The Best Personalized Christmas Gifts
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Personalization (whether you’re monogramming a luggage tag with your mom’s initials or building a custom LEGO Minifigure that looks exactly like your cousin Sarah) is the way to make sure a recipient knows you actually thought about your gift and didn’t just run to the mall in a Christmas Eve panic. On that note, I encourage you to make your personalized-gift decisions quickly, as many brands increase shipping times by a number of weeks once customization is involved. Purchasing these gifts in November is definitely the safest bet; as the weeks progress, I’ll update this page with last-minute shipping information.
Below, you’ll find a number of nameplate jewelry options, naturally, as well as a monogrammed tote bag, robe, and cozy blanket. There are also a few curveballs, like a slightly Victorian photo-portrait pendant, a box of bespoke Oreos, and a tomato-scented candle with room on the label for whichever heartfelt message or tongue-in-cheek in-joke you choose. Methods of customization can vary; in most cases you’ll find a button that says “personalize” or something similar when you’ve clicked through to the retailer’s product page. I’ve taken note of any instances where extra work on your part is required.
Gifts I think are the best
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A truly tasteful gift even without personalization, but monogramming is only $12 extra.
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A blinged-out custom claw clip that’ll also actually keep their hair pinned up.
Personalized gifts under $50
For the early-morning dog walker
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Yeti’s excellent insulated Rambler mugs can be customized with images and text on the brand’s website and will be the envy of Prospect Park.
For the new baby in your life
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A smart-looking miniature flatware set that their parents will also treasure.
For your mom who just got a new phone
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Casetify Custom Phone Case
We love Casetify’s cases for both their looks and utility. The customization options on this one range from subtle to loud, so you can truly tailor your choices to the recipient’s personality.
For any lover of the finer things
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A monogrammed lip balm they’ll want to pull out of their purse constantly.
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An antique-looking pocket comb with, literally, their name on it.
For your soccer-obsessed little brother
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Sporty tween boys will appreciate Gatorade’s reusable water bottle that can be personalized with different patterns, accent colors, and text.
For your sister who watched all of Love Story in one night
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L.L.Bean Boat and Tote, Open-Top
The quintessential preppy tote bag, as carried by Carolyn Bessette — but customized with your recipient’s initials or perhaps an in-joke you two share.
For the friend who always asks you to AirDrop photos
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Mixbook’s photo books are simple and cost-effective to make yet nice-looking.
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But if you want to give them something to admire every day, a custom calendar is a better option.
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I also think these new glass photo ornaments from Artifact Uprising are lovely.
For the nephew whose taste in stuffed toys you’re familiar with
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Did you know that you can build a bear online? In addition to whatever unique clothing and accessories you choose, each bear ships with a custom birth certificate displaying its new parent’s name.
For the aunt who’s an avid puzzler
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I particularly like the idea of turning old family photos into puzzles, but recent ones work too.
For a LEGO-loving kid (or kid at heart)
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These little LEGO people are almost as fun to make as they are to receive. We like to give them to our dads.
For the girlfriend who still sends snail mail
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Now she’ll be sending it with extra pizzazz.
For the dad who just wants to be cozy while he watches Slow Horses
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A luxurious (yet not extravagantly priced) blanket that can be monogrammed with up to ten characters.
For the most glamorous person you know
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An opulent lipstick in a metal case that can be engraved for an extra $5.
For the sister who already has a nameplate necklace
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A bold string of beads for her luggage or purse.
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A bracelet that looks good enough to eat.
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Or an unusually minimalist initial pendant.
For the insatiable cookie lover
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A box full of Oreos customized with their name and their preferred filling and sprinkles.
For the insatiable candy lover
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Personalized M&M’s
A tube full of M&M’s with their initials on them, in a custom color scheme of your choosing.
For anybody who requires a drinking-vessel upgrade
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Everybody’s favorite water bottle can now be customized.
For the friend who has Delta One status
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If they’re always traveling, get them a pretty new luggage tag.
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Or a new, non-toothpaste-stained toiletry bag.
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Or an apple-green cable organizer with their initials on it.
Personalized gifts under $100
For the new parent who’s completely obsessed
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A slightly Victorian way for them to always keep their baby close.
For your kid who just flew the coop
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Christen their new digs with a personalized towel.
For the dad who stays stylish all winter
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For the roommate whose accessories you steal
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An apology in the form of Emi Jay’s most popular claw clip.
For the boyfriend who’s getting into DIY
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Build him a custom multi-tool in his favorite colors, then engrave it.
For the discerning farmers’-market shopper
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No produce snob would turn down Flamingo Estate’s much-hyped Tomato Candle.
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Or go for the subtler Jasmine Rose scent.
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The brand’s peppery olive oil can also be made extra special with a monogram.
For the college best friend who had their wedding in Italy
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For the kid who plays Fortnite all night
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Custom XBox Wireless Controller
Upgrade their setup with a custom controller.
For the niece who always looks put-together
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A non-novelty bag charm.
For the teen who just wants jewelry
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Don’t overcomplicate it. Catbird makes simple and minimal alphabet charms, whereas Susan Alexandra offers a few quirkier designs.
For your maximalist mom
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A slightly bonkers but very fun phone case with her name bedazzled in cursive, alongside other accoutrements.
For your keeps-it-classic dad
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Get him a monogrammed robe in a seasonally appropriate forest-green tartan.
For your favorite teacher
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Adorable customized stationery that they likely wouldn’t splurge on themselves.
For the anglophile who loves stationery
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Most of British heritage brand Smythson’s stationery can be customized, including this notebook.
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If they’ve got a special trip coming up, this traveler’s version would be better.
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For the soon-to-be honeymooner
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A classy jewelry case to keep precious pieces safe.
For the cook whose apartment lacks a dishwasher
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Gohar World’s playful rubber gloves might help stop the plates from piling up and can be personalized with a choice of embroidered motifs and monograms.
For the friend who proudly identifies as a West Village Girl
For the home chef who still talks about Bon Appétit–gate
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The apron worn by our fallen Test Kitchen heroes comes with optional monogramming.
For the Floridian grandpa
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Comfy (and, in some circles at least, trendy) custom slides for his daily beach walk.
Personalized gifts under $200
For the pal with Parisian aspirations
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Sezane Tomboy Shirt
Sézane’s crisp button-down (with a small monogram that’s as unfussy as Jane Birkin herself) is a subtle way to signal her good taste.
For the formerly long-suffering Knicks fan
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A new season has begun, and here’s how they can show support for the reigning champs.
For the homebody who’s never slobby
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Monogrammed pajamas for when they’re working on their projects (or just watching their shows) indoors this winter.
For the meal prepper who has a freezer full of Tupperware
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All that chopping will be made easier with this handsome customized teak board.
For the college student with a big internship coming up
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A professional-looking laptop case that’ll protect that naked Macbook they’ve been stuffing into a tote bag.
For the skin-care-conscious sleeper
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The silk pillowcase that our beauty writer Tembe Denton-Hurst has been resting her head on for years.
For the skin-care-conscious traveler
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A monogrammed set of magnetic capsules they can decant all their lotions and potions into.
For the Carrie of the friend group
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A contemporary-looking gold-plated nameplate necklace with a choice of fonts.
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Or, if she likes to be different, a nameplate ring instead of the traditional pendant.
For the arty type who also has a sense of humor
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And if they have a beloved pet, Janie Korn also makes dog and cat portrait candles to match.
For the person who leaves their apartment at 6 a.m. and doesn’t return until midnight
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Alex Mill’s tote bag is a favorite of ours for work and play, and it holds everything. The custom lettering is hand-painted in Brooklyn.
Personalized gifts over $200
For the Apple Pay addict who needs a real adult wallet
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Email Lindquist after placing your order to add a gold or embossed monogram for an extra $10.
For a next-generation American Girl Doll collector
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Introduce her to the dolls you played with as a kid by completely customizing one that she’ll love just as much.
For the frequent traveler who is still dragging around a two-wheel Samsonite
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An extra $50 monograms July’s Bluetooth-trackable carry-on, which comes in lots of colors.
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Tumi’s more demure luggage comes with complimentary embossed monogramming.
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A smart-looking garment duffel for weekend and work trips that can be embossed for no extra charge.
For the dinner-party guest with good manners
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If they’re known to bring bottles of Veuve to the gathering, this customized cooler box is designed to keep two of them chilled.
For the sweater snob
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Hades hand-knits these alphabet-letter wool sweaters in Scotland. If they wouldn’t be caught dead in a polyester blend, they’ll appreciate receiving one of these.
For the suit snob
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A monogrammed leather cuff-link container with room for their two favorite pairs.
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The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
