Your Ultimate Online and In-Store Guide to Thoughtful Personalized Gifts

Uncommon Goods

Uncommon Goods is a wonderful website to find unique items for all types of interests and likes. If you know the interests of the person you are shopping for, Uncommon Goods is the next step.

Here’s an example, my dad loves baseball so for his birthday I was able to find two really cool gifts for him. The first was the MLB Ballparks Bucket List Water Bottle which comes with stickers so you can add them to the water bottle as you visit new ballparks. You may have seen a similar idea with the popular National Parks Bucket List Water Bottle. The second gift was the Ballpark Bucket List Journal which allows you to document in detail your experiences and memories from various stadiums you visit (the Major Leagues and some Minor Leagues).

Uncommon Goods is a resource best used for shoppers who know who they’re shopping for or have a general idea of what they’re looking for. However, they do have gift guides and other resources to help shoppers that maybe don’t know where to begin.

Check them out at uncommongoods.com

Etsy

Etsy is a beautiful, online marketplace of independent makers and creators. A key focus of Etsy products are personalized goods. But you will find all kinds of handmade goods and items created by small businesses.

Recently, two of my sister-in-laws welcomed their first beautiful baby boys into the world. I wanted to give them something special to congratulate them and Etsy was the first place I went. I ended up finding crewneck sweatshirts in a beautiful baby blue that had mama embroidered on the front and the names of their sweet baby boys on the sleeve. They both have told me that it was one of their favorite things to wear post-partum.

Shop Embroidered Mama Crewneck

If you want to gift anything custom either with names, birthstone, birth flower, etc. Etsy is a fantastic place to go. Additionally, since most all of the items are handmade, you kind find one-of-a-kind items in the Marketplace that you wouldn’t not find anywhere else. From custom jewelry, to fun graphic tees, Etsy has it all.

Check it out at etsy.com

Rifle Paper Co.

If you’re looking for beautiful items that feel luxe at a reasonable price point, I recommend Rifle Paper Co. These items are good for the friend, colleague, or anyone you may not know super well. Their items are so stunning you really can’t go wrong with whatever you select.

Right now, Rifle Paper Co. has their seasonal holiday gift guides on their website so I would recommend checking it out before items are gone because they can sell out!

Visit the website at riflepaperco.com

HomeGoods, Marshalls, TJ Maxx

Marshalls, HomeGoods, and TJ Maxx are options that you will want to visit in-person instead of online. They have really fun and unique cards around holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, Christmas, etc. And, they are a great option if you need something in a pinch, and there a lot of options for many situations.

For example, you could grab some cute tea towels, a bottle set of oils and vinegars, and a wooden cutting board as hostess gift. Our you could grab a cute basket, a candle, a little notebook, and some fun chocolates as a little gift basket for a coworker.

Paired with a little imagination the options at HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, or Marshalls are endless.

Explore the online shop at homegoods.com, marshalls.com, or tjmaxx.com

World Market

Similar to Marshalls, HomeGoods, and TJ Maxx, World Market is a great option if you need something in a pinch. Similarly, they also have a lot of options for many situations. World Market has a lot of home goods, but they also have fun international treats, and a cute (albeit smaller) selection of bath items, paper goods, jewelry, accessories, and even clothing.

The various treats that World Market has would make, again, great gifts for a host. And their selection of eccentric accessories and paper goods would make excellent stocking stuffers. They also have trendy, seasonal décor if you’re looking to create your own holiday cheer.

They style of World Market items won’t be for everyone. But for anyone looking for something a little different at an reasonable cost – World Market is sure to have something that will do the job!

Explore all World Market’s online selection at worldmarket.com

Shutterfly

Shutterfly is a more niche option where you can personalize image-based gifts. I frequently use their services for photo books, but they also have options for mugs, calendars, photo boxes, mouse pads, and a lot more that you can personalize with your own images.

When I think of traditional Shutterfly gifts, I think of kids gifting their moms mugs with their faces on it. But, I would encourage you to think outside of the box. For instance, I recently gifted one of my sisters a photo album of a trip we did together which was certainly a good bit of work, but fun to remember those moments together.

Explore all that Shutterfly has to offer at shutterfly.com

Want help giving in a more meaningful way? Check out our blog, Master the Art of Meaningful Gifting: How to Give Gifts That Show You Really Care. We’d also love to hear about your favorite shops for personalized gifts, so leave a comment below.