Getting Personal

                Now that they're old enough the Gift of being eighteen
            
                18th birthday gifts are probably the trickiest birthday gifts to choose. You need something that's big enough to mark the occasion but still shows you've put some thought into it rather than just splashing the cash. You've also got to pick something that's grown-up enough to be suitable for an 18th birthday, but fun enough that the recipient doesn't feel over the hill.

When somebody turns 18, they gain all sorts of legal powers. As well as being considered an adult by the legal system, they also get the right to vote, marry without permission, open a bank account without a parent's signature, or even do jury service. Of course, for most people, once they've opened their 18th birthday gifts, the celebrations soon turn to another new right: alcohol. 

While you can legally enter a pub aged 14 and have beer or cider bought for you to eat with a meal from the age of 16, the day you turn 18 marks the first time you can legally buy alcohol yourself – though it's very bad form to allow somebody to reach into their pocket for a drink on their own birthday!

Instead of (or as well as) standing a round at the local for the birthday celebrations, you can choose from a range of booze-related 18th birthday gifts. Champagne and whiskey are both popular, but wine is another option, while you could always give gifts that will last - such as shot glasses. You can also choose from a range of creative drinking games, complete with props and other accessories.

If you're looking for 18th birthday Gifts that the recipient will remember forever, it's worth thinking about buying an experience rather than an object. Your imagination is pretty much the only limit here. It doesn't have to be high-adrenaline activities such as paintballing or skydiving: you can opt for more cultural events like theatre trips or even a makeover and fashion shoot.

As an alternative way to pick 18th birthday gifts, you might want to choose something that marks the day they were born. These can include newspapers from the day, which are sure to have some type of memorable event. Not only will the recipient find this an interesting and personal gift, but if you are the parent, it will be a great piece of nostalgia. Then again, you might even see some news you never heard about at the time – after all, you were pretty busy on that particular day!

If you gave someone driving lessons for their 17th birthday – and assuming they paid off – it might be time to take the next step. There are plenty of 18th birthday gifts for car lovers, ranging from model cars to special driving experiences where they can drive anything from a go-kart to a Lamborghini or even a double-decker bus!

There are all sorts of possible 18th birthday gifts which can be personalised for the lucky boy or girl. You could get them small gifts like a calendar or mug, or splash out on anything from a bottle of champagne to naming a star – just like Curly Watts did for Raquel in Coronation Street. If that's not enough, you can even buy a plot of land on the moon!

If you're buying for a sports lover, you shouldn't have much trouble picking 18th birthday gifts. Whatever their favourite game, you can choose anything from hands-on experiences to personalised keepsakes to novelty items. A good idea for football fans is a book with old newspaper articles about their favourite side. These days you can get them for dozens of different teams, so you don't have to worry if the person you are buying for supports a team which hasn't always been bathed in glory!

For truly personalised 18th birthday gifts, you should think about something which incorporates a photo. If you're feeling kind, pick a recent picture showing the recipient as a mature adult; if you're feeling a little meaner, find the most embarrassing childhood photo that they'd tried to forget. Such gifts are no longer limited to mugs and t-shirt: you can now get everything from sunglasses cases to Hollywood director-style chairs with any photograph you like printed on them.

If you're still stuck for original ideas, or are looking for cheaper 18th birthday gifts which are the equivalent of a stocking-filler, don't forget there are plenty of gifts which are either useful or fun, practical or cute, serious or just plain silly.