Basic gifts like cozy socks, gift cards and mugs only go so far. By giving a gift tailored to a unique person (or set of people), you can see the genuine joy on their face. The thoughtfulness of creating or giving a gift directly connected to the person you’re gifting is much more meaningful than a silly, basic gift.
For your friend who romanticizes academia
I recommend a wax seal kit or stamps to get them started on a creative journey. Personally, I adore hand-written letters and the academia aesthetic so recommend writing letters and personalizing them. This is a cute, inexpensive and thoughtful gift idea for people who love stationery and academia.
Additionally, you could get them signed copies of classic books, such as Jane Austen’s “Emma” or F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” These may be a little more pricey, but they’re extremely thoughtful gifts for an academia romantic.
For your friend who treats animals like people
You could get them a pet treat baking kit for their furry friend. They sell DIY kits on popular animal sites such as Chewy and Petco. This gift is cute if they’re all for baking, especially if they can share it with their pet.
Another idea is matching clothing. Buying your friend an outfit in which they could match with their pet would be adorable. The personal element comes with a style, of course, which is free for you to choose. Bohemian to coquette, the decision is yours.
For your friend who loves cozy rainy days
I’m assuming your friend might love a cozy, rain-scented soy candle. These candles provide the feeling of a rainy day, even when there’s no rain to be found. Any excuse for them to be able to smell the rain makes this the perfect gift.
A clear and patterned umbrella is also a cute idea. I have one of these umbrellas because you can see the rain pouring on you from above without actually getting wet, which I adore. Being in the rain, without getting wet, makes this gift ideal.
For your hobby-hopper friend
Buying them new hobbies to try would be a perfect gift. They could try baking, crocheting, needlepoint, candle-making, bookbinding or calligraphy. There are so many creative hobbies your friend may love that you could gift them.
Storage would also be helpful for this friend. They may have a ton of items for each hobby, and an organizational system would help support their hobbies while keeping chaos under control.
For your globetrotter friend
If they have a specific goal, such as visiting every national park in the United States, you may consider buying them a scratch-off map in which they can keep track of where they’ve been and where they need to go.
Furthermore, they may need travel guides to help them on their journey. By getting them travel books and guides to assist them, you’re allowing them a safety net when planning and traveling.
Most of these ideas stemmed from personal gifts I’ve given or received. I adore the thoughtfulness put into gifts over the cost of them, so these cute gift ideas may be just what you need.