Today I have 13 Unique intern gift ideas to show your thanks. People oftentimes forget about interns and all the hard work they do for you or your company. I know I have taken it for granted a time or two in my life and they should not be taken for granted. After all, they HELP soooo much!
So when an intern is near the end of their internship, it is a nice gesture to get them something meaningful. It doesn’t have to be anything too crazy and it doesn’t even have to be the ultimate perfect gift, but it is a great idea to try and take into account how much they helped you and your company and decide on how much to spend on what they did for you.
Did they bring you your favorite coffee every morning? Did they take excellent messages and notes to ensure you knew exactly who to call back and what it was about? Did they do more things than they were asked because they wanted to help as much as they could? Yes, those are the interns who deserve a thoughtful gift when leaving your company and side.
I mean, really, the intern doesn’t even have to be leaving the company they can just be shown that they are cared for and you are thankful for them anytime.
Of course, you should always show your appreciation to your intern on National Intern Day (which is the last Thursday in July!). So like I said it doesn’t have to be only when they are leaving the company!
It really takes nothing much but a bit of money to show others how much they helped you out. And, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. I know we all don’t have money just sitting around collecting dust, right?
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13 Unique Intern Gift Ideas To Show Your Thanks
So, finding unique intern gift ideas is a great way to show your appreciation and give them a lasting impact. You can even go in and buy a group gift.
I found 13 of my favorite and unique intern gift ideas to show your thanks. Any of them below would make a good gift to give. Let’s get to it!
1. Digital Photo Frame
Help your intern capture and display their favorite memories from their internship with a digital photo frame. It’s a modern twist on the traditional photo frame and a great way for them to cherish their experiences.
A digital frame that I really like is The GPX Wifi Photo Frame. It is a must-have for anyone who wants to show and display their favorite pictures without any hassles. It has 16 GB of memory, allowing you to upload countless photos and videos.
Image Source: GPX Website
It also has built-in stereo speakers so they can relive precious moments, has touchscreen capability for you to manually slideshow through, and even gives you the ability to share with friends and family from around the world!
You can fill their digital frame with pictures of their first day as an intern at your company, and other pictures of them and coworkers to start it off. That way you are not gifting it empty!
A lot of the time, interns are college students or young professionals and we all know they LOVE displaying and sharing their pictures! So by buying them a digital frame, they would be absolutely thrilled!
2. Customized Water Bottle
A personalized water bottle with the intern’s name or a motivational message is a practical and thoughtful gift that they can use every day.
Giving a water bottle as a gift also helps to promote a healthy lifestyle. This is much better than boring coffee mugs! This would make a perfect intern gift for sure!
Here are a few of my favorite water bottles (nope, no Stanley cups!):
*Bling Diamond Thermal Bottle (So fun!)
*Ello Cooper Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Straw and Carry Handle
*Hydro Flask Bottles (the best!)
*Corkcicle Tumbler with Handle And Straw (My TOP pick!)
3. Gift Basket
Put together a gift basket (or purchase one from Gourmet Gift Baskets), filled with their favorite snacks, coffee, or tea is a great parting gift for a wonderful intern!
A gift basket is an excellent choice because it allows you to add a selection of items that you know the intern might like. Items, such as their favorite snacks, coffee, or tea, demonstrate a genuine effort to add a personal touch.
4. Delicious Chocolate Treats
Treat your intern to a selection of delicious chocolate treats! It’s a sweet gesture that will surely brighten their day because who the heck doesn’t LOVE this kind of stuff???
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And since chocolate has the potential to boost your mood and morale, it is a wonderful delicious treat to acknowledge the intern’s hard work and dedication! This kind of gift would definitely give me a positive lasting impression of the people I worked for the company.
5. Custom Keychain
A custom keychain with the company logo or a meaningful symbol is a small but great way to show your appreciation to your intern.
A personalized keychain (maybe with the company logo?) can remind them of where they used to work and the friends that they made!
6. Personalized Notebook or Planner
A personal planner or notebook can make a wonderful gift for your intern. You can even have it personalized (like the key chain or water bottle gift ideas above) to make it more special.
They can stay organized and might be a valuable thing to have as they go off on their own and start a new job. I know I would appreciate a planner for sure!
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7. Inspirational Book
Gift your intern a book that has inspired you and will help them grow both personally and professionally. It’s a meaningful gesture that shows you care about their development.
You can even have the team members and everyone in the office sign the inside or back cover and a little thing about the intern each person liked!
8. Desk Plant
A small desk plant or succulent is a great way to brighten up their workspace and bring a touch of nature indoors. A plant also symbolizes growth, new beginnings, and prosperity.
The plant can serve as a reminder of how much they were appreciated and every time they water it and look at it they will hopefully feel good! I love plants (it is keeping them alive that I am not good at)…
9. Customized Tote Bag
I love this idea SO much only because I am ALWAYS trying to carry too many things at once! I have gotten real good at it but I could definitely use a tote to look more professional and put together!
Buying your intern a customized tote bag would be such a good gift because you know they will use it. Who doesn’t love a strong bag with something sassy written on it??!
10. Personalized Pen Set
A personalized pen set is good for the office intern or the intern still attending college and still has a long way to go. I can’t count how many times I lost my pens and pencils! Having a nice set in your hands would be super helpful.
I also did not have a lot of office supplies so that is something you can weave into this gift too! Personalized pen set and office supplies for the win!
You can personalize them or just put their names on the pens so that if they get lost, they can be given back to the rightful owner of them. Having plenty of pens, pencils, and office supplies is a must for a new intern and very practical items you know they will use daily.
11. Subscription Box (Subscription Service)
Consider gifting your intern a subscription box for 3 months or up to one year! These boxes can be tailored to the intern’s interests, whether it’s for beauty products, snacks, books, or something else they enjoy.
Subscription boxes are the absolute BEST and I love love love receiving them as gifts or just because I deserve them! I have also gifted subscription boxes to loved ones at Christmas time. They are different every month but still will have things you love too.
Subscription Boxes I LOVE:
*Allure Beauty Box (activate 5% cashback using Rakuten)
*Walmart Beauty Box (only $6.99 and that includes shipping!!!) If you subscribe do NOT forget to use Rakuten so you get cashback with your purchase up to 2%!!!
*FabFitFun (Shop through Rakuten and get up to $25 cashback!)
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12. Tech Gadget & Accessories
From stylish phone cases to a portable charger, there are plenty of tech accessories that make for great intern gifts and show your appreciation for all of their hard work.
I have done this before, got some geeky things for a techy person, and they absolutely loved them! And, a better way to gift them is by putting them inside a cable technology organizer box (like this one) and they appreciated it so much. These are all functional items that you know your intern could use. You can even throw in some candy.
13. Experience Gift: Intern Gift Ideas
Last but not least you can give your intern an experience gift instead of an actual physical gift. These are the best gifts to receive, in my opinion, when you really know the person and know what it is they enjoy doing during their free time away from work.
There are a TON of experience gifts out there from a cooking class, or online course they have been talking about, to going horseback riding in the wilderness with a guide, there are SO many fun valuable experience gifts to choose from.
I know finding the right gift can be hard but hopefully, my list above gave you a few extra meaningful gifts to give your amazing intern.
Don’t forget to also write an actual letter to your intern and have everyone sign it. Letters have always melted my heart! It has to be handwritten though, not typed out 🙂
Whether your intern worked full-time or part-time, if they were a good intern then you should celebrate them that is just best practice. The same goes with long-time employees who leave the company or retire. Always celebrate and thank them.
What Intern Gift Ideas would you add to my list? If you have a suggestion, then please leave me a comment below! I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!
Giveaway Time! Yay!
One lucky person is going to win The GPX Wifi Photo Frame! ARV $99.99!
Rules
The contest is open to US residents aged 18+. The giveaway will end on March 24, 2024, at 11:59 PM MT. I am not responsible for lost or stolen mail.