It’s not always easy to think outside the box when buying gifts for your family, and you often buy the same things as someone else or stick to the classic socks, chocolates or a bottle of wine. 

With Christmas on the way and birthdays constantly popping up, we’ve curated a fabulous list of unusual family gift ideas to help you surprise your family members with something that’ll make them feel special. 

Gifts For Younger Siblings

When Santa (or Mum and Dad) have the toys covered, it can be not easy to think about what to get a younger sibling or family member that they’ll find useful. We’ve got a few ideas of things that might brighten their big day, including:

• A Beauty Box – No matter the gender of your little sibling, they can benefit from a curated beauty set. This can include face masks, shampoos and conditioners, perfume or aftershave. You could also consider adding a nice, high-quality hairbrush that will offer them daily TLC when they use it. 
• A Polaroid Camera – Give your little sibling the gift of capturing memories with a camera! Something like a vintage polaroid can bring them endless fun and offer decoration for their bedroom walls. In such a tech-savvy world, something a little more vintage can go a long way. 

What To Give To Older Siblings

Older siblings are often overshadowed by their younger counterparts regarding gift-giving. This year show them how much you appreciate them with something special. You could consider gifts such as:

A Personalised Candle – A personalised candle can be fun to show your sibling how much you love them. There are many online shops where you can order candles with specific scents. Try and use memory to inspire the scent – for example, if you and your sibling loved strawberry laces growing up, you could get them a strawberry-scented candle with a personalised label. 

A Voucher – We know that a gift voucher can seem like a bit of a ‘cop out’ gift, but there are ways that you can make them personal. For example, if you know your sibling goes to a certain coffee shop every day before work or school, you could get them a voucher for that shop. You could pair it with a reusable mug in which they could get their daily drink, showing that you know what they love. 

Gift Ideas For Mum 

Mums can be some of the hardest family members to buy for. Usually, because they say they don’t want anything, but you want to treat them anyway! Here are some of our out-of-the-box gift ideas for Mums: 

• An Audiobook Subscription – for the busy Mum who loves to read, an audiobook subscription can give her access to loads of books that she can listen to as she goes about her day. It’s also a lasting gift showing how much you think about and appreciate her. 
• A Family Photo Album – if your Mum’s a sentimental person, a nice way to show her you care is by creating a family photo album. Ask everyone in the family to contribute a few photos from different periods in her life and put them all together in one place. It’s a tear-jerker for sure, but also a really sweet way of coming together to give her a gift she’ll remember. 
• Afternoon Tea – if you can’t think of anything physical to give your Mum, or if she already has everything she needs, why not try giving her an experience? Afternoon tea is a wonderful way to treat your Mum to some special quality time, and it’s also a memorable experience that won’t break the bank. 

What To Get For Dad 

Dads are usually pretty happy with beer and socks; however, we think you can go one step further and show Dad how much he matters this year. Some of our more unusual suggestions for Dad include:

• Craft Beer Gift Box –  A craft beer gift box is a thoughtful gift idea for your dad. This gift box includes a selection of craft beers from around the world, allowing your dad to explore new flavors and styles. Dad will be delighted to explore the variety of beers and beer-related items included in this gift box. He will appreciate your thoughtfulness and will be sure to remember your gift for years to come.
• A Newspaper– hear us out – we know this sounds silly! But for the Dad who loves history, you could get him a newspaper from the day he was born. This is a fantastic personalized gift that’ll help show you’ve been thinking about him. Many online services will do this for you and make it look high-quality. 
• A Plant Set – if your Dad likes to garden, give him something he can nurture. You could get him a bonsai tree or Zen garden succulent set to build himself, or you could even buy him a variety of buds and seeds to plant and watch grow! 

Ready To Shop?

We hope this list of unusual family gift ideas has given you a few things to think about when shopping for your family. Don’t forget: the best gifts are personal – even if you’re buying them something silly, if you think about the individual and what they love, you can’t go wrong!