There is something truly magical about giving someone else a meaningful thoughtful gift and seeing how it makes them crackle with excitement and appreciation. Finding unusual gifts can help to add to the magic and delight.
However, the process of finding the perfect gift can be challenging at the best of times, take up endless hours and maybe even leave you with sleepless nights.
The more or less someone has, the harder the search becomes. When you are looking for a gift for someone who has everything (more) or prefers the minimalist approach to life (less), then we know that you found us to help you find a unique solution.
The good news is that that is exactly what we aim to do in this article. There are plenty of unique and exclusive gifts that will please even the most discerning minimalist and surprise and delight those who have it all.
Unusual Gifts – Our 2023 Recommendations
From simple yet stylish useful items to the gift of experiences, they’ll never forget, we are sure that you will find an unusual gift on the list below that will be perfect.
To purchase any of the ideas mentioned in this article you can visit our curated list of unusual gift links for a quick link to the product.
1. Subscriptions
Masterclass
Education is one of the most beautiful gifts someone can give. The impact of knowledge and skills on a person’s life is incalculable and so the gift of learning is a gift definitely worth considering.
If someone enjoys learning and discovering new things, but doesn’t want to commit to a full-time program or lacks the time for it, then gaining knowledge directly from specialists and master’s in the field is a great option. A Masterclass Subscription gives them unlimited access to over 180+ classes that are delivered in bite-sized lessons by experts and masters in the field.
Costs: Individual plan, 1 account, 1 device is £ 14 per month billed annually, the Duo plan, 1 account, 2 devices is £ 19 per month billed annually and the Family option is £ 22 per month billed annually for 1 account, 6 devices).
Headspace
In our fast-paced world, there are numerous stresses and strains that impact our day-to-day well-being. Time is always a focus, and it becomes super hard to always be truly present, engaged, and in touch with ourselves.
Mindfulness and meditation, free from distraction and judgment is a sure way to improve our awareness and become truly present and engaged. A headspace subscription provides them with guided loads of guided meditation and routine and is another gift that provides value for a good length of time.
Costs: Annual with 14 days FREE £ 49.99 or £ 4.17 per month and Monthly plan with 7 days FREE at £ 9.99 per month.
Music Subscriptions
Music is increasingly online and for many audiophiles, it is sometimes hard to reconcile the massive changes that listening and consuming music has undergone. For those who love music, have everything, or pursue a minimalist path, a subscription to an online music service is another great option.
A music subscription will provide them with access to millions of songs, instantly. They will be spoilt for choice and the best part is, they do not physically have to store anything or buy any extra equipment if they already own a smartphone. We would suggest that you consider Apple Music, Spotify, or YouTube Music subscriptions and you can get gift cards for music subscriptions
Costs: Apple Music gives 1 month for FREE then it is £ 10.99 per month (Individual plan) and £ 16.99 per month on the family plan. Spotify premium Individual plan (1 account) is £ 9.99 per month with 1 FREE month at the start, their Duo plan is £ 13.99 per month (2 accounts) and the Family plan is £ 16.99 per month (6 accounts). YouTube Music is £ 9.99 per month with a 1-month FREE trial, their Family plan is £ 14.99 per month.
TV, Movies, and Documentaries On-Demand
If you know that the person you are looking for a gift for loves watching movies or enjoys a good documentary, then perhaps a content-on-demand option is an excellent choice. With content-on-demand services, they will get thousands of titles to choose from, whenever they want.
Now depending on the service you select, this usually includes a range of formats such as movies, documentaries, and TV shows. Mainstream on-demand services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney, and HBO are great options for all-round content and if we were picking, our choice based on catalogue and size would be Netflix or Amazon prime.
You can also consider niche on-demand streaming options to provide a very different watching experience and gift them something truly unique. Perhaps consider Curiosity Stream (documentaries), BritBox (British content), and The Criterion Channel (curated influential, classic, and foreign films).
Costs: Curiosity Stream offers two separate plans. The Standard (HD) plan is $2.99/month or $19.99/year. The Premium (4K) plan costs $9.99/month or $69.99/year
Kindle
There is something special about books and for many of us, reading is a valuable and pleasurable pastime. Even the elite billionaires find time to read and in fact make a conscious habit to schedule time for reading. Now we may not all have the Bill Gates cabin to hide in but definitely have a spot to read. This time rather than gifting a physical book, gift them with a Kindle and/or a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
This subscription will give them unlimited access to millions of books, thousands of audiobooks, and certain selected magazine subscriptions. For the minimalist, this empowers them to read and removes the headache of donating or selling a book they bought to read. Now it’s not just the minimalist that will be happy, those that own everything, sure don’t own all the titles available on the Kindle and so even they will get something new.
Cost: Kindle Unlimited subscription gives you a 30-day trial then renews at £ 9.49 per month or if you take their 3-month deal at £ 7.99 it then renews at £ 9.49 thereafter. A kindle will cost in the region of £ 84 – £ 140 depending on the model and spec of the device.
2. Gift Cards
Gift cards are an easy yet wonderful way to gift someone and empower them to decide what they want to get. Our list of Gift cards is just a few of the thousands you could get for someone but these are some useful and frequently used ones. Please note that some of these options are only redeemable in the UK.
Amazon
An Amazon gift card can be used for anything with the Amazon ecosystem which makes it a powerful gift card option if you know they use these services. From Prime membership to purchasing something they want, the gift card will enable them to decide.
Cost: You decide
Costa Coffee
If they love a good cup of coffee and often purchase coffee on the go then a Costa Coffee gift card is a useful gift to consider for them. Get them a gift card that covers a month of daily coffee or 5 a month for a year. They will remember and love this gift every time they sip on their favourite beverage.
Cost: £ 5 – £ 100, you decide.
Uber Eats, Deliveroo
Sometimes it is just nice to be able to order in and not have to worry about what to cook. There is something wonderful about being able to click a button and get a fully cooked meal delivered to your door which you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home. Get them an Uber Eats or Deliveroo voucher and let them order whenever they feel like a treat.
Cost: Uber Eats £ 15 – £ 150, Deliveroo £ 15 – £ 150
Airbnb
If the person loves to travel and experience life outside of fancy hotels or flea-bitten motels then perhaps an Airbnb voucher is something worth considering. It gives them the flexibility of picking their accommodation experience anywhere in the world.
Cost: £ 25 – £ 500
One4All
This is a gift code that the recipient can exchange for the Gift card of their choice. Provides them with the power to decide what they want to do. The downside to providing choice is that they will have an extra step to get started.
Cost: £ 15 – £ 200
3. Gift Ideas for Experiences
The value of gifting experiences and providing someone with memorable moments is invaluable. An experience cannot be taken away, lost, or sold. Once you experience something it becomes part of who you are.
It provides you with a story, and memory and adds value to your life. There are many options one can consider and a host of service providers to choose from. The ones below are just a few that we picked out.
Mystery Picnic
The mystery picnic is perfect to gift someone who you want to create an adventure-filled experience with or for them with others.
An adventurous experience awaits them – with hidden gems to discover and delicious food to savour as you make your way through the clues and riddles. Each stop will provide a surprise filled with unique food items that you’d never find on your own. Step out of your comfort zone and explore the mystery around each corner. At the end of it all, you’ll be rewarded with a delightful picnic at a secret location where you will enjoy all the treats you have collected along the way.
Cost: £ 60 – £ 80
The Bear Grylls iFLY Indoor Skydiving Experience
Jumping out of a plane can be a daunting experience, so why not tone it done but keep the adrenaline high with a unique indoor flying experience? When you were a kid you often dreamed that you were only flying. Now it is possible, even if only for a brief moment to fly and have some fun. Once you have learned to fly, you create your own adventure with a choice of high-ropes, climbing, shooting, or archery as your additional challenge.
Cost: £ 65 – £ 93
Royal Horticultural Society Membership
If they enjoy getting out and love gardening, then an RHS membership is a definite option. The membership will give them access to the 5 RHS gardens (plus they can take a guest or two kids), free entry to over 220 partner gardens, garden advice, and much more.
Cost: £ 53.25
Tandem Sky Dive
If skydiving is on their bucket list, they are an adrenaline or adventure junkie at heart, or perhaps it is just something they have never done before, then this skydiving is a great option, although a slightly more expensive one. A 25-minute plane ride, and then it’s time to jump with your instructor reaching speeds of up to 120mph before deploying your parachute at 5000ft. This is an experience worth remembering.
Cost: £ 259.99
4. Minimalist Gifts – Gifts to Simplify Your Life
Now, we must warn you that these are the first physical-only gifts on the list, unlike the majority of the items mentioned earlier. Most of these will definitely fit the “unusual gifts for him” category. These ideas are aimed at simplifying, adding value, or empowering increased productivity.
Slim Wallet for Men | RFID Blocking Minimalist Credit Card Holder
There are a few slim-line wallets on the market that have an ultra-sleek look and feel along with added extra security features like RFID and NFC blocking. For those looking to ditch the clumsy wallet, no longer hold cash, and own something that looks aesthetically gorgeous, this wallet style and design is perfect. If you visit the link we posted above at the start of the article, you can check out the various options.
Cost: £ 10 – £ 35
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug
This is one of those super amazing nice-to-have pieces of technology. The app-controlled heated Ember temperature-controlled coffee mug is a revolutionary amazing item that we absolutely love.
Yes, we know it’s pricey, but it’s amazing and well worth the investment. Plus the minimalist or the one who has it all, will most likely not own one or get one themselves. Leave behind the days of cold coffee. Keep your beverage at the perfect temperature for you. On the battery, you will get about 1.5 hours, and on the special charging coaster, the entire day.
Oh, did we mention it comes in one of 3 beautiful colours, black, white, or gold rose, and has an auto cut-off feature for when the beverage is done and the mug is empty?
Cost: £ 130.87
Rocketbook Smart Reusable- Dot-Grid Eco-Friendly Notebook
Some of us still like to write things down and use a good old pen and paper over typing notes on our phones or laptops. The Rocketbook is a smart notebook that automatically digitises your written notes as you enter them.
It is the world’s first fully reusable notebook. It uses sophisticated AI technology to allow you to search your handwritten notes, transcribe writing to emails and create smart titles. You can also upload your notes to a host of services and when you need more pages, simply wipe the old ones with a damp cloth, and off you go.
This is a wonderful gift that combines the old-school art of writing with modern technology and convenience. Perfect for the minimalist or person looking to reduce their carbon footprint. WeKurate highly recommends this smart notebook and gives it a full 5 stars.
Cost: £ 32.99
Final Thoughts
Now we could go on forever and add a million items to this list but we wouldn’t want to clutter up your day.
We hope that this list has inspired you or helped you to find the perfect gift. Subscriptions, Gift Cards, Experiences, and Gifts that Simply our lives are just some of the great gifts that you can give to a minimalist or someone who has literally got it all.
There are plenty of other items one can find or buy including consumable items, and if you are looking for some great edible gifts for Easter you may find a few options there. Check out our Inspiration Section for more great gift ideas, more content about minimalism, productivity, and ideas to get your personal space-optimized.