Gift IdeasChristmas gift ideas
Christmas gifts are exchanged within the family and among friends, often placed under the tree, and many offices and classes play Secret Santa.
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 jar of homemade pickle, jam or laddus
Label it with the date and what is inside. Homemade food carries your time in it.
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 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 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 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 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 hamper of snacks and tea
Build it yourself in a reusable basket. Choose things the person actually eats.
A phone cover, stand or power bank
Check the phone model first.
Sports gear for their game
A racket grip, a pair of gloves, a jersey of their team.
A wall calendar of family photos
A year of pictures on the wall, one for each month.
Headphones or earphones
Find out whether they prefer wired or wireless, and what they listen on.
No idea matches these choices. Set one of the boxes back to "Any".
Your shortlist
Choosing a Christmas gift
- Homemade cake, cookies and sweets are the traditional gift to neighbours and friends.
- For Secret Santa, stay inside the spending limit the group agreed. Our name drawer can pair everyone fairly.
- Wrap it well. At Christmas the wrapping is half the pleasure.
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.
Questions people ask
What is a good Christmas gift?
Homemade cake, cookies and sweets are the traditional gift to neighbours and friends. Two ideas from this page: "A book you loved" and "A plum cake or homemade sweets".
Is it fine to give money?
In India, money in an envelope is a normal and welcome gift on most family occasions, especially weddings and festivals. Add a line of blessing and your name. See our page on shagun.
Other occasions
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.