Gifting etiquette in India

A gift is a small act of respect. The manners around it are simple, and most of them come down to thinking about the other person's comfort.

Giving

Remove the price tag. Keep the bill, and offer an exchange slip for clothes and appliances.
Wrap it, even simply. A wrapped gift shows time spent.
Give with the right hand or with both hands.
Do not announce what it cost, and do not ask later whether they used it.
When visiting a home, bring something small: sweets, fruit or a plant. Arriving with empty hands is considered poor form in most Indian families.

Receiving

Thank the giver at once, whatever is inside.
In many Indian homes gifts are put aside and opened after the guests leave, so that nobody's gift is compared with another's. If the giver asks you to open it, do.
Send a message of thanks afterwards that names the gift.
Keep a note of who gave what at big functions. You will want it when their turn comes.

Things some families prefer not to receive

These are beliefs, not rules, and many people do not hold them. When you are unsure of a family's views, it costs nothing to avoid them.

Knives, scissors and other sharp things: said to "cut" the relationship.
Handkerchiefs: linked with tears.
Black items for weddings and other auspicious occasions.
An empty wallet or purse: put a coin or a note inside before giving it.
Leather goods for families who avoid leather on religious grounds.
Alcohol unless you are certain it is welcome.
Clocks and watches: avoided by some as a sign of time running out.

Regifting

Passing on a gift you cannot use is sensible, on four conditions: it is new and unopened, the wrapping and any card are replaced, it suits the new person, and it goes to a different circle from the one it came from.

Group gifts

One person collects the money and keeps a list. Name a suggested amount but let people give less quietly.
Buy one good thing the person wants, not several small ones.
Put every contributor's name on the card, in alphabetical order.

At work

Keep gifts modest and neutral. Many employers have rules on gifts from vendors and clients: check yours.
Give to the team, or to no one. Selective gifts in an office are noticed.