Every time a birthday or anniversary rolls around at home or at work, you might find yourself breaking into a full-blown panic sweat. But you’re not alone.
That’s because women spend, on average, 14 hours looking for gifts for their significant other, while men spend an average of four hours — and that doesn’t include gifts for children, parents, co-workers, bosses, nannies or neighbors.
Enough with the stress-induced sweating around gift-giving and all the time it takes to shop. Here are six thoughtful gift ideas that work for almost everyone so you can spend your time celebrating your loved ones instead of stressing about what to give them.
1. Commemorative Book of Newspaper Front Pages
For the history buff in your family or circle of friends, opt for a gift with substance that harkens back to simpler times. Order a custom birthday book that features the newspaper front page for the day they were born, plus every year after that.
This commemorative book of newspaper front pages is ideal for birthdays but could be used for other important dates like anniversaries. Newspaper options include The New York Times, The Washington Post or the The Chicago Tribune.
2. Trendy Accent Pillow
It might seem a little unconventional to buy someone else home decor, but most people can appreciate a good, cuddly throw pillow. (Except maybe Thanos. He would probably disintegrate it.) Bonus: accent pillows are not too personal to gift to a co-worker.
Color block and faux fur are universally appealing options for unique accent pillows, as they’re easy to wrap, lightweight enough to lug around, and many people won’t splurge on a pillow for themselves, all of which makes accent pillows a great gift option.
3. Night Sky Constellations
Honor an important date with a beautiful piece of artwork like a personalized map of the night sky. Your child’s birth, your engagement, your first kiss or any other significant day in your relationship can be commemorated visually on elegant art matte paper and hung in a prominent location. The simple design and timeless black and blue color options match any home design.
4. Family Tree
For a sentimental nod to a close family member, gift a customized family tree wood block. The rustic style is memorable, personal and works perfectly for a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift, birthdays or Christmas.
5. Travel Map
Travel aficionados always appreciate a way to commemorate their travels without seeming too brag-y. With that in mind, give them the opportunity to show everyone else how sophisticated they are with a personalized travel map.
While traditional travel maps come with pushpins, a more unique option is a scratch map that allows the traveler to scratch off their destinations and reveal beautiful locations underneath.
6. Throwback Music Gift
Music fans of all ages can enjoy a classic rock combination on an era-appropriate cassette tape, so look no further than Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1. Alternatively, opt for classic, music-themed home accents like a record clock or vintage radio in retro blue or walnut.
Consider Any Number of Unique Gift Ideas
It’s time to put gift cards back on the rack or at least save them for a true gift emergency, like your far-away nephew’s high school graduation. Indeed, the next time you need to give something meaningful to someone in your life, consider a personalized book or artwork, travel map, vintage-inspired music gift or stylish home decor.