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Unusual gift ideas

Updated

A good unusual gift is something the person has not seen before but will still use or keep after the surprise: a mushroom growing kit, a star map of the real sky on the night they were born, or a one-day class in a rare craft such as glassblowing.

Unusual should not mean useless. Every idea below is something people eat, learn, use or hang on a wall. Each one says who it suits and roughly what it costs.

At a glance

Gift ideas, who each one suits, and typical cost
GiftBest forTypical cost
A mushroom growing kitA cook who likes experiments€25–€75
A star map of the night they were bornA friend who likes real factsFrom €50 per print
A fermentation kitA patient home cook€25–€75
A jigsaw of a place they loveA puzzler who likes quiet nights€25–€75
An open evening at an observatoryA curious friend of any ageUnder €25
A one-day class in a rare craftSomeone who likes making things€75–€150
Heritage seeds for their gardenA gardener ready for more€25–€75
A letter to open in ten yearsA close friend or a childFree
A family recipe in the original handwritingSomeone who cooks family recipes€25–€75
A skills swapA friend who wants to learnFree
A float or sauna sessionSomeone who has done spa days€25–€75
A hot sauce or spice tasting setA food lover who likes heat€25–€75

  1. A mushroom growing kit

    A box of growing material that produces edible mushrooms, such as oyster or lion's mane, in the kitchen. Keep it out of direct sun and mist it as the kit says. It suits a cook who likes experiments.

  2. A star map of the night they were born

    A star map print from Star Crossed Skies shows the real stars above a place at a date and time you choose, from 1900 to 2100. It is unusual because it records one real night, not a design. Use the town or city and the time of birth, and add the Moon to show its phase that night.

    What a cute and funky way to cherish special moments (and a great gift for people)! I was very impressed with the quality of the print and will be recommending Star Crossed Skies to my friends.
    Emily, Trustpilot review
    Make your star mapRead more: A birthday star map

  3. A fermentation kit

    Jars, weights and airlock lids for making sauerkraut, kimchi or pickles at home. It suits someone who likes to cook and does not mind waiting. Add a recipe card with the salt amounts.

  4. A jigsaw of a place they love

    A jigsaw puzzle made from a photo of their street, their home town or a trip. Choose a photo with lots of detail and few large plain areas such as sky. A 500-piece jigsaw fills one or two evenings.

  5. An open evening at an observatory

    Many public observatories and planetariums run open evenings where visitors look through a large telescope with a guide. Check the calendar and book a date with a guided viewing. It suits a curious person of any age.

  6. A one-day class in a rare craft

    Book a beginner session in glassblowing, blacksmithing, bookbinding, knife-making or letterpress printing. Many craft studios run one-day classes. They take home the thing they made.

  7. Heritage seeds for their garden

    A box of heritage, or heirloom, vegetable or flower seeds chosen for their climate, with a planting calendar. Look for varieties that garden centres rarely sell as plants. It suits a gardener who has grown the usual things.

  8. A letter to open in ten years

    Write a letter to be opened in ten years, seal it, and write the opening date on the envelope. Add a photo or a newspaper from today. It costs almost nothing and is opened at a moment nobody expects.

  9. A family recipe in the original handwriting

    Scan an old recipe card in a parent's or grandparent's handwriting and have it printed on a tea towel, engraved on a board, or framed. Ask the family for the original card. It suits someone who cooks the family dishes.

  10. A skills swap

    Offer to teach them something you are good at, such as bread, a language or fixing a bike, over three evenings. Write the dates on a card. It is free and gives you time together.

  11. A float or sauna session

    Book a session in a float tank, a sauna or a cold plunge studio. Check the studio's rules for first-time visitors. It suits someone who has tried the usual spa day and wants something new.

  12. A hot sauce or spice tasting set

    A set of small bottles of hot sauce, or a box of single-origin spices, from mild to hot. Choose a set with tasting notes. It suits a food lover who cooks with heat.

How do you find an unusual gift that is not a gimmick?

Ask what the person will do with it a month later. A good unusual gift is used up, displayed or remembered. A gimmick goes in a drawer after the first laugh.

Start from something they already like, then go one step further. A cook gets a fermentation kit instead of another cookbook. A gardener gets heritage seeds instead of a plant.

What makes a gift feel unique?

A gift feels unique when it is tied to one person: their birth date, their family's handwriting, their home town. Nobody else has the same one.

Personal details matter more than rarity. A star map of the night they were born or a recipe in their grandmother's handwriting is unique because of the details, not the object.

Questions

A star map for this occasion

More gift ideas

Start with the night you want to keep.

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