Top 10 Alcoholics Anonymous gifts

A.A. gift ideas

It’s wonderful that you’re considering a gift for a friend who goes to A.A. But beware: there are many Alcoholics Anonymous gift ideas that may NOT go down well. For one, being in recovery is a very personal issue, and not everyone wishes to brand themselves as “alcoholic”. Secondly, novelty gifts often just get boxed or put aside. To avoid these mistakes, be sure to consider these three tips when buying a gift related to Alcoholics Anonymous.

1. Keep A.A. references insider – There are dozens of T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, ball caps, etc. which basically ADVERTISE a person’s association with A.A. and past drinking. Instead of buying your friend an alcoholic recovery billboard which directly associates them with 12 step groups, opt for a more subtle and clever version of well known slogans. For example, instead of:

Let go and let God

Let go or get dragged

2. Keep the gift for personal use – Even better, choose a gift for personal or home use rather than for public display. Bumper stickers and clothing may seem practical, but are actually ways that tag us to a specific identity. Who knows if your friend wants this association to be public? So opt for mouse pads, or phone covers, or magnets which can be viewed and experienced personally.

3. Know your friend – In the end, your choice of an Alcoholics Anonymous gift will be based on how well you know her/him. To cater to personal preferences, you might even test the market by asking your friend directly about gift items. Ask: “Hey, friend. What do you think about [gift]? Too personal? Too ironic? Too public? Would you like a gift like that?”

Top 10 AA gifts ideas

1. A.A. medallion to celebrate annual sobriety dates

2. A.A. postage stamps (yes, they exist! See Zazzle [dot] com for more info)

3. Refrigerator magnets with recovery slogans

4. A.A. post cards with personal recovery messages

5. Alcoholics Anonymous keychains

6. AA coffee mugs

7. iPhone or iPad cases with A.A. slogans

8. AA calendars

9. Aprons with A.A. sayings printed on them

10. Alcoholics Anonymous tote bags

About the author

Lee Weber

Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.