A neon sign is a great gift and a risky one, because it is permanent, personal and goes on someone else's wall. Choose a name or something private to the two of you, in Warm White, and you have removed most of the risk.
Order at least 35 days ahead. Your sign is made and delivered in 7 to 12 days with express shipping, or 18 to 25 days with free shipping from when you approve the drawing.
The safe bets
- ✓ Their name. Impossible to get wrong, works in any room, and it is the version people keep for years.
- ✓ A phrase only the two of you understand. Personal, and invisible to their guests.
- ✓ Their business name or logo, if they run something. One of the most appreciated gifts we make.
- ✓ A shape rather than words. Their pet's outline, a mountain, an instrument, a plant.
- ✗ A motivational phrase. The most regretted category, because it says more about the giver than the recipient.
Practical questions to answer first
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Do they own or rent? | Renters need chain or adhesive rather than drilling |
| What is on their walls now? | Tells you the size and the color they would choose |
| How big is the wall you have in mind? | 60 to 90 cm suits most rooms. Bigger if you know the space |
| Do you know how their name is spelled? | Check. It cannot be changed afterwards |
Color, when it is not your wall
Warm White. It sits with any interior, flatters people in photographs, and is the least likely to clash with a room you have not seen recently. Saturated colors are wonderful when you know the room and a gamble when you do not.
Timing and surprises
Your sign is made and delivered in 7 to 12 days with express shipping, or 18 to 25 days with free shipping counted from when you approve the drawing. Large or complex pieces sit at the top of that range. Allow 35 days before the occasion. Under 21 days, ask us before ordering rather than after.
You approve the drawing rather than the recipient, so the surprise is safe. The scaled drawing, exact dimensions and firm price all come to you, free, before anything is made or paid for.
If you are not certain, buy their name. It is the least imaginative answer and the one nobody has ever regretted receiving. Save the clever wording for someone whose walls you know as well as your own, and remember that this is a gift they cannot quietly retire to a drawer.
Frequently asked questions
Is a neon sign a good gift?
Yes, when the wording is personal to the recipient rather than to you. Their name, a phrase only the two of you use, their business name, or a shape they would love are the choices that get kept. Motivational phrases are the most regretted, because the sign is permanent and cannot be quietly put away.
What size should a gift neon sign be?
60 to 90 cm suits most rooms without assuming anything about the wall it will go on. Go larger only if you know the specific space it is destined for.
What color should I choose for someone else?
Warm White. It works with any interior, flatters people in photographs and is the least likely to clash with a room you have not seen recently. Saturated colors are a gamble unless you know the space well.
How far ahead do I need to order a gift?
At least 35 days. Your sign is made and delivered in 7 to 12 days with express shipping, or 18 to 25 days with free shipping counted from when you approve the drawing, not from when you order. Under 21 days, ask us before ordering rather than after, and we will tell you honestly whether it lands.
Will the recipient find out before the gift arrives?
No. You approve the drawing, not them. The scaled proof, dimensions and firm price all come to you, free, before anything is made or paid for.
Can the wording be changed if they do not like it?
No. The tube is bent to those exact letters and bonded to a board cut to their outline, so changing the wording means building a new sign. All the flexibility is at the drawing stage, where revisions are unlimited and free.
We have made neon since 1998, and we still make it ourselves. If something here does not answer your question, ask us.
