10 Out-Of-The-Box Gift Ideas For Every Member Of Your Growing Family

With gifts for loved ones, there’s always tremendous pressure to make it unique in some way. For me, this used to mean showing up to someone’s birthday with gummy worms and a tiny cowboy hat. Now that I’m out of my twenties, a wacky gift feels less charming and more chaotic. But I’ve found that there’s a way to merge the unorthodox with the thoughtful and that’s in embracing the sentimental.

With money spent on bills and other lifestyle items, people rarely buy themselves commemorative items. For an upcoming wedding or birthday, remind your loved ones of the times that have led to this moment — the spontaneous trip you took to Las Vegas because flights were $36 or the weekend spent at a local renaissance fair.

Below, Shutterfly gives us all kinds of gift ideas that will be meaningful, delightful surprises for whoever you give them to.

For Your Furry Friends On Their First Holiday

Pets are sort of the forgotten family category for holiday ornaments. “Baby’s First Christmas” and family photos are usually omnipresent, but Camille the Chihuahua also needs one! She has her own Instagram after all. This deco-style Pet Metal Ornament comes in four shapes and can be personalized with photos and text.

For Your Favorite Couple Who Are #RelationshipGoals

This past year definitely reminded us of the pleasures of simple activities — baking bread, hobbies that don’t require phones, etc. For a slow winter afternoon, few activities beat a puzzle. Shutterfly’s Sparkling Celebration Keepsake Puzzle is a sweet and stylish puzzle to have out on your coffee table. It’s also a great way to commemorate a wedding anniversary.

For The Busy Parent Who Always Prioritizes The Fam

For a stocking stuffer more exciting than socks, this Landscape Metallic Magnet is a fun little tribute to a milestone — maybe baby’s first snow day or a family reunion photo. Available in three sizes and super-customizable with designs and fonts, this magnet is also perfect for a unique way of announcing your family’s newest addition.

For Your Holiday Binge-Watching Partner In Crime

Whether it’s for a sibling who happens to have exquisite taste in early ‘90s action flicks or a new romantic partner, this blanket is a warm ‘n’ fuzzy gift that will be the perfect cherry on top of any TV binge-watching session. Featuring original designs by Spoonflower independent artists, this blanket is as cozy as it is stylish, and it even comes in three distinct sizes. Perfect for all the many couch hangs that are well on their way.

For The Lifelong Friend You Share A Ton Of History With

Nothing but respect to those who feel differently, but I think that mug collections aren’t meant to be matching. They’re meant for thrift-store finds and memories, which is why this Text Gallery Color-Changing Mug is a wonderful gift. Using it feels like a magic trick, with photos and text appearing when a hot beverage is poured in. This is also a great gift idea for the philosophy of “make one, gift many,” in which a customized gift can be given to many recipients who each have a specific and personal connection to the memory in reference. To commemorate that weekend trip to Nashville, give this mug to your group of friends.

For Busy Siblings Who Never Stop Moving

In an era of iCloud storage, photo books are an underrated way of documenting the years and the memories. You can leave them out on tables as a meaningful decoration and theme them however you like — maybe it’s an archive of the year your sister spent restoring an old house with her wife. The Everyday Boho Photo Book by Umaiana Studio is a chic update of the formerly dark, leather bound photo albums you grew up with.

For Those Who’ve Moved And Started A New Chapter

If I see custom stationery on someone’s desk, I’m envying their status as a capital-A adult. This Mix & Match Stationery Set can be personalized with your friend’s initials and photos on 12 different 3x5 cards. This set can be a thoughtful house-warming gift for friends who’ve moved throughout this past year or recent graduates who are looking to feel more grown-up.

For The Family Members Who Know That Food Equals Love

Speaking of grown-ups, this Floral Accent Cutting Board makes a kitchen look so much more polished. Whether you’re chopping vegetables for dinner or for a charcuterie party platter, this bamboo-wood board is customizable with a message or name. For your newly married friends and family members, this gift will be very appreciated.

For Those Working Hard Putting Together The Family Tree

Lockets are heirloom items that are perfect gifts for special occasions. They’re versatile pieces, either serving as a sentimental gift — like putting a childhood photo of your grandma in a locket for your sister or mom — or they can be old-school romantic as well. The Center Initial Locket Necklace can be custom-engraved and comes with a delicate pendant and perfectly sized photo nestled inside.

For The Coolest Grandparents Who Cherish The Memories

Candles are the ultimate in winter hygge, the Danish concept of “coziness and comfortable conviviality” as the Oxford dictionary defines it. Shutterfly’s Gallery of Eight Ceramic Candle can be made even cozier with eight photo slots to fill with baby photos. Whether for new parents or grandparents, this candle can also be customized with quotes and comes in three scents: driftwood indigo, lavender flower, and unscented.