10 "Out of the box" gift ideas

Whenever we want to be creative, we tell ourselves we need to think outside the box. Quite difficult when it comes to gifts, as they literally come inside a box.

Playing with this idea, we put together a short list of unique gifts that prove the out of the box thinking, and in the same time they show your special someone how much you care about them.

1. Name a star – a truly stellar gift

couples stars photo credit: https://www.star-registration.co.uk/

A metaphorical way to express your love to someone can be found in the stars. Whether they love the stars and space, or you want them to know they are a star on your life’s sky, you can now give them the chance to own a little piece of the night sky.

How does it work? It’s simple, let them name a star.

Several companies have partnered with the Star-naming registry, so when you name a star using the name of your loved one, it will be recorded in this registry and you can retrieve your record anywhere in the world at any time.

Depending from where you purchase the Name a Star service, the gift will include some or all the below:

     -      An introductory welcome letter

     -      A certificate confirming a Star has been named after them

     -      Instructions as to how and when they can spot the Star in the sky

     -      Some include a software to locate your Start at any given date or location

     -      Celestial map (an individual star chart prepared just for them to effortlessly orient yourself to the night sky and locate your star within seconds)

     -      A book of the northern constellations (if you buy a star visible from Europe)

The prices for this gift vary from £9.99 up to £79.90. The prices reflect the size, the light and location of the Star chosen.

You can select from basic Stars to a visible Star in a Constellation these are very easy to locate.

There is also a gift package for couple, if you choose to name a binary star system (Two very bright orbiting Stars).

2. Print an M&M with their picture.

This is the total opposite to naming a star, but it still reflects the essence of your sweet love.

No matter the event or person, I think these will make an impression, as you’ve paid attention to the smallest detail you could’ve think of.

M&M can come with a written printed message or with an actual photo of your loved one, or why not both of you, if it’s for a couple.

You can select the colours and the package as well.

People use these to impress their guests at their special events, but also to surprise someone with something extra to their gift. A small, sweet and unexpected personalised treat.

In London you can go to the M&M’s World in Leicester Square, a 4 floors shop, a heaven of chocolaty rainbows.

Here you can find anything from chocolates to clothes and other merchandise.

They also have displayed a Swarovski Crystal & Lambskin Jacket at the price of no less than £2,266.95

3.  English Kisses

English Kisses come as overseas mystery letters delivered directly from London to your special someone.

The letter contains a personalised greeting card, that can include your own handwriting, to make it seem you as if you posted it out from London yourself.

For the cover of the greeting card you can upload your own photograph or select one from the London Art Gallery available on the website.

You can include a paper butterfly that flies out of the card when opened, making everyone present burst into laughter.

The card comes in a London themed envelope, with stamps and a hand drawn city skyline, and sealed with melted stamped wax with Kisses from London.

English Kisses are an unforgettable gift opening experience created by you and blended with your emotions and personality.

The price for this gift  £11.00 up to £16.00  free worldwide shipping

4. A personalised song.

What can be more romantic than a song written specially for you?

Not all of us are lucky enough to have a talented song writer falling in love with youk and laying down your love story through lyrics and musical notes.

Luckily, there is a company that creates a soundtrack for any occasion. They use your favorite stories and memories to craft a one-of-a-kind song that makes a timeless gift.

5. Audio Kisses

Whether you have a personalised song like the previous gift, or you just have a soulful message you want to let out and be heard, you can now turn it into Audio Kisses.

Audio Kisses are mystery gifts that come from London as audio greeting cards. They are personalised greeting cards that give you the chance to upload your audio file inside the card.

You can select a significant photo for personalizing the greeting card cover and have your handwritten message printed inside the card.

Once uploaded your song or audio recorded message, it will play every time the card is opened. It can bring your message to life, just like in the movie scenes where you can hear the person’s voice while reading the message.

Audio kisses can include a paper butterfly as well, that flies out when the card is open for an intense surprise.

6.Hand drawn portraits

Turn an unforgettable moment into a piece of art. The internet is full of extremely talented artists that have a wide selection of custom hand drawn artworks.

While you purchase a gift for your friend, you can also support an artist to open their small workshop.  

Whether you have a picture of your loved one, or a moment captured in a photograph, the artist will work with you to create a piece of art that reflects the emotion of the photo. These are great as wedding gifts as well, but they fit in with any type of celebration.

photo source: Orange Apple Store

7.Video Kisses

If, you aren’t camera shy or if you have a video edit to celebrate someone, don’t just share it online or via Whatsapp, create an experience around it.

The Video Kisses are an upgrade of the English Kisses or the Audio Kisses. They offer the same service, a mystery overseas gift delivered from London, but it offers your video in a gift box.

They are basically Video Greeting cards, that look like regular greeting cards, but inside they have a 7” Lcd screen that will play your video message when the card is open.

The Video Kisses can be personalised with any photo you want n the cover, they come with a hand-drawn London map inside that shows where the kisses have started their journey. The uploaded video can be up to 100MB.

The card comes in a gift box sealed with melted wax and inside the video card is wrapped in a confetti gift tissue paper. Your hand-written message will be printed on a card, as if you wrote it. The box can also include the same paper butterfly that the other kisses have, and which will fly out when the gift box is opened.

What about this gift opening with a boom?

Creating your video card is easy peasy, lemon squeezy. You just need your phone or a Google photos video memory that our phones generate from time to time, but it will look elaborated and make your loved one feel that they truly matter all this effort.

8. A gift that donates to a good cause – for presents that give back

There are out there all sorts of gifts that donate to a greater cause. The gift it self may not seem like much at the first glance, but it truly makes a difference to a selected cause. Some of these types of gifts donate the full or a percentage of the product’s price.

You could buy a T-shirt that donates towards the Rainforest, stylish earrings that work to provide a classroom education for children who live on the street in India, socks that help re-home over 40.000 pets every year, or a Marie Curie mug that donates 100% of the profit to provide high quality care to people with terminal illnesses.

photo credit: Marie Curie

No matter the cause you believe in, your gift will pay it forward and it will be a reminder that someone you don't know is getting a helping hand at the other end of the chain.

9.A tarot reading session

This gift is a bit controversial and yet quite trending out there. If you want to offer a funny and yet mystical experience, this is the gift you are looking for.

You can buy a single session for your loved one with a tarot reader blessed with psychic gifts.

Tarot readings are like journeys within ourselves, that can bring some clarity, a breath of hope or reassurance that we are already on the right track. A glimpse to a potential future... a bit like the oracle in Matrix, or... not.

photo source: here

"Nothing in this world is ever certain, and the tarot doesn't clearly define your life's outcomes, the cards are there to guide you to reveal issues you might not even been aware of, or turned a blind eye to.  They are a tool of self awareness and sometimes they represent a little beacon of light." Melissa Smith, author of Intuitive tarot reading.

Some choose to even have a tarot party, when their group of friends join for a nice relaxing gathering and the tarot reader gives individual readings to everyone.

 10. Hand-made sculpted or clay miniature figurine replicas

This may seem a bit odd at first glance, but how many of us have the chance to become a well-known star and have figurines or any other merchandise with our faces. And when it’s a family pose or a favorite pet, it doesn’t sound that cheeky anymore, it turns into a loving memory of the past.

photo credit: Qiangliart

Your imagination is the key, let others to bring it to life. 

photo credit: my cute mini

No matter what you choose, these types of gifts will create a long-lasting impression and it will stand thanks to their uniqueness and personal touch.

If you have out of the box ideas of your own, please share them with us, so we can help others express their love in an unforgettable way.