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Winston Churchill said

We make a living by what we get.  We make a life by what we give.

Birthdays, weddings, Christmas, Valentine’s Day… With so many holidays telling us to give presents, gift giving can become merely a rote activity.  Thoughtfully considering what to give someone is an art.  Are you looking for a clever gift for someone?  I’ve collected a list of unique gift ideas for you.   They’re things that I’ve had tucked away in my ‘idea file’ forever.  Click the pictures or links to learn more.

I want to say up front that I haven’t purchased all of these things myself.  But I will be sure to comment on those I have.

Unique T-Shirts

For someone who travels, this travel icon shirt could be a real lifesaver, and a lot of fun!  With images of a gas pump, metro train, food, and more this shirt is one-of-a-kind.

I laugh out loud whenever I see this.  Don’t we all know someone who has just the personality to pull this off?  They’ve got a bunch of different animals,  and both kids and adult sizes.

 

 

 

Got a favorite book?  Can you imagine walking around in it?  This site offers t-shirts with your favorite classics, poetry, plays, non-fiction, sci-fi, and more.

 

 

“Stop Following Me”  Looking to make a statement about your belief in creation?  Here ya go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Your Favorite Movies

Got a Princess Bride fan to buy for?  This handmade print is impressive and unique.

This book looks amazing!  Written by Cary Elwes, it’s a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film filled with never-before-told stories, exclusive photographs, and interviews with costars Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, and Mandy Patinkin, as well as author and screenwriter William Goldman, producer Norman Lear, and director Rob Reiner.

I have a number of Star Wars fans in my life.  You too?  These are the gifts you’re looking for.

Check out this R2D2 measuring cups and spoons set.

• Set of measuring cups that look like R2-D2
• Officially-licensed Lucasfilm merchandise
• Body built from 4 measuring cups: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and 1 cup
• Detachable utility arms turn into nested measuring spoons: 1/4, 1/2, 1 tsp, and 1/3 tbsp
• Dome is both 1/2 cup and 1 tbsp

 

Or how about this Death Star kitchen timer?

One.  Two.  Three.  Four.  I declare a Lightsaber Thumb War.

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“It’s our choices that show what we truly are..”  Choosing a gift for a die-hard Harry Potter fan offers many sweet prospects.

Candy from Honeydukes will make anyone smile…unless they pick the wrong flavor of Bertie Bots.  Shudder.

My son got some of these chocolate frogs when we visited The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios.  Yum!  And the collectible cards are really cool!

We sent a care package to a friend away at college, full of Harry Potter themed gifts.  Among other things, we made paper wings to attach to Ferrero Rocher candies to make snitches, printed out a Marauder’s Map (writing in all his friends so he could keep tabs on them), and sent it all Owl Post – of course!

Games for the Gamer and the Not-A-Gamer

My family loves games.  We give a lot of games as gifts, too.  Here are two pages that have lists of games that would make great picks for you to give.

Gifts for Teens in Your Life

Teens can be so hard to buy for.  I hope these gift ideas inspire you!  I’ve given all of these, except the water bottle,  as graduation gifts.  If you have grad gifts to get, or a special teen in your life…take a look:

This 21 oz. collapsible water bottle folds up small enough to fit in a pocket!  It comes in a bunch of colors, too.

 

 

Each page in this journal has space for the owner to record one sentence about the given date each year for 5 years.

 

 

Need a little more guidance about what to write?  This journal is set up similarly, but provides a question to answer each day.  Questions range from, “Who do you live with?” & “What song is stuck in your head today?” to “What’s your mission?” & “What’s your biggest obstacle right now?”

This book is filled with useful advice, and is a quick read.  Here’s the publisher’s description:

Throughout his life, renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson has needed to overcome many obstacles: His father leaving the family; being considered stupid by his classmates in grade school; growing up in inner-city Detroit; and having a violent temper. But Dr. Carson didn’t let his circumstances control him, and instead discovered eight principles that helped shape his future.

The principles in this book are valuable lessons for teens or adults.

Let’s be honest here, the journals would make great gifts for your girlfriends, too.

For the Natural Mama

A gift of this all-purpose herbal salve will be not only loved, but used!  We use this salve several times a week, easy.  We have one on our bathroom counter and I carry one in my purse at all times.  LOVE it!  This Herbal Salve is handmade in small batches with high quality ingredients.

Another one of my favorites is This Tea.  It’s organic raspberry leaf and peppermint and solves all my lady woes.  You can drink it as a tea, or do what I do and make it into an tincture to take by the spoonful (easy instructions for both come on the bag).

Got a friend who is all about essential oils?  This purse size carrying case holds 5 bottles.  It’s perfect!  I order most of my essential oils from Rocky Mountain Oils.  They have fantastic prices and are top quality.

DIY Gifts

Are you someone who likes to put together a gift basket, or make unique gifts yourself?  Here’s a list of some of my favorites.

A Manicure in a Jar….at Saving 4 Six

 

DIY Apple Jars filled with Treats … at The 36th Avenue

 

 

Freezer Cooking for the Elderly … at Money Saving Mom.  I love this idea for anyone who might live alone, be recovering from surgery, or just need small sized, easy to re-heat meals.  So clever!

Loads of Gift Basket Ideas … at Landeelu

And even more Gift Basket Ideas here … at A Girl and a Glue Gun (It tickles me that she has one in case of a Zombie Apocalypse, of course it includes Twinkies and 5 hour energy.)

 

Along the same lines as gift baskets, these clever Gifts in a Jar (think giant glass jar, not Mason jar) are fantastic! …they are over at One Good Thing by Jillee.

 

 

 

A Little Pricey – But So Cool

I kid you not – it’s a fishbowl that that grows herbs!  Here’s what the manufacturer says, “This 3-gallon fish tank is a closed-loop, self-cleaning ecosystem. Using the science of aquaponics, the fish waste naturally fertilizes the plants above and, in turn, the plants clean the water for the fish.”

This next item I’ve been wanting for years and just haven’t gotten around to getting one.  Years ago, we were invited to dinner by a family that visited our church.  I’ve never forgotten the unique meal and how much fun it was.

It’s called a “Raclette.”  And much in the way that fondue pots gather friends around for a slow meal of small bites, this too gathers your group around a tabletop grill.  Each person places raw meats, seafood and veggies on the grill to cook.  There are trays under the grill to melt cheese and (if I’m remembering correctly) cook eggs.  The host provides a salad, bread, and various dipping sauces. (Sorry about the blurry pic)

OK – This last one I can’t find for sale anywhere.  It seems that it’s just a concept.  But it is too cool not to share.

I give you…the Drumbrella:

 

 

Which of these gift ideas is your favorite?

 

*This post contains some affiliate links.  Part of why I created The Sparrow’s Home was to be able to share resources that I’ve found useful or wonderful in some way.  Every so often, I’m fortunate enough to become an affiliate with the makers of these fantastic resources.  This will never add cost to my readers.

Susan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com