60 Unique Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Friends and Family

To help you narrow in on a gift that is sure to spark joy, we’ve put together 60 unique gift ideas for every type of person on your list.


The hunt for perfect unique Christmas gifts never gets easier, does it? Especially if you’re trying to think of something new to give the people who’ve been on your list for years or, on the flip side, those you don’t know very well.

That’s where the experts at Minted come in. And our cardinal rule of gifting? Think about what sparks joy for the people on your list. This is easier than it sounds, and though it always helps to know more about your recipient, thinking about their hobbies or their stage of life in broader strokes can help you find the perfect gift idea.

For example, do you know they live for a night spent binge-watching the latest Netflix series? Or are they a part of a growing family looking for ways to stay connected? Starting there can help you home in on the types of gifts they’ll love — and actually use.

To help you narrow in on a gift that is sure to spark joy, we’ve put together 60 unique gift ideas for every type of person on your list. Happy shopping!


For the Interior-Obsessed

1. Art Prints

You know your interior-loving friend or family member is always on the hunt for unique art prints to add to their collection. And Christmas is the perfect opportunity to gift them one! Minted offers a huge selection of art prints in a wide variety of subjects, aesthetics, and framing options (including canvas). Best of all? All of our prints are available in sizes ranging from 5”x7” to 48”x70” so you can find a print that will fit perfectly in their home — and in your budget.


2. Christmas Ornaments

For a unique twist on this classic gift idea, look for ornaments that have personal or special meaning for your recipient. You can either look for quirky ornaments shaped like the things they love (like a surfboard or a pickle, for example) or, go the sentimental route by ordering a customized ornament with their names, a special date, or even a portrait of their pet.


3. Candles

Gifting a scented candle can be a surprisingly risky move — as most people have strong opinions about the scents they like and don’t like in their homes. So instead, gift your friend a set of sophisticated taper or pillar candles that look straight out of Architectural Digest. Just be sure to grab a pair that matches the color palette and aesthetic of their home!


4. Candle Holders and Candelabras

To take your gift up another level, pair your tapered candle set with a chic candle holder or candelabra. Brass candle holders are a safe bet thanks to their timeless finish, or if you know your recipient loves to make a statement with their decor, you could give them a set that is more sculptural.


5. Candle Snuffers

Candle snuffers definitely fall into the category of “unnecessary luxuries” — making them the perfect gift for the interior lover. They’re also a great way to make the gift of candles feel a little bit more thoughtful.


6. Vases

If you’re looking for a gift for someone who always has fresh flowers at home, a beautiful vase is a great idea. A vase that is handmade or one-of-a-kind is a great way to make the gift feel more thoughtful — and is sure to become a cherished part of their collection.


7. Chic Christmas Decorations

Don’t be afraid to give your design-minded loved ones Christmas decorations this year! Just be sure to keep the aesthetic of their home in mind as you’re picking them out — and know that it is always safer to go for Christmas decor that is more minimal and artistic than it is kitschy and cute.


8. Bookends

Have someone on your list who is just as obsessed with books as they are with interior design? A set of unique bookends is the perfect combination of their passions. Keep their style in mind when picking out a pair, but going for a set in natural materials like marble or wood is always a safe bet.


9. Decorative Bowls

Trust us — you can never have too many beautiful bowls. The interior lover on your list is sure to love a decorative bowl handmade by an artisan or ceramicist.


For the Host or Home Chef

10. Aprons

A high-quality apron is a key part of every host’s and home chef’s arsenal. So this year, give the grubby apron they always reach for a refresh by gifting them a personalized apron in a beautiful, artist-designed print.


11. Oven Mitts

In a similar vein, the host and home chef on your list could likely use a fresh pair of oven mitts. (Couldn’t we all?) Earn yourself some extra points by picking out a pair that matches the personalized apron and bundling them into a cute set.


12. Wine Glasses

The dinner party-lover on your list likely already has a set of everyday wine glasses that they love, so use Christmas as an opportunity to add a bit of extra festive fun to their collection. Look for a set of wine glasses in a unique shape — like champagne coupes — or that feature cute design details like colored glass or gilded rims.


13. Barware and Bar Tools

If the home chef on your lists also moonlights as an at-home mixologist, upgrade their cocktail making kit with beautiful barware or bar tools. Look for glasses that complement their favorite drink or grab them a sophisticated cocktail shaker set.


14. Napkins

The host or hostess on your list is likely dreaming up the tablescape for their next dinner party as you read this, so why not add a unique set of napkins to their collection? Don’t be afraid to go quirky here — they’re sure to appreciate a set with sweet embroidered details or artist-designed prints.


15. Dinnerware

Similarly, adding a set of plates to the collection of the friend or family member who loves hosting is another thoughtful gift idea. We recommend going for a set of handmade ceramic dessert or salad plates, as they’re more likely to become keepsakes than clutter.


16. Flatware

If you’re looking for an extra special gift for the person who is always hosting all of their family for Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, give them a set of high-quality flatware. Silver is a timeless option, and is something that they’ll be able to pass down for generations to come.


17. Cutting Boards

A cutting board is a classic gift for the home chef — and for good reason. But to make it feel a little bit more thoughtful, give them a cutting board customized with their name or one with a special purpose in mind, such as grooves designed to catch juices that run off from perfectly-cooked meat.


18. Tablecloths and Table Runners

The host or hostess on your list likely already has plenty of basic tablecloths and table runners, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still make great gifts! Give them one that will become a conversation starter at their next party — think designs that feature hand-crafted details or prints designed by artists.


19. Tea Towels

You can’t go wrong with this classic gift. To make it feel a little bit more thoughtful, go for a set of tea towels in a unique print. Minted has a huge selection of tea towels designed by our network of independent artists — all of which are the perfect way to elevate your host’s next dinner party or home-cooked meal.


20. Serving Bowls and Fruit Bowls

Help the home chef on your list make family-style meals feel a bit more special by giving them a beautiful serving bowl or fruit bowl. Whether they’re serving up pasta made from scratch or settling in with a big bowl of popcorn for a home movie night, it is a gift that they’ll definitely appreciate.


21. Charcuterie Boards and Cheese Knives

Have a wine and cheese lover on your hands? Gift them a charcuterie board and coordinating cheese knives that will make for a picture-perfect spread this Christmas.


22. Serving Trays

In the fray of cutting boards, charcuterie boards, and bowls, it can be easy for the budding host or hostess to forget just how useful a serving tray can be. Help them complete their collection by giving them a tray that can be used multiple ways — from a pretty way to display smaller dips and dishes to a catch-all for candles and remotes on their coffee table.


For the Fashion Lover

23. Scarves

If you're looking for an accessory that the fashion lover in your life is sure to love, a classic cashmere scarf is a failsafe option. Colors like gray, white, and navy are always in style — as are tartan and herringbone patterns. Alternatively, if your recipient lives in a warmer climate, they’re sure to love a vintage silk scarf in a beautiful pattern.


24. Hats

Super soft knit beanies or sporty baseball hats are always a winning gift idea. Just be sure to pick out a style in a classic shape and in a color that you know the person on your list loves to wear.


25. Vanity Trays and Trinket Dishes

Your fashion lover is always swapping between purses and taking off accessories at the last minute before they leave the house. So help them stay organized by gifting them a trinket dish or vanity tray handmade by an artist.


26. Jewelry Stands and Ring Dishes

Similarly, all the pretty jewelry in their collection could likely use a bit of organization! Help them keep all of their accessories within reach by giving them a ring dish or jewelry stand this year. If you know they have precious jewelry in their collection, a jewelry box with a small lock is also a nice gift idea.


27. Bags and Clutches

A new bag or clutch is always a great gift for a fashion lover. To make sure that it is something they’ll love, stick to styles in classic shapes and materials like straw or leather.


28. Personalized Stationery

Help the sartorialist on your list lean into their inner Anna Wintour by giving them a chic set of personalized stationery this christmas. Go for notebooks and blank cards in a style that matches how they like to dress — black and white with clean fonts is a great option for minimalists, while you can go wild with a bold pattern for those with a more eclectic sense of personal style.


29. Coffee Table Books

If you can’t swing a piece of clothing or an accessory from their favorite designer, opt to get them a coffee table book from the brand instead. There are tons of beautiful coffee table books featuring the collections of major luxury designers — and they are also relatively easy to find vintage if you’re looking to be even more budget-friendly.


For the Homebody

30. Mugs and Teacups

If there’s nothing the homebody on your list loves more than curling up with a warm beverage on a cold winter day, then you know that they’ll appreciate a new mug or teacup in their rotation. To make your gift feel extra special, give them one featuring their initials, customized with their name, or a one-of-a-kind mug handmade by an artisan.


31. Gift Boxes

Homebodies are all about appreciating the little things, which is why a curated box full of small gifts is a great idea. Think about what your homebody likes to do, and then pick out a gift box full of essentials to make it happen — think home spa kits, a specialty tea box, or a champagne brunch box.


32. Blankets

A super-soft throw blanket is the perfect gift for the homebody. For something that is sure to stand out in their collection, go for a style featuring a sophisticated, playful, or even totally unexpected pattern.


33. Decorative Pillows

Add an extra layer of cozy to your homebody’s favorite corner at home by giving them a one-of-a-kind throw pillow. We love the idea of giving them a pillow with a festive spin that they’ll bring out to make the season a little bit more special every year.


34. Custom Wine Boxes

Make a wine night at home feel a little bit more special by giving the homebody on your list a bottle that comes in a beautiful box customized with their name or with a special date, like an anniversary.


35. Coasters

All that time cuddled up on the couch means that the homebody’s coffee table gets more mileage than most! Help them protect their surfaces with a set of unique coasters in a design that matches the decor of the rest of their home.


36. Games

Help keep your homebody happy during long winter nights by giving them a fresh board game or card game for them to play with their friends and family. Or if you know they already have a full set of games, buy a special edition of one of their favorites to elevate the game into a beautiful piece of decor that they can leave out even when they’re not playing.


For the Adventurer

37. Weekenders and Totes

A new weekender or tote bag is perfect for the friend or family member that is always making the most of their PTO. Go for a style in a unique pattern to help their bag stand out, and earn bonus points for personalizing it with their initials.


38. Passport Covers

Help them keep all of their travel documents organized by giving them a passport cover this Christmas. Go for a style in a color that is easy to spot at the bottom of a larger bag, and look for one that has a pocket that they can tuck an AirTag into to help them quickly recover if it should ever get lost.


39. Travel Journal

No app will ever beat putting a pen to paper, so gift your globetrotter a journal for them to take on their travels. Something customized with their name or that features a design reminiscent of a destination they have on next year’s itinerary will help the gift feel extra special, too.


40. Block Print Textile Art

If you have a friend or family member that came home from a trip to India or Morocco with a newfound fascination with textiles, a piece of block print art would make for the perfect, super-thoughtful gift idea.


41. Travel Tech

Help make the journey just a little bit easier for your favorite traveler by getting them outfitted with all the tech they need to stay connected. A set of international adapters and a lightweight portable charger is always a good idea — but for something unique, give them a bluetooth adapter that will allow them to listen to their favorite in-flight entertainment on their wireless headphones.


42. Custom Map Art

For a super thoughtful gift idea, give the nomad in your life a custom piece of map art. You could pick their favorite city, or maybe zoom into the streets surrounding the neighborhood where they studied abroad or fell in love.


For the Growing Family

43. Photo Calendars

Give the gift of organization to your favorite growing family with a sweet personalized calendar. Minted’s photo calendars can be customized with all of your recipient’s favorite photos, as well as important dates like birthdays, school breaks, and more — and is sure to claim a treasured spot on their fridge or bulletin board for the year to come.


44. Nativity Scene

Help your loved ones start Christmas traditions of their own by giving them a few thoughtful Christmas decorations as gifts. A nativity scene set is perfect for those who hold the religious significance of the holiday close to their hearts — and who are looking for a fun way to educate their little ones on the history of the holiday.


45. Kids’ Drawn Art

Turn one of their little one’s masterpieces into a real piece of art with Mitned’s Kids’ Drawn Art program. Start by picking out the style you’d like your print to be rendered in — you can choose from classic letterpress as well as fun foil-pressed colors like gold, silver, and copper — and your frame. Then, snap a picture of the drawing you’d like to use and upload it to Minted. Our team will get to work rendering it into a beautiful piece of art, and send you a proof to make sure everything is perfect before you finalize your order.


46. Personalized Planner

Help young parents keep everyone on the same schedule by giving them a personalized family planner this Christmas. Choose from monthly or weekly calendars and be sure to pick a print that they’ll love having out on their counter every day.


47. Framed Photo Prints

Have a special shot from a family vacation that you love? Or a favorite photo of the little ones the growing family in your life has shared? Help them treasure every memory by turning it into a beautiful framed photo print this Christmas. Minted has a huge variety of frames and layouts for photo prints to choose from — you could create a collage of your favorite memories from the year, or pick just one image to highlight. Either way, your recipients are sure to treasure it!


48. Stockings

There’s a pretty high chance that the growing family in your life doesn’t have a set of matching stockings for everyone in their brood. Picking out a set of stockings in a beautiful print personalized with everyone’s names or initials is the perfect gift idea for an early Christmas celebration. Or, if you plan to give the set of stockings on Christmas, be sure to pack them full of thoughtful small treats.


For the Little One

49. Animal Ornaments

If you have a kiddo in your life who is obsessed with animals, giving them an ornament in the shape of their favorite animal is a great way to incorporate their interests into the holiday season! Just be sure to look for an ornament that is age appropriate — wooden or felt is a great idea for younger children.


50. Toys

Every child loves unwrapping a new toy on Christmas morning! For a unique take on this classic gift idea, think about giving the kid in your life a toy that will help them further their current passions, instead of trying to snag the hottest toy of the year. Handmade toys and games are also a really thoughtful option.


51. Craft Kits

Fuel the creative spirit of the kids in your life by giving them a craft kit instead of a standard toy this Christmas. The key to getting this gift right is to choose a kit that is age-appropriate, so be sure to double-check the age guidelines on any kit that catches your eye.


52. Puzzles

If you have fond memories of gathering around a puzzle with your family during the downtime between Christmas and New Years, this is the perfect gift idea to keep that tradition alive and well. Again, be sure to pick a puzzle that is an appropriate difficulty level for the child you're gifting it to — Minted offers a huge selection of personalizable puzzles in a wide variety of difficulty levels, including puzzles with just 12 pieces that are perfect for younger kids.


53. Art Prints

A child’s room should be a space where they can express themselves to the fullest — and what better way to do that than with a few fun art prints? Minted has a great selection of children’s art prints created by artists from around the world, so take some time to browse through our selection to find one that speaks to the passions, interests, and favorite colors of the child in your life.


54. Personalized Stationery

Trying to instill the value of a hand-written thank you note into the next generation? Help make writing thank you cards a bit more fun by gifting the older kids in your life a cute set of cards personalized with their names and a few of their favorite things.


55. Anything Disney

When in doubt, turn to Disney! Whether you go for a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal, an Elsa doll, or an art print featuring their favorite characters, the kids in your life are sure to love a Disney-themed gift.


56. Personalized Stickers

A set of stickers personalized with their name is a fun gift idea for kids in elementary school. Be sure to pick a design that features their favorite colors or things. And, if you know they’re prone to losing their lunchbox or notebook, putting one of their parents’ phone numbers on the stickers makes for an extra thoughtful touch.


57. Pencil Cases

Similarly, a pencil case in a fun print and personalized with their name or initials is a great idea for children in elementary or middle school. To make unwrapping it a bit more fun, think about filling it with a set of markers, pens in fun colors, or erasers in novelty shapes.


For the Pet Lover

58. Custom Pet Portrait

Turning a photo of your recipient’s furry friend into a beautiful piece of art is a gift that is sure to tug on their heartstrings. Minted’s custom pet portrait program makes doing so super easy — upload your favorite photo of their pet and one of our talented independent artists will turn it into a watercolor-style rendering that can be customized with the pet’s name.


59. Collars, Leashes, and Name Tags

Help the pet lover in your life give their dog or cat a makeover with a fresh collar, leash, or name tag. Look for ones in fun and unique prints that match the aesthetic of the humans in their life. And, for an extra bit of thoughtfulness, choose a collar that an AirTag can be attached to so the pet parents in your life can rest easy knowing that they’ll be able to locate their furry friend should they ever get lost.


60. Pet Toys

A beloved cat or dog can never have enough toys! Pick out a few fun ones to shower your favorite animal-lover with this Christmas — flirt poles and fluffy mice are perfect for cats, while ropes, balls, and plushies shaped like the pet parents’ favorite things are great for dogs.


There you have it! We hope this list has helped you find a gift — or at least sparked an idea — for everyone on your list. But, if you need more inspiration, check out our guide on how to nail this year’s Secret Santa gift exchange and browse our Holiday Gift Guide for a huge selection of artisan-made gifts.