Out of the Box: 9 Unusual Gifts

Trying to think out of the box? It’s difficult finding the perfect gift, but one thing’s for sure: everyone appreciates a unique one. There’s nothing worse than opening a present to find something utterly predictable.

This holiday, think unusual.

With Black Friday deals being the best they’ve ever been, most people will be attracted to extremely popular products—the Xbox, the iPhone, the flat panel television. But these are merely deemed highly valued because they’re offered at such attractive prices. What about creativity? What about giving something from the heart? There’s room for that too, so do yourself (and your giftee) a favor by checking out these unusual gifts.

FOR THE KIDS

A Personalized Greeting from Santa

No, it’s true. He really does exist. Portable North Pole summons jolly St. Nick to personally greet your kid—in a video, in a phone call, or even in a letter. If you have a skeptical child, this is the perfect way to convince him Santa is for real. Everything is entirely customized, meaning, your child will feel it’s coming direct from the North Pole. It’s the icing on the cake of Christmas wonder, and you can make the occasion all the more special.

Portable North Pole also creates customized coloring books, certificates, puzzles, placemats and stickers. You can paint your holidays with the magic of Santa Claus, as real as it gets. Until the end of the year, Portable North Pole’s digital offerings come at 10% off.

The World’s Largest Toe Tap Piano

Almost a musical Twister, The World’s Largest Toe Tap Piano is available at Hammacher Schlemmer, where you’ll find a series of unique and unusual gifts. You’ll be able to cultivate a love of music while providing a way for your children to have fun throughout the holidays and beyond. They’ll be able to jump, dance and run on the keys while producing, well, perhaps an undesirable sound—but maybe they’ll improve and perform a show for you. It produces individual tones or harmonies, and replicates sound from piano, saxophone, violin, organ, trumpet, harp, vibraphone, and guitar.

Kidibeats Drum Set

Every toddler loves banging on things; wouldn’t it be nice to make it a productive endeavor? Kidibeats Drum Set, by vTech, makes this possible. You’ll be able to encourage musical creativity while stimulating intellectual development. It has four play modes, including Free Play, Letters, Numbers and Follow Along. It’ll build musical creativity, phonics, sensory development and visualization memory. Scientifically, it may promote an association between fun and learning. Currently, this particular product comes at 20% off.

Squigz

Funny name, serious product. It won ASTRA’s Best Toys for Kids 2013 award. These fun little suckers are perfect for kids who love to build. You can create anything—rockets, vehicles, jewelry, and whatever else comes to your child’s imagination. It encourages creativity, motor skills, interaction and playful experimentation. Find them at Fat Brain Toys.

FOR ADULTS

Golf Ball Locating Glasses

Odds are there’s a golf lover in the family. It’s always terrible to lose a ball, but Hammacher Schlemmer’s Golf Ball Locating Glasses contain blue pigment that specially filters light as it passes through, creating dark backgrounds behind white balls. They look cool, are cool, and will help you coolly find your balls.

Video Camera Pen

An innocent pen gives you video capability with the touch of a button. An ideal gift for the tech junkie, the Video Camera Pen is available at Brookstone. It holds up to 1.5 hours of video. You can catch meetings, lectures, and randomly hilarious moments in perfect inconspicuousness—a more secretive alternative to the camera phone.

Restaurant.com Gift Card

The foodie in the family will adore a Restaurant.com gift card. They come with customized messages and fit perfectly in a stocking. The buyer gets a nice little treat as well; you get more for what you buy. For instance, a $25 gift card costs $10, a $50 gift card costs $20, and so on. They’re delivered for free to boot.

Wine in the Mail

A subscription to Wine Insiders will deliver wine straight to the recipient’s home. On a monthly basis, you can have the finest wines (available at incredible value) shipped to that wine connoisseur in your life. A little bubbly sent in surprising variation each month is a gift that keeps on giving.

All Ears iPhone Case

Yes, a smartphone case isn’t exactly an out-of-the-box stocking stuffer. This design, however, will bring smiles all around. You get six different color inserts to match the look of your phone (and your face). Can you hear me now? You can find these amusing little cases at Retro Planet.

Battery Mug

Mugs should be yet another popular gift for fathers, but this year, get creative with the design. Via ThinkGeek, the Battery Thermokruzhkus Mug lets you know if the liquid in your mug has become unsatisfyingly lukewarm. The green cells light up with liquid over 96.8 degrees and steadily disappear as your drink gets cooler.