An 18th birthday is a very important occasion. For some, it’s when they finally become an adult, are able to vote, and look forward to the future, to others it’s a chance to celebrate, drink legally and have plenty of fun, for most it lies somewhere in between. What most people would agree on is that an 18th birthday is one of the most important birthdays in your lifetime. Therefore, an 18th birthday gift really does have to hit the mark.

Traditional 18th birthday gifts include tankards, ornamental keys and bottles of champagne. However, these gifts have been overdone over the years and many now wish to think outside the box and find gifts that will take the birthday girl or boy by surprise. An 18th is a special day, and only happens once in a lifetime, it is therefore important to get a gift that will be remembered for years to come, for all the right reasons.

To get a memorable gift that will last a lifetime, it is important to think about the individual. Gifts that really stand out are ones that are carefully matched to suit the individual’s personal tastes. This shows you have put a great deal of thought into their 18th birthday gifts.

If you know their favourite song, get it framed with an 18th birthday message engraved into the plaque. These gifts are available online for very reasonable prices. It shows you know the birthday boy or girl and is original and unique, they are sure to never receive another like it.

Another great idea is to take a traditional style 18th birthday gifts and add a twist. For example, it is common to buy champagne for an 18th. However, you could put a twist on this gift by getting an engraved glass and spirit set. Simply pick their favourite spirit, there are gift sets featuring Gin, Whisky, Vodka, Brandy, Jack Daniels and more.

Instead of an engraved locket or necklace, put a modern and fun twist on this gift by getting an engraved last Rolo gift. You can get these in Gold, Silver or even Pink! This comes in a gorgeous presentation box and is bound to be treasured by its owner.

If the birthday boy or girl is expecting a big wad of money for their birthday, treat them to a silver plated engraved money clip. This unusual but practical gift is bound to go down well and will hopefully have many uses for years to come! 18th birthday gifts that are practical as well as touching make great presents.

Instead of a special pen, which is a common gift, jazz it up by instead buying an engraved pen holder and stand. This makes a brilliant gift, particularly for those who are just starting out their working life in an office, or who are perhaps preparing to go to University.

At 18 many people are full of an insatiable desire for fun and adventure. Many people already have almost every material item you could think to get them and so you need to go that extra bit further to find a particularly memorable gift. Gift experiences provide an answer to this solution. Rather than buying a gift that may end up sat gathering dust in a cupboard, get them an experience they can never ever forget.

The best thing about experience days is that there really is something for everyone. Everyone has dreams, things that they have always wanted to do, and you can help this come true. There are many classic experience days available such as pamper days, driving a Ferrari or bungee jumping.

However over the past few years, experience days have diversified and there is now almost every experience you can think of, and more! If you want to buy an exciting adrenalin filled experience day for an utter daredevil, there are many options for you.

Indoor skydiving is a popular gift, you can drive a JCB, go ice climbing, have a spy day, micro lighting experiences and much more. You could get them 18th birthday gifts that develop their existing skills, a Soccer Skills training day is an extremely popular gift, or give them a chance to learn something new for example, by getting them surfing lessons. There is a wealth of luxury experiences available, these range from pampering days at luxury spas to lunch for two in Paris.

An 18th birthday should be magical, and you can help make it out of this world with an original and exciting gift. Steer clear of the conventional, find 18th birthday gifts with twists on traditional gifts, look for funky gifts they will have never seen before, or try an experience day for 18th birthday gifts they will always remember.