24 Sentimental Gifts To Tug At Their Heartstrings
Everyone loves getting gifts. But we would be lying if we said that all gifts are created equal. Generic gifts are fine for coworkers or acquaintances, cards are wonderful for distant relatives or minor holidays, and practical gifts are almost always appreciated. However, sometimes you just need something more sentimental. A gift that truly shows how much you care about the person.
A great gift that’s sentimental often highlights your unique relationship, such as custom items or those that reference special moments. Photo blankets, a personalized song, or a fingerprint necklace are just a few examples that can make a special occasion a lot more special!
Treat your sweetheart to a romantic gift that says “I love you” better than a box of chocolates ever could. Or, give your dad a father’s day present that represents a lifetime of gratefulness for his love and support.
If you need a sentimental gift idea—whether for a birthday gift, Christmas gift, or an any day gift—this guide has everything you need to make someone feel loved!
24 Sentimental Gifts for Every Softie
1. Story of a life
This is an incredibly meaningful gift idea that would be fantastic for a grandparent! It starts with you choosing one creative and inspiring question each week. That question is then sent to the giftee. They’ll respond with a story; at the end of the year, they’ll bind all those beautiful memories into a book that can be handed down for generations.
2. Anniversary Memory Collection Art
Want to make your significant other cry a happy tear? Take them for a walk down memory lane with this thoughtful anniversary art shadow box. Each anniversary features an intricate icon made out of the milestones traditional anniversary gift. Next to the gorgeous icon is a blank space to write a favorite memory from that specific year you shared together. Choose from four different anniversaries—3, 4, 5, or 10 years—each presented in timeline format in a contemporary frame.
3. Friendship lamp
These gifts are so cool and ideal for long-distance friends or lovers! They look chic and function incredibly well as a lamp (that displays over two-hundred colors), but that isn’t what makes them extraordinary. Purchased as a pair, there is one for you and one for your giftee. Whenever you think of them, simply touch your lamp, and theirs will light up too. Your love can travel at the speed of light, even when you’re miles apart.
4. Sound Wave Art
Sound wave art makes a fantastic sentimental gift for anyone on any occasion. Translate a song, a loving message, a heartbeat, or even an inside joke into a colorful and eye-catching piece of art. The sound waves are printed onto a canvas the size and color of your choosing and can be customized with a name, date, or phrase.
5. Create Your Own Viewfinder
Perfect for anyone who loves nostalgia, this personalized viewfinder is a nod to their childhood. You can fill it with memories of their youth or yours! Compile your favorite photos, and they’ll be made into a custom reel that fits directly into your viewer. It’s a fun way to look at some of life’s most cherished events—boosting the sentiment and the fun!
6. Passport Collection wine
Toast to the memories! The passport collection is excellent for both the wine lover and the travel enthusiast, featuring eight lovely wines from Italy and France. Whether your giftee has jet set to all these places or has it on their bucket list, crack open a bottle with them, and cheers to many more years of life lived together.
7. Night Sky
Can you think of a time your life changed forever? Maybe it was the day you said “I do” or the moment your child entered the world. Capture the memory forever with a gorgeous star map that illustrates how the night sky was during that cherished milestone. Printed on museum-grade paper, this unique gift is a work of art that is made to last forever.
8. Long Distance Touch Bracelets
Sure, you could text or call your loved one whenever you’re thinking of them; but that’s so commonplace! Knock their sentimental socks off with a long-distance touch bracelet. Waterproof and durable, these bracelets are made to be worn 24/7. When they’re paired, you can give your significant other or bestie a “love tap” whenever you’re thinking of them. Press the button, and their bracelet lights up and vibrates; you can even make a code of vibrations to signal a special message.
9. Bouquet Serving Tray
One of the most stunning items from a couple’s wedding day is the bride’s bouquet. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most short-lived. Unless you have her vibrant blooms encapsulated into a resin serving set. Set in clear acrylic and edged with gold, the flowers will stay colorful and fresh forever in this lovely tray and matching coasters.
10. Skyline Lumbar Pillow
Certain places hold a particular spot in our hearts. The city where we fell in love, got our first real job, or raised a family. A lumbar pillow embroidered with a custom skyline and fun pops of color is ideal for relaxing into good memories of your favorite town! Choose from black or white and a variety of locations.
11. Romantic Mapmaking
Skip the card for your first “paper” anniversary and gift them with a romantic and fun experience. In this online course, you’ll spend ninety minutes creating a custom, whimsical map whose geographic illustrations are the milestones of your relationship. Become a master cartographer and the best sentimental gift giver of your partnership.
12. Illustrated Pet Gift Kit
While we all wish we were perfect gift-givers, sometimes our best intentions slip our minds—leaving us scrambling for a gift! This quick and last-minute sentimental gift couldn’t be easier. The kit allows you to gift your loved one a custom pet portrait. You give the kit, they send in their name, address, and favorite pet photo. Then, they’ll receive a personalized watercolor painting of their furry friend on canvas in a few weeks.
13. Custom Spotify Keychain
Does your giftee have a favorite song? Is it the song you and your significant other heard on your first date? Or maybe your grandparent’s wedding song? Or maybe it’s a song you associate with a special moment between the two of you? This nifty keychain includes the Spotify code engraved onto its clear acrylic body. They can effortlessly scan the code and hear their memorable tune anytime. Add song details and album art, making it a super cute keyring accessory.
14. Explosion Box Photo Album
This unassuming black box makes one of the most thoughtful gifts you’ll ever lay eyes on—and the most surprising! It reveals four layers of hand-curated photos, selected by you; an explosion of love. It comes fully assembled; all you need to do is paste on your pictures and decorate them with the included tools and accessories.
15. Hearts Four Across Game
Game lovers will cherish this sweet and sentimental gift that plays to their interests. Enjoy a lighthearted connect four game using this customized wooden game board and pieces. You can personalize four lines with dates, names, or other significant text among the heart cut-outs. Made from maple wood, this game is designed to last so you and your sweetheart can play year after year.
16. Custom Portrait Keychain
Thanks to this custom keychain, your significant other, parents, grandparents, or bestie can always carry you with them. There are many profiles and poses to choose from, each colorized and printed to your specifications on durable resin. This sentimental gift just might be the key to their heart!
17. Wanderlist Drop Box Frame
Dropbox frames are so cool because they’re the gift that keeps on giving. They can hang this contemporary-looking work of art and then drop in a token whenever they accomplish their travel dreams. If you and your giftee have a travel bucket list, this will make a thoughtful gift to kick off your adventures together.
18. Made-To-Order Personalized Song
Many couples have “their” song, but how many can say it’s entirely unique to them? With a made-to-order song gift, a professional songwriter and composer will turn all your favorite moments and memories into a one-of-a-kind piece of music. Based on your details, you’ll receive a one to three-minute mp3 track and a lyric sheet that encapsulates your relationship in song.
19. Family Cookbook
Was your grandma a master baker? Or, maybe your whole family was a whiz in the kitchen? This family cookbook is the perfect way to save all those treasured recipes. This gorgeous custom-crafted book can be effortlessly assembled online and then printed into a beloved keepsake, an ideal gift for the cook in your family, the newlyweds, or the matriarch.
Get it from My Family Cookbook Project
20. A Planted Tree
This gift will stand the test of time and make an excellent pick for the person who has everything. Gift a tree and make them smile over the fact that an impact is being made to improve the planet’s health in their name. Eco-conscious individuals will greatly appreciate this unique and kind-hearted gift that can make a difference in the lives of so many.
21. Personalized Push Pin Globe
Globes are such incredible functional and fashionable decor pieces, but you don’t see them around much anymore. It’s time to change that with this tenderhearted personalized push pin globe. Two colors of pins allow you to pinpoint places you’ve traveled together and destinations you can’t way to go to. It’s a fantastic conversation starter that will allow you to share and recall some of your most extraordinary adventures as a couple or family.
22. State Candle
Is your bestie moving? Or, maybe your child’s going off to college? Every time they’re homesick, they can light this delightful candle and breathe in the scents of their old stomping grounds. Each natural soy candle is placed in a trendy jar with an image of the chosen state. Fragranced with unique scents particular to the selected destination, it will invoke memories each time the wick is lit.
23. Fingerprint Necklace
The perfect sentimental gift for anyone who’s touched your life in a special way—a fingerprint necklace is positively breathtaking. The kit includes everything you need to collect a fingerprint that can be sent back and imprinted into a precious metal medallion, sterling silver, or gold.
24. Custom Song Wall Art
We love a beautiful print of a sound wave, but we’re head over heels for this unique take on song wall art. Choose your cherished song, and the artist will turn it into a sculpture of audio waves crafted from natural wood. Though it won’t actually play music, it’s sure to make their heart sing when they see it hanging on their wall.
I’m Not Crying, Your Crying!
Tears of joy, that is! If you need new ideas for the perfect gift, these gifts are sure to tug at your special someone’s heartstrings, letting them know just how loved and appreciated they are. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but arguably so are these thoughtful gifts.
When you want to express how much someone means to you without having to say a word, choose a gift that will knock their sentimental socks off!
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