10 Last Minute Personalized Gift Ideas Anyone Can Pull Off

No matter how long you’ve known someone – whether it’s a new work colleague or a romantic partner of decades – personal gifts are a great way to build your connection. Big or small, if you take the time to customize your present into something you know they’ll love, the effort will pay dividends.

But with so many personalized gift options out there, where do you begin? If you’re searching for the ultimate way to show someone you care – and you don’t have a lot of time to do it – you’re in the right spot. We’ve gathered some of the best last minute personalized gift ideas out there into one place. Here’s a sneak peek at what we have in store for you today:

• Versatile personalizedd gifts they can use anytime for anything they want
• Thoughtful gifts you can print and customize from your home computer
• Made-to-order custom gifts from sellers with 5-star reputations

So what are we waiting for? Let’s dive in!

1 - Text a Personalized Gift Card

Put Your Personal Stamp on the Most Versatile Gift of Them All

Text or email a digital gift card in just a few clicks

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Gift cards sometimes get a bad reputation as a lazy or thoughtless gift, but the fact of the matter is that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Consumer research studies have shown that many people would actually prefer to receive a gift card over a physical gift. After all, they can save it for a rainy day or use it the minute they get it – and they’re sure to walk away with something they really want or need.

And thanks to the wonders of technology, gift cards don’t have to be cold and impersonal anymore. GiftYa digital gift cards can be customized with a photo or video and a personal message in just a few clicks. The catalog includes thousands of local and national brands, so you’re sure to find something that even the pickiest person will love.

Not sure where to start? Consider a couple of these options for last minute designer gifts in our catalog:

• Send an Shutterfly gift card so that they can transform their precious memories into beautiful photo keepsakes they’ll cherish for years to come
• Text a CVS gift card so they can get photos and personalized gifts, ready for same day pickup, alongside all of their other home and snack necessities
• Share an Amazon gift card to open the door to countless personalized gift options from crystal etched clocks to projector bead bracelets – plus everything else the world’s biggest retailer has in store

Not feeling the digital options? You can always customize a physical Visa gift card with Gift Card Granny’s build a card feature, too. Just choose a photo of one of your favorite memories together for the front, add a personal message, and a physical card is on its way. Custom Visa and Mastercard gifts typically print same day and ship out the following day, so your order will be headed to its recipient as soon as possible.

2 - Personalized Playlist or Song Plaque

Your Song is Now The Best Personalized Gift They’ve Ever Received

Nicely presented photos are the gold standard in personalized gifts, and with good reason – it captures a moment for them forever. But as heartwarming as it can be to look over old photos of the kids when they were young or the snapshot you took after your first date all those years ago, our other senses actually have stronger ties to memory. Music in particular has a way of causing memories to come flooding back… so why not incorporate it into your gift as well?

Whether it’s the first song on the only cd your best friend had in their car that time your roadtrip got derailed by a snow storm or the song you shared your first dance to at your wedding, some of our best and brightest memories have a clear soundtrack. 

The DIY Approach: Make them a mixtape or a Spotify playlist. Bonus points if you put together the perfect listening party, whether it’s playing video games on your couch or sharing a romantic home-cooked meal.

If you have some extra time, you can immortalize the sentimental song in a beautiful decoration like this custom song plaque available on Etsy.

3 - Custom Robe

Keep Them Cozy and Comfy with a Personalized Robe

They might not think that they’re a robe kind of person, but that’s just because they’ve never wrapped themselves up in the cloud-like microplush embrace of a customized robe before. This luxurious option has thick, cozy fabric to chase off the chill after a hot shower or on a cold winter evening by the fire. Plus, you can have the gift personalized with their last name embroidered in gold thread. 

The emphasis on the last name makes this a great gift for newlyweds, and the subtle luxury makes a birthday gift for a dad who says they don’t want anything. Can’t treat mom to the ultimate spa getaway she deserves? A cozy robe could be the next best thing. The possibilities here are endless.

4 - Personalized Portrait

DIY It With Just A Few Supplies… Or Order a Custom Portrait Online

Calling all artistes! If you’re the creative type, why not tap into those artistic skills to put together a one of a kind last minute gift they’re sure to treasure? 

Even if portraits aren’t quite your forte, artistic talent is pretty easy to fake. Remember those activities you got in puzzle books as a kid – where you would copy a picture over square by square to recreate it on a new grid? If your proportions tend to turn out wonky or you just need to practice your creative chops, the grid drawing technique can help you turn your favorite photo into a personalized masterpiece in an afternoon

Got a little extra time? If you’re afraid your personal rendition of your favorite photo would be a little more abstract than what you’re going for, you can always commission a custom watercolor portrait from an artist online. Marketplaces like Etsy make it easier than ever to connect with craftsmen and artisans who can bring your personalized gift idea to life.

5 - Custom Wallet

Personalize Something They’ll Reach for Every Day

Sometimes the best gifts aren’t flashy – they’re just a subtle reminder that we care. That’s why we love the idea of this personalized wallet. These patent leather wallets look good and come equipped with an RFID blocking card to protect the personal information in their purse or pocket from being hacked. 

Personalizing the wallet is easy – just choose a design and customize it with your own photo and message at checkout. Located on the inner fold, the recipient is the only one who will know the message is there – a little reminder that’s just for them.

6 - Personalized Drinkware

Raise a Glass to This Thoughtful Personalized Gift Idea

Forget about the family china – what about the family crystal? Once an item that was commonly passed down from generation to generation, many of these high-end heirlooms have been lost, broken, or forgotten in the corner of the attic over the years. So why not start a new tradition?

This personalized gift is nice enough to be passed down for years to come. There are plenty of designs to choose from – including wine glasses, pint glasses, or a set of personalized rocks glasses with a decanter like the one above. Since most artist and shops use laser engraving for greater precision and speed these days, your gift should be ready to ship in no time.

7 - Night Sky Map

Immortalize An Important Moment as a Personalized Piece of Art

When important things happen in our lives – the ones that change our entire trajectory, like landing our dream job or meeting the love of our life – we tend to say that the stars aligned to make it happen. After all, so many little things had to line up perfectly in order to get us there – how could it be anything less than the magic of the universe at work?

The Night Sky built a successful business on that very idea. Now, you can capture what the stars above looked like on those special moments, whether it was bringing a child into the world or your first night in your new home. Personalize the snapshot with a message and choose your design and framing options, and you have a beautiful personalized gift anyone would love to receive. 

8 - Magnet Set

Turn Your Favorite Memories, Memes, or Messages Into Magnets

The simple photo magnet has been around for a while – you may even have a few in the form of Save the Dates on your fridge right now. But this versatile gift can be used for much more than reminders.

When you order a set of personalized magnets, consider going a creative direction with your gift, like:

• Photos of you together in each of the four seasons, or the view from your home/office window during these different times of year
• Memes that you and your bestie/favorite coworker have laughed over recently
• Snapshots of some of the most iconic moments in your text message/email/DM thread
• Reminders you think they need to hear right now, whether it’s that Everything Will Be Okay! or You Can’t Draw Water From an Empty Well

9 - Custom Photo Bracelet

Subtle Personalized Gift Only They Will Know About

Looking for a subtle way to gift them something personal? Then this understated black bracelet should do the trick. The simple, single-bead design is deceptively low-profile – because the bead in this bracelet actually contains a miniaturized version of a photo of your choosing.  

They can peek into the bead for a reminder of what matters most whenever they need it, or they can shine their phone flashlight through it to project the photo for all to see.

10 - Neon Sign

Whatever You Want to Say, Say It In Neon

Personalizing your space is an ongoing process, whether it’s the kitchen in your first post-grad apartment or your new corner office at work. Help them add some personality to their space in a big way with a bold, neon sign to brighten up their days.

There you have it, ideas for an easy last minute personalized gift.

There are as many ways to personalize a gift as there are people out there, and we hope that this list has given you some ideas of where to start. Whether you go big and bold with a personalized neon sign for their space or keep it lowkey with a thoughtfully curated playlist of the songs you both love, there are plenty of ways to add personal flair to a gift even when you don’t have much time left to shop.

Don’t forget, if you didn’t see the perfect last minute gift on this list, you can always check out the GiftYa catalog for text-able digital gift cards – with thousands of local and national vendors specializing in everything from designer handbags to local craft brews, you’re sure to find something they’ll love. Good luck, and happy shopping!