Option 1: Grab acrylic markers in contrasting colours to the diary you want to give as a gift. Think about what you want to draw or write on it... or be brave and just doodle away.

Option 2: If you want a recurring motif, you can cut out a stencil from a piece of paper or cardboard. Then dab the acrylic paint into the stencil with a sponge or brush. I simply used an old dish sponge for this. It makes your fingers a little dirty, but it's a lot of fun!

The results certainly won't be perfect. But that's exactly what makes them charming, isn't it?

Idea 2: Irish tradition as a personal gift 

If you want to give a gift that really stands out because it doesn't fit into any category, give a tree. According to the Celtic Tree Calendar, every person has their own "Tree of Life". The Celts believed that certain trees reflect a person's personality: resilience, calm, and vitality. And somehow... that's a beautiful way to describe someone. No tree is like another, just like people.

To find the right plant, all you need is the person's date of birth. Based on this, you can look up in the following table which tree belongs to it. And then you can give it as a gift: as a sapling for the garden or a special spot in nature. If the recipient has a particularly green thumb, you might even find the right little tree as a bonsai for at home. 

Tree of Birth Table: CLICK HERE (according to the Celtic Tree Calendar; slight variations depending on the source are possible)

A birth tree is a personalised gift that grows, changes, and brings joy for many years. 

Idea 3: Order a personalised gift directly from us

A 6-Minute-Diary is already a very personal gift in itself – but it only becomes truly unique the moment the first sentence is written inside. With a personalised edition, however, you can add a very personal touch to our journals in advance and make them a completely unique gift.

For businesses as an employee gift:

We already offer businesses the option to order our 6-Minute-Journals personalised, for example with the company logo. If you are interested yourself or would like to make your company a suggestion for a truly meaningful employee gift, take a look here, we will be happy to make you a custom offer with all colour and design options.

For everyone with a name or engraving:

Here you have to give us just a tiny bit more time. 🙏 We are working hard to be able to offer personalisation options for individual orders as well. If you want to give a special person a special gift, check back here in the blog or directly in our webshop soon. We should have something really great ready just in time for Christmas shopping!

Idea 4: Design a vintage cap yourself

You probably already know Spreadshirt : there you can design a lot of different pieces of clothing with your own text and/or design. Mostly they are t-shirts or hoodies that you wear once at a hen party or another event... and never again. 

But they also have really cool items in their range – for example a cap in a vintage look. You can design and have it printed however you like: from an inside joke to a photo of your mum on holiday, anything is possible. Or design a cap with your face on it and give it to your partner for Christmas! Guaranteed only a little bit cringe, but 100% unique! 

Idea 5: Start a beautiful ritual

Sometimes the best gift is not a thing, but a gesture. Here at the 6-Minuten-Verlag, a lot revolves around good habits anyway... But have you ever thought that you can not only establish routines for yourself, but also give them as a gift? And do so by simply starting with them.

Examples: Get a Polaroid camera and take the same photo in the family every year at Christmas. It will become a tradition faster than you can say "Cheese!".
Or give someone something every year for their birthday that continues. For example, an empty book in which you both write a new entry every year and supplement it with photos. After a few years, a little shared chronicle will emerge from it.
Also nice: start a regular "We Day" and go brunching or picnicking together every year on the first day of autumn, watch the same movie, or take a walk in the same forest. Such recurring rituals are little anchors in the calendar that you eventually won't want to miss.

Traditions are basically the most personal gifts of all. They don't have to cost much, they last forever, and they get a little more beautiful every time.

Idea 6: Personalize chocolate – it doesn't get any sweeter than this

There is hardly any gift that works as universally as chocolate. And even that can be made even more unique. At Tony’s Chocolonely, you can design your own chocolate bar. Including personalised packaging, your own message, and in your favourite colour. It's quick, looks really high-quality, and tastes, well... like chocolate. So great.

You can add the bar with a little greeting, a photo, a name, or simply a funny sentence that fits you perfectly. The design works directly online. You just click through and try things out. For design pros, there are also Adobe templates, with which you can design the entire outer packaging yourself. And bam, you already have a personalised gift that is personal and really biteable.

Why personalised gifts are the best gifts

In the end, it is rarely the big gifts that are remembered, but those in which you can feel that heart and time are behind them. A hand-painted diary, a beautiful tradition, a personalised chocolate... Such gestures tell stories. They say: "I really thought about it. For you." 

A personal gift doesn't have to be perfect at all. It can have rough edges and overflow with impulsiveness, that's exactly what makes it personal. So the next time you give something, don't think about what is the most expensive or biggest, but what really fits the person. Because the most beautiful thing about unique  gifts is that they not only bring joy, but create a connection. 

What was the most beautiful or extraordinary gift you have ever given? Feel free to tell us about it in the comments! ⬇️

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This post is by Elena Rieder. She once thought yoga was a little lame. Exactly until she tried it herself for the first time. Since then, mindfulness has been an important part of her life, which fortunately also fits perfectly with the work at 6-Minuten-Verlag.  

Image source: https://unsplash.com/