eHow launches Android app: Get the best of eHow on the go.
Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use † and Privacy Policy †. en-US Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License. † requires javascript
Post this comment to my Facebook Profile
kims3003 said
on 8/10/2009 great article
kims3003 said
on 8/10/2009 great article
happymary said
on 7/1/2009 Great ideas!
aquaeyedgirl said
on 4/16/2009 Good ideas! Thanks for the suggestions. I have found unique gifts at Tuesday Mornings stores for engagement/wedding gifts. I create my own sterling silver jewelry that I love to make for birthday gifts.
juansebastian said
on 4/3/2009 Step 11. Visit Curiosite.com a very cool store and blog of unusual gifts :-)
sandyman612 said
on 3/1/2009 FYI - You can find very unusual gifts at a fairly new website called www.veryclevergifts.com and/or www.ownapieceofamerica.us. Both are good.
secretagentman said
on 1/30/2009 There is a website that specializes in unusual, and sometimes one-of-a-kind gifts. It is called the Beverly Hills Collection, and can be found at www.beverlyhillscollection.com
starlet67 said
on 9/19/2008 I enjoyed this article...talking to craftspeople
about a unique and custom made gift is a great idea!
Anonymous said
on 7/16/2006 Find really random, but still useful gifts. My group of friends have a tradition where whenever a birthday rolls around, the rest of us go and get a random joined present. The last things we got were an orange foot mat (in the shape of a foot) and a bright pink straw hat. You can have a great laugh, and sometimes really nifty. Search in $2 shops for the best.
Anonymous said
on 3/15/2006 We had a digital artist make our friends a keepsake of our trip to the Caribbean. She took all our favorite photos from on board the Amorazur, and put them together in a fantastic way (even taking a more attractive face off one picture, and putting it on the same woman's body in another - genius!). Our friends went ballistic; they absolutely loved the gift!
Anonymous said
on 2/25/2006 Thrift Stores finds are amazing. Also, anything from a foreign country makes an amazing gift.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Look in your area for a Fair Trade store. There are many out there but most don't have websites, so you might have to ask around. These stores sell handmade goods from impoverished countries and the artisans recieve fair wages. Many of the stores provide gift cards so that the person who recieves the gift sees that your gift wasn't just to that person, but also to an unknown artisan far away.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 We all receive them--those cute photos of your friends' children and distant relatives that come in the mail every year with holiday cards.
Now, what to do with them? Don't throw them out!
Purchase several inexpensive photos albums from the Dollar Store or other discount store, one for each family that sends photos every year. Place each year's photos in the album, one year per page. Discount photo albums don't have many pages, so your album will be full in just a few years. If you're crafty, you can also decorate the album page around the photo with the year of the photo and/or some other holiday images.
Once the album is full, wrap it up and give it to the person who sent you all those photos over the years as a gift. Now, aren't you thoughtful!
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 I recently lost my job and my boyfriend's 55th birthday is right around the corner. Instead of using my credit card, I have made him 10 birthday coupons. With this idea, you simply write on each card (as many as you like) a favor you'll do for this person over the period of 10 weeks (or however many cards you make). For example, 1 card can say that you'll take out the trash for a month or that you'll give them a great back rub. The thing that makes this special is that the person receiving this gift can pick 1 card per week and you do that 1 favor that week. This way, the birthday or other special event can last as long as you like. In my case, it will last 10 weeks.
Another inexpensive thing I am doing is I am burning him a CD with some of our favorite songs on it. That way he can have a copy of it in the car at all times to remind him of his special day and mostly of the person who gave it to him.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Take the "shop ahead" one step further by buying wallets, Christmas ornaments, holiday-themed sweaters or dinner ware, and bath sets at the after-Christmas clearance sales for 50-75% off. Although the larger department stores/retailers have lots left over don't forget to go to the local drug stores, craft shops, antique stores and specialty stores for inexpensive, unique gifts. Stock up on the clearanced wrapping paper, tags, bows, home decore, etc. Of course, don't buy chocolates or other gifts that would spoil within the year.