Let's face it. No one wants an unexciting, run-of-the-mill "plain Jane" gift. Vouchers, perfume, iPods, cash, handbags, and so on, are seriously the pit of pits. Sure, these kinds of things will be valued at the time, but they'll quickly be forgotten because - in a word - they're boring. Don't be surprised to see that black leather handbag or bottle of Calvin Klein perfume sitting on display in Cancer Research a few days later.

Anyone can go to Smiths or their local garage and buy a box of chocolates. NEWS FLASH: this gift will only last a moment. If you want your present to stand out from the crowd, unique unusual gifts are the way to go, peeps.

"Yeah, but what is unusual? What are unusual anniversary gifts... unusual Christening gifts... unusual Valentines gifts... unusual Xmas gifts... blah, blah, blah-de-blah?" I hear you holler.

Well, folks, before I go on a rant about unique presents... unusual presents, whatever you want to call them, let's define the word. According to the dictionary, "unusual" means: "not usual, common, or ordinary; uncommon in amount or degree; exceptional..."In essence, this means being different from the status quo and thinking a little outside of the box.

In my opinion, "unusual" is simply about "personalising" your gift a little, then - BOOM - you'll be a superstar in your recipient's eyes. And why? Because, chaps, you're making him or her feel uber special. Still scratching your head? Here are a few gift ideas which will hopefully explain what I'm going on about...

Gifts for Nostalgic Folks

Buy old newspapers. By that, I don't mean getting Grandad or Aunty Doreen the Daily Mail or The Times from your local newsagent. I'm talking extremely old and rare newspapers, dating back to the early 19th Century. Otherwise known as personalised Birthday newspapers or date of birth newspapers, these gifts can be personalised with ANY DATE, so your Mum, sister, or whoever it might be, can read all about the top stories and news, as reported at the time, from a special moment in their life. These old newspapers also come in the form of decade books, which contain 100 stories - including sports events, politics and more - carefully reproduced from the Daily Mirror to give the special person in question a real insight into a selected period.

Gifts for Sentimental Souls

Whether you're seeking romantic gifts for her, him, or just looking for something a little exotic for someone special, engraved personalised gifts make a great choice; you can get things like crystal flutes and engraved silver gifts such as engraved trinket boxes, which are beautifully etched with your recipient's name.

Gifts for Animal Lovers

Of course, you could get 'em a cuddly toy or a David Attenborough DVD. But why not opt for something a little out there? Go for an adopt an animal gift - the perfect pressie for any animal lover! Now they can do their bit for the animal kingdom and adopt anything from penguins and dolphins to tigers and orang-utans.

You can also get hold of personalised jigsaw gifts featuring real-life photos of all kinds of furry friends, with their name or your message embedded in the puzzle.

Gifts for Sports Fanatics

Okay, whether Grandad Frank's into footie or your best friend's into golf, there are shed loads of personalised football presents, not to mention golf, cricket, rugby and golf gifts on hand to put a smile on any sports lover's face. You can now create personalised football commentaries featuring them as the star. From Chelsea football books and Celtic T-Shirts to horse racing books and golf gift experiences, there's no end to unusual sports gifts!

So...is it really so hard to find unusual gifts and presents? Nuh huh. You've now cracked the dull present problem. Next time you're at a loss for what to get, you know what to do. Don your creative cap and think "personalised" and think "outside the box". Rather than sticking up their nose at your pressie, your recipient's jaw will drop in amazement at your elusive, unusual gift.