Gift IdeasEid gift ideas
On Eid, elders give Eidi, usually money, to children and younger relatives, and families exchange sweets and gifts when they visit one another.
A box of their favourite sweets
Find out the exact shop and the exact sweet. Precision is the gift.
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 piggy bank with a first deposit inside
An old-fashioned gift that starts a habit.
New notes in an envelope (Eidi)
Crisp notes for the children of the family.
A pack of dry fruits
Keeps for weeks, suits every age, and nobody has to guess a size.
A building block or construction set
Check the age on the box. Small parts are not for children under three.
A shirt or kurta
Check the size from a shirt in his cupboard, not from memory.
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.
Dates and dry fruits in a decorated box
A traditional gift when visiting on Eid.
A saree, suit piece or dupatta
If you do not know her taste, choose a classic colour and a fabric she already wears.
Perfume or attar
Buy the one they already wear, or go together to choose.
No idea matches these choices. Set one of the boxes back to "Any".
Your shortlist
Choosing a Eid gift
- Crisp new notes in an envelope are the traditional Eidi for children.
- Dates, dry fruits, sweets and sevaiyan are welcome when visiting.
- Clothes, attar and prayer items are common gifts between adults.
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 Eid gift?
Crisp new notes in an envelope are the traditional Eidi for children. Two ideas from this page: "A jar of homemade pickle, jam or laddus" and "A pack of dry fruits".
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.