World Emoji Day: From phone cases to jewellery, these are the gifts to buy

Whichever is your favourite, you’ll find something you love in our guide

Party popper! Dancer! Balloon! (The Independent)

World Emoji Day is observed on 17 July: it’s an annual event that was created by Jeremy Burge, the founder of search engine Emojipedia, in 2014.

Its purpose is to simply celebrate this linguistic art form – 17 July was picked to mark the occasion because that’s the date used on the calendar emoji.

You can join in on the day by using tagging #WorldEmojiDay on your social media posts, and there’s even a World Emoji Day 2021 party hosted on Facebook every year, that has since expanded across Instagram, TikTok and Twitter too.

Whether you want to get something cheap and cheerful for your boss who uses them excessively, or you need an excuse to make the date a more exciting Saturday than usual this year, this is your go-to shopping edit.

We’ve scoured the web to find the fun, playful gifts to treat your emoji-loving friends to, from homewares to jewellery.

Read more:

• 9 best designer phone cases for protecting your device in style
• 8 best phone tripods that help capture your best side
• 8 best instant cameras: Snap and print on the go

Food and drink

For a selection of sweet treats, these nurse and doctor decorated sugar cookies (£22.64, Etsy.com) make a tasty novelty present.

(Etsy)

Handmade to order, it’s available as a box of three, six or 12 and is letterbox-friendly, making it a perfect pick-me-up for friends or family members that are self-isolating.

For adding a playful touch to cocktails and soft drinks, try this zoku emoji outdoor ice cube tray (£9.99, Amazon.co.uk).

(Amazon)

It comes with 10 different emoji faces in a silicone mode so they are easy to dislodge. They are a fun way to embrace the famous yellow faces next time you have a barbecue.

For anyone trying to cut down on their single-use plastics, this emoji water flask (£19.50, Notonthehighstreet.com) is an easy place to start.

Reduce your single-use plastic pollution with this reusable water bottle (Not On The High Street)

The 350ml reusable bottle will keep drinks hot or cold, while out and about, and help reduce the millions of plastic bottles that end up in the UK’s landfills every year.

It can be personalised with a name, and you have 15 emojis to choose from which consist of the water drop with different facial expressions.

Arts and crafts

Decorate your computer, water bottle, bike or suitcase – you name it – with this random emoji sticker pack of 9 (£2.22, Redbubble.com).

(Red Bubble)

They have a matte finish and are water-resistant, but can also be easily removed if you change your mind. Plus, they’re also available in a small, medium or large pack.

We also love this set of big emoji crayons (£7.70, Etsy.com) that will keep kids entertained during the summer holidays.

(Etsy)

Hand-poured using toxic-free wax, each box contains four large crayons embedded with varying facial expressions that can be multicoloured or covered in glitter too.

Get kids exploring their creative side at home with this emoji colouring book (£6.32, Amazon.co.uk).

Colour in emoji scenes to pass the time on a rainy day (Amazon)

It has 50 designs for kids to work their way through, from beach scenes to underwater adventures, and they can use their new emoji crayons to bring them to life.

Fashion and accessories

If you’re looking for a more grown-up gift then these emoji winky eyes gold-plated silver rings by Avilo London (£39, Woldandbadger.com) are perfect.

(Wolf and Badger)

It’s part of a collection inspired by the famous yellow faces from this fine silver jewellery brand based in London.

Made from sterling silver and plated with 18-karat gold, they’re a subtle nod to emojis that will be right at home in your everyday wardrobe.

While not technically fashion, this Gelpop emoji hand sanitiser (£15, Harrods.com) is something we’ll be keeping attached to our keys or handbag at all times.

(Harrods)

It’s a fun way to keep your hands clean and hygienic when out and about, and thanks to the key ring, it won’t get lost at the bottom of jacket pockets.

For something simple that will match with most clothing you already own, you can’t go wrong with this emoji pixel T-shirt (£30, Frenchconnection.com).

(French Connection )

Available in sizes XS to XXL, it features the thumbs up and down symbols in a pixelated design, and is an easy option to throw on with jeans and trainers.

Games, tech and homewares

Keep your iPhone safely protected from bumps and scratches with this starry-eyed shock case (£20, Skinnydiplondon.com).

(Skinny Dip London)

Available for the iPhone 12/12 pro, 12 pro max or the XR/11, it’s lightweight but shockproof, with anti-slip grip edges, bumper corners to protect it from falls and raised edges to keep your screen in perfect nick.

For a family-friendly gift that everyone can enjoy on a rainy day, try this ginger fox emoji game (£7.99, Johnlewis.com)

Get everyone involved with this fun game (John Lewis and Partners)

The goal is to collect a full set of emotions, with devious actions cards designed to thwart your attempts at winning.

This emoji cushion (Prezzy box, £9.99, Prezzybox.com) is a no-brainer buy for any emoji fan.

Show some love with this heart-eyed emoji cushion (Prezzy Box)

Decorated with the heart eyes facial expression, it’ll make a colourful and fun addition to any sofa, bed or armchair.

Voucher codes

For the latest discounts on tech and fashion accessories, try the links below:

• Asos discount codes
• AO discount codes
• Very discount codes

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