Remember the days when we waited for Christmas for a new dress, a book we couldn’t wait to read, or a new bike? Yeah, that was a loooong time ago. These days, we tend to buy these things for ourselves, any time of the year. Which is great, but it can mean that choosing gifts for others — who also think nothing of buying themselves a new bottle of perfume when they need it — a little more difficult.

With that in mind, we came up with five super-sweet ideas for friends and family that you can’t buy from a shop. They’re heartfelt, meaningful and most importantly, not a gift voucher for iTunes.

1. Memory jar. ‘Tis a truth universally acknowledged that grandfathers are hard to buy for. Once you’ve exhausted the usual suspects (his favourite bottle of whisky, the latest Peter Fitzsimons book, the box set of The Sopranos) give him something he’ll really treasure: a memory jar. Ask your kids to write down their three favourite memories of Pop, roll them up and place in a clean, clear glass jar. Also works for grandmas, mums, dads and anyone else with a heart.

2. A handwritten note. What’s your husband’s favourite song? How about your sister’s favourite poem, the one you read at her wedding? What’s that movie line your best friend loves? Most of us have a sentence, lyric or poem that holds special meaning, so why not find out what it is and, in your own handwriting, write it out and frame it.

3. Things I learned from Mum. Our mums— and dads (and siblings and aunts and uncles and grandpas and grandmas) — teach us so much, all throughout our lives. From learning to sleep through the night to tying your shoelaces to choosing good friends to making the best ever roast dinner, we’re grateful to our mums for so, so much. So make a little book of the most important lessons she’s taught you, and fill it with photos of the two of you (or, if you’re artistically blessed, illustrations!).

4. A favourite recipe. Are you famous for your chocolate chip cookies? Firstly, who are you and where can we find these cookies? Second, your talent for biscuit-making can totally be turned into a gift. Write down the recipe you’re famed for, along with a beautiful shot of the finished product, and wrap it all up with a box of the cookies (or brownies, or chocolate cake) themselves.

5. Customised coasters. The next time your family comes over for dinner, make personalised coasters for everyone. Write down three things you love about each person, and watch their smiles grow as they take their places. Simple, but they’ll love it.

6. A poem or song in another language. Does your partner speak Spanish? Is your grandma from Sweden? Did your aunt do an exchange year in Japan? If someone in your family speaks another language, why not honour their culture with a poem or song handwritten in that language? A professional calligrapher makes the job extra-special, but you can do it by yourself, of course.