Gift IdeasGift ideas for every person and occasion
99 gift ideas, each with a short tip. Choose who the gift is for, the occasion and how much you want to spend, and save the ones you like to a shortlist. No prices, no brands, nothing to buy here.
A handwritten letter
Say three specific things you are grateful for. It is kept longer than any object.
A framed photograph of the two of you
Choose a photo they have not seen for years. Print it larger than you think.
A box of their favourite sweets
Find out the exact shop and the exact sweet. Precision is the gift.
A potted plant
Pick a hardy one that survives missed waterings: money plant, snake plant or jade.
A bunch of fresh flowers
Ask the florist what came in today. Fresh and simple beats large and tired.
A good pen
For someone who still writes by hand. Have the name engraved if the shop offers it.
A bar of fine chocolate or a small chocolate box
A safe choice when you do not know someone well.
A book you loved
Write a line on the first page saying why you chose it for them.
A set of diyas or scented candles
Hand-painted clay diyas suit the season and support a local potter.
A jar of homemade pickle, jam or laddus
Label it with the date and what is inside. Homemade food carries your time in it.
A photo collage printed as a poster
Collect pictures from friends and family first, then join them in any collage maker and print the result.
A keychain with a name or a small photo
Useful every day and impossible to have too many of.
A storybook or a set of picture books
Ask the bookseller for the right reading age. Write the child's name and the date inside.
Crayons, paints and a drawing book
Add a large roll of plain paper. Children run out of paper before colours.
A piggy bank with a first deposit inside
An old-fashioned gift that starts a habit.
A cooked meal delivered to the house
Ask what day suits them and bring it in containers that need not be returned.
Breakfast in bed and a day without chores
Costs nothing and is remembered. Do the dishes too.
A desk organiser or good notebook
Neutral, useful and right for the office.
A desk plant in a ceramic pot
Something alive on the desk. Choose one that needs little light.
A mug with a line only your team understands
Inside jokes make the best farewell gifts.
A book of messages from everyone
Pass a notebook around quietly, or collect messages on the phone and print them.
A rakhi with sweets and a small gift
For brothers far away, post it two weeks early.
A playlist of songs that mean something to you both
Write a line about each song. Share it on the day.
A scrapbook of your time together
Tickets, photos, notes. It takes evenings to make and is never thrown away.
A meal you cook yourself
Their favourite dish, a set table, phones away.
A jar of notes
Fifty small slips, each with a memory or a reason you are glad of them.
A hand-knitted or hand-stitched item
A scarf, a cushion cover, an embroidered handkerchief.
A homemade cake or batch of cookies
Bake their favourite flavour and pack it in a tin they can keep.
A hand-painted card
Children's drawings are the best cards a grandparent can receive.
New notes in an envelope (Eidi)
Crisp notes for the children of the family.
A plum cake or homemade sweets
The traditional Christmas gift to neighbours and friends.
A small wrapped gift within the agreed limit
For Secret Santa: something useful, amusing and unisex if you do not know the person.
A tree or fruit sapling
For someone with a garden. Planted on the day, it marks the year.
A good umbrella or raincoat
Unromantic and thanked for every monsoon.
A steel water bottle or lunch box
Sturdy, daily and impossible to dislike.
A doormat, name plate or set of wind chimes
Small things that make a new house feel finished.
A pack of dry fruits
Keeps for weeks, suits every age, and nobody has to guess a size.
A board game for the whole family
Choose one that grandparents and children can play together.
A cricket bat, football or badminton set
Outdoor toys get used the most. Check the right size for the child's age.
A building block or construction set
Check the age on the box. Small parts are not for children under three.
A school bag, bottle or lunch box they chose
Take the child along. Choosing is half the joy.
A soft cotton baby set in a larger size
Buy for six to twelve months. Everyone else brings newborn sizes.
A baby blanket or quilt
Light cotton for a summer baby, a warm one for a winter baby.
A baby memory book
For first photos, footprints and dates. Parents fill it for years.
A shirt or kurta
Check the size from a shirt in his cupboard, not from memory.
A warm shawl or stole
Wool for the north, light cotton or silk for the south.
Reading glasses case, magnifier or reading lamp
Small comforts for someone who reads every day.
A soft cushion, backrest or foot rest for their favourite chair
Comfort gifts are the right gifts for elders.
A large printed family photograph
Get everyone into one picture, print it big and frame it.
A photo album you have filled yourself
Printed photos, with dates and names written underneath, in an album they can hold.
A day out together
A film, lunch and a walk. Put the phone away for the day.
A set of bath towels
Thick, plain and in pairs.
A tea or coffee set
For a home that loves guests.
A wall clock or table lamp
Simple designs suit more homes. Note that some people consider a clock an unlucky gift.
A toolkit for the house
Every new home needs a hammer, a screwdriver set and a measuring tape.
Money in an envelope (shagun)
Welcome on almost every family occasion, and the giver never has to guess a size or a taste. By custom the amount ends in one.
A gift card for a shop they use
Less personal, never wasted. Good when you live far away.
A hamper of snacks and tea
Build it yourself in a reusable basket. Choose things the person actually eats.
A hobby kit
Gardening tools, a painting set, a fishing rod, a set of chess pieces: whatever the next chapter is about.
A subscription to a magazine or newspaper
A gift that arrives again every month.
A phone cover, stand or power bank
Check the phone model first.
A fitness band, skipping rope or yoga mat
Only for someone who has started exercising, never as a hint.
Sports gear for their game
A racket grip, a pair of gloves, a jersey of their team.
A grooming kit
A good razor, trimmer or a set of skin care basics.
A makeup or skin care set
Buy what she already uses. Shades and skin types are personal.
A scarf, tie or pair of cufflinks
Accessories need no size.
Earrings or a bracelet
Easier than a ring, because no size is needed.
Dates and dry fruits in a decorated box
A traditional gift when visiting on Eid.
A donation in their name
To a cause they care about. Give them the receipt in a card.
A fruit basket
Seasonal fruit, well arranged. A good gift for elders and for visits to the unwell.
A wall calendar of family photos
A year of pictures on the wall, one for each month.
A helper for a day
Arrange a cleaner, a cook or a babysitter for a day or a week.
Their old photographs scanned and restored
Collect the family's loose prints, have them copied and give back both the originals and a new album.
A cooking spice box filled with fresh spices
A masala dabba for a new kitchen.
A set of storage jars
A new kitchen never has enough.
A small silver bowl, spoon or anklets
The traditional gift for a newborn in many Indian families.
A saree, suit piece or dupatta
If you do not know her taste, choose a classic colour and a fabric she already wears.
A handbag or wallet
Look at the one in use now, and choose the same style in better quality.
A wrist watch
A classic gift for a milestone: a first job, a wedding, a retirement.
A silver coin
A traditional token of good fortune at Diwali, weddings and the birth of a child.
Perfume or attar
Buy the one they already wear, or go together to choose.
A pair of comfortable walking shoes
Take them along for the fitting. Feet do not forgive guesses.
Dinner at the place they keep mentioning
Book the table, arrange the travel, and pay before the bill arrives.
Tickets to a concert, play or match
For the fan of a band, a team or the theatre. Go with them.
A class or workshop
Pottery, cooking, music, dance, photography: something they said they would try one day.
A spa or salon voucher
For someone who looks after everyone except themselves.
A good pressure cooker, mixer or non-stick pan
Only if they have said they need one. Then buy the best you can.
A dinner set or a set of glasses
Plain white or clear glass fits any home.
Bed linen in plain colours
Check the bed size. Good cotton in a quiet colour is always used.
A brass or silver item for the puja room
A diya, a bell or a small plate. Only when you know the family's faith and practice.
A contribution to their honeymoon or new home
Ask a family member how the couple would like to receive it.
A travel bag or backpack
For someone starting a new job, a new city or a long-planned journey.
Headphones or earphones
Find out whether they prefer wired or wireless, and what they listen on.
A music player or radio
Loaded with old songs, bhajans or ghazals for an elder who finds phones fiddly.
A first-job kit
A formal shirt, a good bag and a notebook for someone starting work.
A piece of gold or silver jewellery
Small and classic, such as earrings, a chain or a ring, is worn more often than large and elaborate.
A pilgrimage or a trip to their home town
Plan every detail: tickets, stay, a companion. For elders, the planning is the gift.
A weekend trip
Choose a place a few hours away. Two calm days are better than a rushed long journey.
A big family gift bought together
A television, a washing machine or a holiday, given by all the children or all the friends as one gift.
No idea matches these choices. Set one of the boxes back to "Any".
Your shortlist
Ideas by person
Ideas by occasion
About the spending levels
This site does not quote prices, because prices change with the city, the shop and the year. Each idea is marked with one of four levels instead:
- Token: A small gesture: the cost of a snack or a few cups of tea.
- Modest: An everyday gift for friends and family.
- Generous: A special gift for someone close or a big occasion.
- Grand: A once-in-years gift, often given by a family together.
Guides
- Shagun: giving moneyThe envelope, the extra rupee and how to decide the amount.
- Gifting etiquetteGiving, receiving, regifting and gifts to avoid.
- Return giftsIdeas for birthdays, weddings, pujas and housewarmings.
- Gift wrappingWrap a box neatly, or wrap without paper at all.
- Gift messagesShort lines to write on a tag or card, to copy.
- Secret Santa name drawerPair everyone for a gift exchange on one phone.
Questions people ask
Why are there no prices?
Prices differ by city, shop and season and go out of date quickly. Each idea has a spending level in words instead, from Token to Grand.
Do you sell these gifts?
No. This site sells nothing and has no shop links. The ideas are suggestions to take to any shop you like.
What is the best gift when I have very little money?
Something made or written by you: a letter, a framed photograph, a meal you cook. Choose "Token" and "Handmade" in the finder.
Is it rude to give money?
Not in India. Money in an envelope, called shagun, is the usual gift at weddings and many family occasions.