January 17, 2024Gifts

10 Ways to Make Gifts Unforgettable with Personalization

Nothing conjures a smile quite like a thoughtful present, and whether a birthday celebration is approaching or you're looking for timeless stocking stuffers, there’s always a reason to buy a gift. Take our advice and go the extra mile by personalizing a unique present. 

We believe even the smallest details can make a big impact, and whether you're buying personalized ornaments for a holiday-loving family member or looking for a custom engraved cutting board for the chef of your friend group, we take pride in having it all. With so many fantastic household items, decorations, and dinnerware collections to choose from, there are endless options for finding the perfect personalized Christmas décor and gifts for your loved ones. 

But, when choosing the exact message to have added, how can you decide? Between keeping it short and sweet with a simple name or going the extra mile to give it a personal touch, we’ve gathered popular and creative personalization options to inspire as you shop for everyone on your list. Read on to discover the ins and outs of personalization, our favorite customizable presents, and a brainstormed list of messages to make your loved ones feel special this gifting season.

Why Personalize a Gift? 

Personalizing gifts can be a great way to commemorate once-in-a-lifetime milestones in your circle of loved ones. From personalized ornaments celebrating baby's first steps to customized cake stands for newlyweds to use on their big day, every type of present becomes more significant when personal details are added. We take care to design a personalized ornament for everything, so help your friends and family members celebrate the important events in life with personalized Christmas décor presents.

Make a Gift More Thoughtful with Personalization

From adding a dedication on the first pages of a book to engraving a promise in an engagement ring, personalizing has been an honored practice for centuries. Whether searching for the right engagement gifts or a personalized ornament to hang on the Christmas tree, it’s the little details that make a lasting impression. From thinking of someone’s interests to deciding on the right ribbon color for the wrapping, there are small ways to enhance a gift every step of the way. But the main thing that will make a present memorable is adding personalized touches to the item itself. 

In our family, giving a gift isn't just a task to complete—it's an opportunity to show someone how much they mean to us. For a present to be thoughtful and significant, it should come from the heart. Adding a name, date, or special message to a present ties you to the memory of their special day forever. Every time they hang their personalized ornaments or set the table with their customized serveware, they'll think of you!

Coton Colors Designs that Make Perfect Personalized Gifts

We carefully design most of our products to be able to add personalization in order to create an unforgettable present. Just choose between timeless and sophisticated dinnerware products to find a thoughtful, personalized gift that suits each person: 

When Should You Personalize a Gift?

Curating a gift is about more than the item itself — it's the thought you put behind it and the details that count. Take advantage of the countless gifting opportunities throughout the calendar year, from birthday parties to holidays to engagement showers and more, and personalize a present for every occasion. Adding a sentimental message or solidifying an important date on a gift has no downsides—it'll just make it all the more memorable for your loved ones.

5 Steps to Deciding on a Personalized Gift

Use these five simple steps as you select your gift:

Step 1: Consider the occasion to decide on the item's personalization design. Is this for a birthday, a holiday, or just because?

Step 2: Think about the recipient's age, interests, and design choices to find a personalized ornament or another gift they'll truly love.

Step 3: Browse through the different items you can get personalized to find one that is the perfect fit.

Step 4: How well do you know the person? Are you close enough to add a personal message or an inside joke? Or should you keep it more professional?

Step 5: Write your desired words or date and send it off to be added to the stylish design. 

10 Unique Ways to Personalize a Present

The words you have written on your personalized ornament or present can make a world of difference. We came up with ten unique ways to personalize your gifts to help inspire you as you shop: 

1. First or Last Name

    Start a new tradition and personalize an ornament for your kids, grandkids, friends, and family members each year with their names to create a collection of holiday keepsakes they can admire on the tree each year. When the younger family members grow up, they can take their set of personalized name ornaments with them to decorate their trees. 

    Adding a last name is also a wonderful present idea for newlyweds and soon-to-be-married friends. If either partner is changing their name to become a Mrs. or Mr., having the new last name written out on a gift can immortalize this life transition, giving them a product to help them cherish the start of their lives together for years to come. 

    2. Birth Year

      Celebrate the birth of a precious new family member with a personalized product that features their birth year. Personalize Christmas decorations with a birth year and give the parents something to remind them of their baby's first Christmas every year. 

      Many people grew up with personalized ornaments from their birth year, and as a family who still enjoys hanging them decades later, we can tell you that they never go out of style. Two of our own, Kyle and Warren, recently welcomed their baby girl into the world, so adding the year “2023” to her Welcome Sweet Baby gingham ornament is the perfect way to personalize something for our newest family member, Emma Hill. 

      3. Your Name

        A common customization idea, as mentioned above, is to write the gift recipient's name or birth year. While those options are always a hit, why not add your name as well? 

        Adding a sentimental sign-off will help your friends and family remember who gave them the present as the years go by. Whether adding your mark to a sweet Valentine's Day gift or a blue Celebrate Me Book, adding your name after our signature heart sign-off will let them know how much you care. 

        4. Nicknames

          There's no need to keep it professional or traditional when it comes to personalizing gifts for your inner circle. We love seeing the unique and beloved nicknames our customers favor and personalizing a product with a nickname can make it extra special. Laura's "grandma" name is Lolly, so if we wanted to personalize ornaments from her grandchildren, we would add that nickname. Make your presents feel one-of-a-kind with those inside jokes and pet names your family cherishes. 

          5. Season’s Greetings

            This year, skip the family Christmas cards and send a personalized ornament with your season's greeting wish. The perfect keepsake for the other branches of your family and close friends, including your family name and a holiday greeting, is one of the most thoughtful and fun ways to wish your loved ones a happy holiday! Every year, when they set out your Season's Greetings poinsettia personalized ornament or other exciting item, they'll remember how grateful they are to have you in their lives.  

            6. Engagement and Wedding Announcements

              The wedding timeline is about letting your friends and family celebrate you—but why not start the season of love with a personalized ornament or home décor design to let them know the big question has been asked? 

              Consider sending out an engagement announcement as a personalized ornament or dinnerware item with the date they got down on one knee. For intimate weddings or a Something Blue’ Bridal Shower, you could even send out a personalized ornament complete with the save-the-date information as a wedding invite. There’s no better keepsake out there to celebrate your and your partner's holy matrimony.

              7. Birth Announcements

                Personalized birth announcements are guaranteed to be a cherished gift for years to come. When you need to find a sweet gift for new parents, grandparents, or godparents, adding the details from a birth announcement is a thoughtful way to commemorate the newest addition to the family. Add any of the usual information, including the baby's name, birthday, birth time, or birth weight, to create a once-in-a-lifetime present for the entire family to enjoy. 

                8. Addresses

                  To some people, an address is mundane. But for others, an address can be incredibly personal and beloved—so why not help them remember their home forever? Whether you have new homeowners in the family or a relative selling their childhood home, personalizing ornaments and gifts with an address is a wonderful way to commemorate all the memories spent under that roof. Consider adding the year they moved in and out to encapsulate the time spent at their beloved home.

                  Ways to Write an Address

                  Play around with the format of the address to create a timeless Home Sweet Home personalized ornament they’ll enjoy hanging in their next home:

                  Traditional—1234 Coton Colors Rd

                  Spelled out—One Two Three Four Coton Colors Road

                  Roman numerals—I II III IV Coton Colors Road 

                  9. Geographical Coordinates

                    There's nothing more meaningful than remembering the spot where something special occurred. Whether you met your partner on a certain street corner or ran into your future best friend during a class at university, adding a location's precise longitude and latitude is a thoughtful personalization option. Immortalize your wedding venue or a special family spot forever with personalized ornaments featuring exact geographical coordinates, and cherish that sentiment forever. 

                    10. Personal Messages

                      When it comes to choosing the perfect personalization, sometimes you want something more unique than a name or date. Adding a personal message that references an inside joke, shared memory, or best wishes is a wonderful way to commemorate your relationship. Our more generic ornament designs offer playful illustrations with a clean slate, inspiring you to add whatever message you’d like. Write the name of your club or sports team on the 2024 Glass Ornament to celebrate a year well done. Personalize the On Mountain Time Glass Ornament for your aunts, uncles, and cousins to remember your annual family reunion vacation. With a wide range of designs available, the sky is the limit.  

                      Whom Should You Personalize Gifts For

                      When you have a new neighbor on the block or want to help celebrate a family member, sweet, personalized gifts never fail. Add personalization, custom message, or a name to anything, from serving trays to ornaments, and bring a smile to their faces with each present. Some of our most appreciative recipients include: 

                      • Parents
                      • Friends
                      • Partners
                      • Party guests
                      • Kids
                      • Neighbors
                      • Coworkers
                      • Teachers
                      • Relatives

                      How Coton Colors Personalization Works

                      After you land on a lovely message and a beautiful product, having it personalized with your name, dates, and inside jokes is simple with the affordable addition of five dollars. When you go to select the item, you will know if the item is available to be personalized if a series of Personalization Option buttons are presented on the product page. 

                      Once you click your preferred option, a text box will pop up, allowing you to add your personalization with up to three lines of text and a 30-character limit. Choose an ink color and add it to your cart. Check out our personalization guide for a complete overview of all fonts, techniques, and colors available for your messages.

                      When you choose a Coton Colors personalized product, know that every style is done by hand, making each item one-of-a-kind. From sentimental serving trays in the kitchen to personalized ornaments hung on the tree with care, every personalized gift features your message carefully added by the artists at our in-house fulfillment center in Tallahassee. We love seeing the creative and loving messages you include in your personalized descriptions, and so will your loved ones.

                      Personalized ornaments and other meaningful keepsakes make any gift even better. Whether you're looking for a gift your partner will cherish forever or a way to celebrate the first Christmas with a new baby, we have plenty of options for you to choose from. Consider the ten different personalization options—but don't stop there! Use our unique suggestions as inspiration and make any gift your own. 

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