20 very cool personalized gifts for adults to make things extra special this year | Holiday Gift Guide

One of our most popular gifts ever, no exaggeration, is this affordable and pretty photo key ring from Create Gift Love. Have a few kids to include? Their multi-photo key ring can hold up to four small photos, making it perfect for grandparents. (on sale for a limited time, from $33.74, Etsy)

We are so in love with the gorgeous personalized family portrait ornaments from Something Sunny Studio — they actually hand-paint a portrait from your photograph right onto a 3"x3" wood slice, then tie it up with twine all ready to hang from the tree...or anywhere all year long. (from $32, Etsy)

There's still time to grab a pair of these wonderful, made-to-order, personalized city map rocks glasses from The Summer Hill Studio on Etsy. This is no Laser Printing While U Wait chop shop; the maker carefully engraves each one with a custom-created map of your choice -- even a custom map from somewhere outside the USA. You can also add a name, date, or other special message. Surely you can get more creative than "I Love NY" or "Virginia is for Lovers" but those work too! (on sale for a limited time, $19.46, Etsy)

With its personalized decanter and two heavy-bottom rocks glasses, this nicely compiled personalized whiskey gift crate will make quite the impression on your favorite whiskey lover. Includes snacks, ice molds, slate coasters, and a little journal for recording all their deep thoughts about whiskey besides mmmmmmmmmm. ($134.99, Mancrates)

Feeling extra generous? Add a bottle of terrific whiskey. A few of our favorite recos to get you started: Hibiki Japanese Harmony Suntory Whiskey may be something new and wonderful to you; Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey is a wonderful Black-owned brand with an exceptional backstory; or if you want to splurge, try the refined, award-winning Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength Whiskey. It's lovely.

We've been supporters of ABLE's incredible gifts for a long, long time, and now they have personalized gifts too! Their leather goods are one of our favorites to give our own friends and family, from oversized totes to wallets, backpacks to bookmarks, all of which can be personalized. We're loving their Rachel Wristlet for the women in our lives-- it's that "just right" size between a bag and wallet for nights on the town. (on sale for a limited time with code HOLIDAY, $69, ABLE)

This personalized baseball is not only a cool gift, it happens to be an affordable gift under $20. It makes  great little desk object for a fan in your life, thanks to the folks at Game Ball Workshop. Just don't mistake it for one you actually play with. ($16.99 on Etsy)

We have lots of thoughts, ideas, and to-dos, and these personalized journals are a good place to jot them all down. We love that you can choose your paper type -- who else is team dotted pages? -- and your binding style. Plus the typography is so elegant! Incredible price too. (on sale for a limited time, from $13.95, Etsy)

This absolutely sweet personalized picture frame engraved with handwriting is so simple, so affordable, and yet, so meaningful. Circle City Design Co will etch a picture frame right from handwriting, whether it's from a child's doodle or your own signature or message. If you lost someone important this year, use their handwriting on a frame of their own portrait to help keep their memory alive in your home. Oof. ($46, Etsy)

Turn a special handwritten message or drawing to create the sweetest jewelry, thanks to artist Kate Kim at Caitlyn Minimalist. You'll get quick turnaround from her shop in California for a gorgeous keepsake personalized bar necklace at an extraordinary price.  (on sale for a limited time, from $29.40, Etsy) 

Also from Caitlyn Minimalist, we're fans of these beautiful personalized beads customized with handwriting or a tiny handprint. Your lucky recipient can wear one individually, or stack a few to create a necklace or bracelet that's entirely one-of-a-kind. PS It also makes a special keepsake gift for a baby's first holiday -- they'll wear it when they're a wee bit older. (on sale for a limited time, from $22.05, Etsy) 

We all know someone who has been bitten by the pickleball bug by now, right? Sized to fit one or two rackets plus some balls, this classically styled drawstring personalized pickleball tote looks sharp on and off the courts. Cute monogram too! (on sale, $114 plus $15 for personalization, Mark & Graham)

If 2025 holds any travel plans for someone on your list, these colorful vegan leather personalized passport cases and luggage tags are a great gift. Go bold and bright for your study abroad college student or choose the classic foil debossed tags for your adventure-seeking retired parents. ($79, Mark & Graham)

We first shared the wonderful personalized morse code necklaces from Modern Out around 2018 and we still love their sturdy bar necklace printed with morse code. It's designed for men, but we think it's great on any person, any age, any gender. It's such a subtle way to show your love, you can even personalize it with a pet name for your sweetheart that you don't need anyone else to know. (on sale for a limited time, from $28.05, Etsy)

We're fans of unplugged family game, and the classic family games can now become personalized gifts from Personalization Mall, a shop that has saved my butt with its fast turnaround more than once. Choose from Scrabble, Yahtzee, Monopoly, Clue, and other board games, each presented in a gorgeous vintage linen book box. (on sale, from $41.99, Personalization Mall)

If you haven't visited our guide to amazing gifts under $15 for adults, you will find a world of affordable joy there! Including these pretty tea towels at Designs by Dawnlynn. They're perfect for a new homeowner, the hostess of the neighborhood cookie swap, or your favorite cook -- even use it to wrap a bottle of wine or sparkling cider to make a simple gift. Browse the shop for even more personalized gift ideas, whoever you're shopping for and whatever their style.  (on sale for a limited time, from $11.99, Etsy) 

Whether it's an heirloom recipe that's passed down from generations, or one that's become family lore, 3D Carving will etch it right into this beautifully made personalized wooden cutting board. Or, for another option, see the personalized cutting board we featured in our guide to thoughtful gifts for your mother-in-law. ($41.50, Etsy)

Another recipe-preserving personalized gift for cooks comes from long-time favorite PH Pottery, makers of beautiful serving dishes that become heirlooms.We love this large ceramic platter above, which is food safe, dishwasher safe, and oven safe, it's a meaningful way to hold onto a cherished family recipe and keep passing it down. (baking pan, shown, from $140; pie plates from $60, Etsy)

There are a number of online retailers from Shutterfly to Minted that make personalized photo puzzles. But we're also happy to recommend the personalized photo puzzles from woman-founded Jiggy. Like their much-loved art puzzles, each one comes with puzzle glue and a scraping tool so you can turn it into a framable keepsake to hang. They even sell the frames to fit! (from $39.99, Jiggy)

Finally, don't sleep on tech as a sure-to-be-loved personalized gift idea! Apple will add a name, initials, number, date, or emojis to nearly all of their devices and accessories. It's a smart way to remember whose AirPods are whose -- and if you have a few teens in the house like we do, you know exactly what I'm talking about. (Free...with the cost of your wonderful new gadget, Apple)