It can be challenging coming up with unique birthday gift ideas for anyone in your life. Finding inspiration for the perfect present on your own can feel impossible.
A special note on this list: This list is separated into gifts for him and gifts for her as this is how many people still separate out their present ideas. Of course, you can make the best possible birthdays for him, her or anyone by taking from this list. Personally, I want more of what is on the 'him' list than the 'her' list!
If you're struggling to find birthday gift ideas for him, here are a few ideas to get you started...
Finding a birthday gift for the beer lover in your life is about as easy as finding a birthday gift for the collector of socks in your life. Male or female, honestly, these two loves across a range of age groups. I fall into these categories, for instance.
There are so many great craft breweries available online, as well as subscription boxes that you can give to your beer lover friend to create a top birthday experience.
Check out Bucket Boys, for instance, who not only do regular subscription boxes but even virtual tastings.
And they aren't even limited to beer, check them out for a range of drink subscriptions at bucketboys.com.au
And as mentioned, if you're looking for socks to gift to your special person, I adore these ones from Peggy & Finn, an Australian sustainable fashion label who do fashion for weddings, but when I used to wear a casual suit... I wore these to work, and they were terrific.
Their patterns are Aussie natives from Australian artists, and I just love them.
Go to Peggyandfinn.com.au for some sockspiration (yes it's a new word I made up!)
Have a look at Top Food and Wine Toursin an area near you. You can go on a tasting tour where a local will take you through some of the best eateries for a nibble at each.
Spending the night filling your stomachs has got to be one of the best birthday propositions for any human!
Check out Topfoodandwinetours.com.aufor a guide on where to get started with this special gift!
Or if he likes cooking for himself, consider getting him a new recipe book. There is always a vast range of great recipe books at a reasonable price on Amazon and a great selection for your Kindle or other E-Reader too!
Plus, if he has kids this is a great way to know they will get involved. And enjoy the outcome of his new chef experiments!
Side note, I'm a massive fan of the eccentrically fabulous Katherin Sabbath. So if he likes baking sweet treats, get him Bake Australia Great for a new, edible take on the classic Aussie icons we know and love!
Featuring the Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Opera House and Big Banana, if he likes sweet treats he'll love this book
If he has a niche, or even not so niche hobby, search online for his hobby and the word 'kit' - you could find him a special DIY Vegan leather-tooling kit, for instance, if he is a big fan of his leather accessories.
Even a coffee maker, cold-brew coffee setor other coffee lover set would be a great way to delve into making an old love into a hobby. And choosing something you know they already love is one of the best birthday gifts!
The best thing about these gifts is that while often the outlay is not free, the maintenance can be.
And some might even earn a bit of extra cash! Something for him to try something new and have a bit of fun while still providing that extra touch, the perfect gift!
This Cold-brew coffee set is a great idea for a coffee lover. Especially if he's a fan of Iced Coffees in Summer!
There are tons of unique birthday gifts just waiting out there that men (and many women) would love to receive as a birthday present!
Be it something sentimental such as an heirloom piece or a new fancy leather wallet - you can always be sure that he will appreciate whatever you give him on this special day.
If you're looking for birthday present ideas for a remarkable woman in your life - choosing something that fits your budget and also makes for a unique birthday gift can be tough. The ideas below will make this task a lot easier!
When it comes to birthday presents for women, jewellery is often a great choice. You could look at buying a pendant necklace or brooch - so long as it's not too tacky.
I am currently obsessed with some gorgeous modern jewellery. For instance Button Cute Boutique's range of handmade of clay polymer earrings in various Australian flora, fauna and other legends (like the snag sandwich or the fairy bread, amazing). For a pair she will love for a lifetime.
These fairy bread earrings are the perfect blend of cute, quirky and nostalgia. Or for those of us who still occasionally eat fairy bread, just cute and quirky.
Bring instant warmth to her closet with a stunning scarf from an Australian small business like Scarves Australia. I absolutely love these scarves, and they are great for young girls through adult women, with a fantastic range of only the best.
This gorgeous Lilac Floral Scarf With Tasselsis beautifully soft and is my absolute favourite
And of course, searching for a gift set version of her favourite brand or one of her favourite things is always a winner. A few amazing Aussie brands offering gift packs in various categories are:
Goodwill Wine have a huge range of delicious wines (I can confirm), and all of them are Vegan as well. Plus with 50% of profits donated to a Charity you choose, you're helping make the world a better place. What an amazing birthday gift!
Check out the Bestseller range from LVLYfor gorgeous gifts like this, with sets starting around $60AUD and extras adding to that price, perfect for a birthday gift
Wrap it up, add a special note, and have a purpose behind your gift card for it to be extra special for her birthday
And obviously, with the Covid-19 Pandemic, it might not always be possible to spend time in person with a family, even for important milestone birthdays. And while magically making Covid-19 go away would be the best birthday gift in the universe, we unfortunately can't make that happen.
So there is an assumption that a birthday party is off the table at the moment. But I think it's still one of those top birthday gifts.
And what a great way to reconnect with family and friends in this difficult time where we are all so far apart? And instead of a disappointing birthday, it can be a birthday celebration.
Throw her a party, online or in person and let her be the centre of attention - if she wants it!
There are lots of fun online activities that you can give her to help her have the best birthday possible.
There are online quizzes you can give her or little games through Facebook that don't require much effort from you, but she'll enjoy them! What about an online escape room?
I've tried the escape room at Agent November - a small business based in London that delivers seriously fun escape experiences and can be a really fun way to celebrate where all the work is done for you. They even allow kids as part of the experience, so this can bring some birthday joy to the whole family. Plus, it's the best way to avoid gift shopping for the big day, win-win! Oh and Agent November even does gift vouchers, so if your not sure on an ideal date, choose that!
This one can be an instant hit and such a fun gift when coming up with online-based birthday present ideas.
I highly rate Agent November Online Escape Rooms at at agentnovember.co.uk. Serious fun!
Or why not get her a luxe, all-natural skincare set of products that she would never buy for herself because it is too expensive, and make her feel extra special? This is always a perfect birthday present idea if the special someone you're buying for best friends or siblings!
Botanicals by Luxe Combination Complete Set from $220.00 at botanicalsbyluxe.com.au
Lush Twilight Gift Set from $64.00AUD at lush.com.au (and it's Vegan!)
These lip kits from MAC Cosmetics are the perfect little gift sets
And of course, here at Paws for Giving, we have arguably (I'm arguing it!) the best birthday gifts! Who doesn't love a wine glass that gives you permission to drink alone (with a fur-baby anyway)?
Our 'it's not drinking alone if your dog/cat is home' cup is exactly what you need! The search is over for the perfect present, honestly. Make her laugh, and all within a tight budget for an instant hit! Honestly who wouldn't want this, even for a milestone birthday! My call is this is one of the top birthday gifts of 2021. I'm biased, but I'm right.
These wine glasses are the perfect cheeky gift for a friend... or yourself
And how can you resist giving presents from our selection of gifts for animal lovers? Including customised pet portraits in a gorgeous watercolour style. Not a gift for a night or but a gift that could be treasured for a lifetime.
If your special someone is an animal lover, they'll be sure to love this portrait of their furry best friend. This truly is one of the most unique birthday gift ideas, and it will pay off!
Not sure what kind of portrait she might love? Get her a Paws for Giving gift voucher instead, and then you can be sure she'll get the perfect birthday gift - one that she chooses!
A Custom Watercolour Pet Portrait is the purrfect present for anyone with a pet
These portraits come in different frame styles - white, black and medium dark faux wood, and truly match any home decor. Our customers rave about them and they truly tick the box of 'cool birthday gifts'.
Bette yet, the best gifts give back. You'll be gifting the better way - knowing you're helping save animal lives by buying gifts!
Get the instant gratification that will make you warm and fuzzy inside, knowing that your presents were bought from a social enterprise donating 50% of profits to animal rescues!
AND, we even do humans, or pets, or both!
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