Your 18th birthday is a big occasion – you’re officially taking your first steps into official adult life, with your whole future opening up ahead of you. So when it comes to 18th birthday gifts, you’d better nail it. Luckily, we’re here to help with some nifty options for 18th birthday present ideas for him and for her, as well as some quirky unusual gift ideas.
18th birthday gifts for him
Boys can be tricky to buy for, but we’ve made 18th birthday gift ideas easier than ever with our guide of suggestions. Somewhere between ‘oh, he’ll love that!’ and ‘that’s actually useful’ is where we’re pitching this. So whether it’s your son’s 18th birthday or just your best mate who’s reaching adulthood, pick the perfect 18th birthday present from one of our ideas.
A watch
A watch is a traditional coming-of-age 18th birthday gift, but a classic is a classic for a reason. If you’re buying 18th birthday presents for your son, then the idea is to give him a timepiece that he can treasure and look after for a long time to come, but if you want to be a bit more modern, then smart devices like an Apple Watch or a Samsung Galaxy Watch make great 18th birthday gifts.
A six-pack of beer and a personalised glass
Turning 18 means he can officially enjoy his first legal beer – whether or not it’s actually his first sip is beside the point. Make it even more special with a personalised beer glass, etched with his name and birthday, and couple it with a good quality beer. That means no Fosters here, thank you.
Why not order a six-pack of Patchwork Rocket Pale Ale from thortful, available to order with an 18th birthday card for him? This brilliant pale ale features melon, peach and pine flavours that he’s sure to enjoy – might as well start him off on the good stuff.
Image credit: Firebrand
Tile Pro
Standard 18th birthday presents might include a shiny new phone, a new laptop, a camera – whatever piece of tech the birthday boy is into. They’re all impressive presents, and definitely worthy 18th birthday gift ideas, but we’re proposing something that will perfectly complement these gadgets: a Tile Pro object finder.
If you’re looking for 18th birthday present ideas that they’ll actually use, then this is bound to come in handy. Whether the birthday boy is heading off to uni, going travelling, or just prone to losing things, tag one of these little Bluetooth keyrings on his possessions and then when he inevitably say ‘have you seen my [important thing]?’ you can smugly point them to the Tile app to track down the location.
Whisky
They say ‘that’ll put hairs on your chest’, so depending on how much chest hair he’s actually got by the age of 18, a bottle of whisky might be a very appropriate 18th birthday gift. And goodness, look at that, you can order a top-quality James Eadie bottle of whisky at the same time you order his 18th birthday card, right here on thortful. Beautifully boxed, it makes a perfect 18th birthday present, based on the brewer’s great-great-grandfather’s recipe.
Signed football shirt
Does he have a season ticket and go out of his way to attend pretty much every match? Don’t just get him some basic football memorabilia; this is his 18th after all. You need to really impress him, and we’ve got just the idea for you. A signed shirt from one of his favourite players is bound to make his day, and land you in his good books too. But do you know what would make this present even better? If you could somehow manage to get it signed by the entire team! He’ll be the envy of all his mates now.
18th birthday gifts for girls
Turning 18 is a big deal – so make sure the birthday girl feels extra special with one of these considerate pressies. From personalised 18th birthday gift ideas to simple and classic ideas like flowers or champagne, we’ve got plenty of ideas to make her big day even more memorable.
A bottle of something sparkly
A bottle of bubbly makes a perfect 18th birthday gift for a girl, but it’s nicest to make sure her first legal sip of bubbles is the best quality. Forget the £8 Prosecco from Tesco, and order her a bottle of Nyetimber’s classic cuvee alongside a brilliant 18th birthday card for her. Beautifully boxed, this is an award-winning sparkling wine, and Nyetimber are world-renowned for their incredible wines. So skip the standard bottle of Moet you can get in any supermarket – this special bottle makes a great 18th birthday present idea.
Personalised necklace and matching jewellery case
Personalised jewellery like necklaces, bracelets or rings make classic 18th birthday present ideas. Sweet suggestions would be to pick a name necklace or maybe a locket with her star sign or constellation engraved, like this pretty pendant from Prezzybox.
Whatever you choose, take your gifting to the next level, and couple the personalised necklace with a matching jewellery case, engraved with her name or a sweet 18th birthday message from you. Now she’s 18, she’ll be able to head off on holidays with her mates, so the jewellery case will be perfect for storing her favourite accessories and keeping them safe during her travels.
Flowers
Flowers always make a lovely present for her, and obviously pretty bouquets make great 18th birthday gifts. Make things easier for yourself and fnd the perfect bouquet with flower delivery from thortful to go along with any hilarious 18th birthday card.
Polaroid camera
18 is a big birthday which deserves a big present. So, while she officially enters the world of adulthood, why not send her on her way with a polaroid camera. This way she can capture all the special moments she’s going to encounter, whether that be holidays abroad, parties or other pivotal moments yet to come. Plus, she can put all the photos in either a scrapbook or a wall collage.
Spa day
If you know that she enjoys being pampered, treat her to a spa day for her 18th birthday. There’s nothing better than being doted on by a professional and having a full day of self-care in a luxury spa. Not only that, but this will mean she’s completely relaxed and ready to go out celebrating with friends later.
Unusual 18th birthday gift ideas
Looking for something a little bit unique? We’ve got some unusual 18th birthday gift ideas that any newly-turned 18 year old would love to get as a present.
Experience day
For something a little bit more out of the ordinary, experience days make unusual 18th birthday gift ideas. You can tailor the gift to the recipient – maybe you know an 18 year old who could use some time smashing plates and destroying glasses in a rage room, or an adrenaline junkie who would love a Fast and Furious racing experience day?
Personalised star of fame
Know a soon-to-be 18 year old who fancies their chance at stardom? Get them started in style with a personalised star of fame – a replica of a tile on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. They’ll get a neat framed replica with their name, a certificate, and their name added to the ‘Star of Fame’ database. Okay, so it’s not actually a spot on the real Walk of Fame, but it’s still a neat and unusual 18th birthday gift.
Image credit: Prezzybox
Cake in a card
Can’t be at the big birthday bash? Make sure they still know you care with this quirky gift. Pick the perfect 18th birthday card, and truly rise to the occasion with one of our cake cards. The package fits through a letterbox, and contains a delicious cake mix – complete with a candle. Just mix in a mug and cook in the microwave (which means it’s perfect for soon-to-be uni students who maybe aren’t so hot on the cooking front).
Tickets to see a musical
Another unusual 18th birthday present suggestion from us are tickets to see their favourite musical. This is perfect for the sort of soon-to-be 18 year old who you always find roaming about the house humming along (or maybe singing very loudly) to their favourite stage songs.
Personalised Love Island water bottle
Do they look forward to summer because they know Love Island’s coming? Well, if they’re always ready and in front of the TV every night at 9pm, then a personalised Love Island water bottle sounds like it will probably turn their head. Take this further and really impress them by adding one of our Love Island cards too!
Best 18th birthday cards from thortful
Looking for a funny 18th birthday card for your favourite almost adult? We’ve got you covered. From snarky ‘good luck on adulting’ vibes to heartfelt birthday wishes, there’s guaranteed to be a perfect card – and with next day delivery, even if you’ve left it a bit late you can still impress with a thoughtful card. Shop our range of birthday cards, or check out some of our favourite picks:
Wondering what to write in said card? Check out our guide on what to write in a birthday card, or plan ahead for other special occasions and birthdays. For funny, cute, and creative ideas, head to the thortful blog for tons more inspiration.
