Mugs are great gift ideas for anyone who drinks coffee or tea (and that’s basically everyone.)
These mugs that are designed by members of the Artisan Shopping Directory are unique and made-to-order, and I’ll give you some ideas of things to fill them with to make them more personalized.
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Hand-thrown ceramic mugs.
For a truly individual gift mug, go with a handmade ceramic coffee cup from Hester’s Studio. The selection in the mugs section changes as the designs change, so check them out and get them while you can!
These should be filled with a bag of loose-leaf tea, a tea strainer, and a little jar of honey to sweeten it.
Modern and feminine geometric mug.
This pretty modern mug
from Motor City Design Works features a slanted shape and a peach-colored geometric design. Perfect for a woman’s birthday, you could make this into a spa gift by filling this with things like nail polish, emery boards, hand cream, and natural lip balm from Botany Barn.
Custom hot chocolate lover gift mug.
This customizable mug is perfect for a hot chocolate lover. It comes from Krista Custom Shop and is insulated stainless steel, so it will keep a hot drink hot.
Fill this one with a couple of packets of hot chocolate mix and a bag of mini marshmallows. Add a peppermint stick to stir it and give it a minty upgrade.
Mug gift for golfers.
Golf tees, a ball marker, a divot tool, and golf balls would make a good collection of golfer accessories to put inside this mug from Word Sass Designs on Etsy.
Custom photo mug.
This custom photo mug from Mop Top UK is the perfect gift for grandparents or parents. You could fill this mug with things like an eyeglasses chain from KalxDesigns if the recipient uses reading glasses, drawings from the kids, and a gift card to a favorite coffee shop. (Click here to see more gifts for new grandparents.)
Lucky green mug.
This green mug from the Gilded Strumpet even says that it’s your lucky mug! It’s a good one to use to for an Irish coffee…Fill this with a small bag of instant coffee, sugar cubes, and a mini bottle of Irish whiskey so that the recipient can DIY it (whipped cream optional.)
Tech issues mug gift.
This mug from Purple Martin By Viv is perfect for anyone who either works in tech, or who’s technically challenged. I would put a wireless mouse in this one with some extra batteries, and maybe some chocolate to eat the next time your computer does something to make you think it hates you.
Crazy cat lady gift mugs.
If you’re a crazy cat lady, you take it as a compliment. This mug from Crazy Cats And Coffee could probably be filled with cat toys and treats, and the crazy cat lady who you give it to would love it. Maybe throw in some looseleaf tea if you want to, but she’ll probably be disappointed that it isn’t catnip for her cats. (Click here for more gifts for pet owners.)
Snow hater mug gift.
This mug from Motor City Design Works sums up my own sentiments. For someone who would prefer to be anywhere other than in the cold, fill this mug with disposable hand warmer packs, a can of car lock de-icer, and an outdoor thermometer that they can hang outside to check the weather.
Camper mug gift.
This insulated mug from Krista Custom Shop comes with your choice of a variety of camper shapes, so you can customize it for whichever camper you want to. Put some trail-ready things in this one, including granola bars and a pair of socks for hiking. Or you can put some S’mores ingredients in for the next time they’re around a campfire.
To see the full Artisan Shopping Directory sections, including signups for discounts, click here.
Vintage mugs for an eco-friendly gift.
If you have a friend who’s eco-conscious, giving them a vintage mug from the Vintage Daisy Vault is a good way to be environmentally friendly and give a unique gift at the same time. Reusing and recycling fit a zero-waste lifestyle, so for these I would suggest adding something else that’s vintage, like a nice piece of vintage jewelry!
Personalized profession mugs.
Word Sass Designs has a large range of mugs for different professions, and they can be personalized with your name. For someone with a stressful job you could give them a calming experience by putting in a flavored herbal teabag, a honey stirrer stick, and a snack-sized package of cookies.
Personalized girly mug gift for women.
This cute girly mug from Mop Top UK can be personalized with a name, and would be good for a little girl or a grown woman who wants to embrace her softer side. For this one you could do the cake-in-a-cup by putting ingredients for a mini cake in (here’s one recipe) and letting the gift recipient add their own milk to finish it off. Make sure to add the recipe so that they know how to make it!
Artist mug.
This mug from the Gilded Strumpet would be another good gift for a kid who likes to draw and be creative. Fill it with colored pencils or pens, glue and scissors, pastels, paintbrushes and paints, or modeling clay.
A set of vintage mugs.
If you want to be really generous, you can get someone an entire set of vintage mugs, like these from Ag’s Vintage Cove. Fill them with an assortment of Christmas candy if it’s for a holiday present. If it’s a birthday gift, you could get an assortment of flavored teas and put 5 bags in each cup with packets of sugar to make a tea sampler that will last for a whole month.
To see gifts for guys who are turning 21, click here.
Yam mug gift for cooks or vegetarians.
This veggie mug from Purple Martin By Viv would be good for anyone who deals with food, or for a vegetarian who appreciates a good pun (or even a bad pun.) I would fill this one with some spices and seasonings, or a gourmet soup mix in a bag.
Bees, Cats, Frogs, and Salamander mug.
Crazy Cats And Coffee made this mug design that includes cats, bees, frogs, and salamanders. If you know someone who likes these things (and I actually do) this mug would be a good gift for them. I would fill this one with some tea, honey (for the bees,) and some frog stickers from Robert Phelps Art.
