Birthday Gifts Ideas
10 Things to Know When Buying Birthday Gifts
1. Their age
You’re going to buy something very different for a 12-year-old than you would for a forty-year-old.
It’s a good idea to keep their age bracket and generational demographics in mind.
2. Their interests
What do they like to talk about over dinner? Is it politics? Sports? Fashion? What are the topics that really get them going?
Figure out what they are, then pick items that feed their interests.
3. The party
A small office gathering and a teen birthday bash are pretty different environments.
Try to picture the situation in which this birthday present is going to be opened.
How do people react? This should help give you a clue as to the sort of item to look for.
4. Your relationship
Is the recipient your child? Spouse? Co-worker? Sibling? Best friend?
The relationship that you have with this person will greatly affect the sort of item that you give them.
For close relationships, go sentimental or personal. For professional relationships, get an office gift rather than a personal one.
5. How they spend their day
Do they rush off to the gym before work or take a van full of kids to school? Can they not make it to the train without their morning coffee?
Thinking about this person’s daily routine will help you figure out what they want or need.
6. What their sizes are
It’s always a good idea to check on someone’s sizes. If you can’t figure out a sneaky way to do it, make your best guess and be sure to get a receipt.
7. What their style is
Are they a hipster or a bro? An intellectual or a jock? Are they more likely to wear a professional suit or dress, or slip into sweats and a t-shirt?
Take a cue from their wardrobe and get them something that fits with their overall aesthetic.
8. Their hobbies
Do they paint? Run? Never miss a game? Supporting people’s hobbies is, very often, the same as supporting their dreams.
Not only are hobby-related gifts safe bets, but they’re also emotionally encouraging.
9. Who they spend time with
Are they always running around with the kids, or do they tend to go out for lunch with their group of friends?
The people that your recipient spends time with can tell you a lot about their lifestyle and desires.
10. Give an experience
Many people these days are trying to declutter their lives. Even a thoughtful item can feel like another item to store to some folks.
An experience gift, though, leaves no physical evidence—just a wonderful memory. Try a lesson in something they have always wanted to learn or an adrenaline rush of any sort.
The Best Birthday Gift Ideas In One Place
What could be more special than a birthday? A day just for one person to celebrate their life with their friends and family.
How can you do that? One way is to select the perfect birthday gifts. The right item can perfectly sum up how you feel, while the wrong birthday gift can feel impersonal and rushed. Don’t risk that happening!
How Much to Spend on Birthday Gifts for a Family Member
How much do you spend on a birthday gift for a family member? A lot of people struggle through the years to figure out what the right amount is.
Of course in a perfect world, you wouldn’t worry about a budget and get your parent, sibling, or cousin anything they want. However, in reality, you have to be more budget-conscious!
While there isn’t a set golden number, there are some pretty good guidelines that can help you out.
1. How close are you to the person?
It might sound a little rude, but you need to be honest and think about how close you are to the family member you are shopping for.
For most people, that may mean that you spend more on your parents and siblings, and less on grandparents and cousins.
However, in some situations, you may not be close to your siblings at all, but very close to your cousins.
Clearly, we recommend spending more on the sibling and less on the cousin in this situation.
It isn’t that you don’t care about your cousin, but rather it is a necessary decision to make in order to not go bankrupt spending the same amount of money on everyone in your family.
2. For children, spend according to their age
The younger the child, the less money you should spend.
Truthfully, social media has changed our mindsets a bit when it comes to shopping for children.
First birthday parties have become major events that families spend a ton of money on, but in reality, the one-year-old isn’t even going to remember the party at all!
We aren’t saying don’t throw a party for a one-year-old, but rather, we recommend putting things in perspective and spending less (10 to 20 dollars) and increasing your budget over time.
3. How large is your family?
This is a major determining factor for how much you should spend!
If you come from a small family and will only need to buy 5 or 6 presents all year, you can clearly spend a little more on each one.
If you have 20 presents you will need to buy, clearly, you should spend less.
We recommend that you make a plan at the beginning of the year and figure out how many birthday presents you will need to purchase.
Come up with a total budget and then divide by how many presents you need.
You can also prioritize certain birthday gifts as we mentioned earlie r- you don’t need to (and shouldn’t) spend the same amount of money on each present.
4. Spend more on major bdays
There are certain exceptions to general guidelines, and that is in the form of major birthdays.
What is major to your family may not be major to another - so keep that in mind as well. Potentially, turning 13, 16, 18, 21, and 30 are all major birthdays.
After that, pretty much every decade birthday is pretty major- as in turning 40, 50, 60, and so on.
However, if your family doesn’t make a big deal out of turning 13 or 16 (for example), don’t spend more on those birthdays!
5. Only spend what you can afford
Especially when it comes to family, they likely at least have some understanding of your financial situation.
For that reason, you really do not need to feel pressured to spend a certain amount.
Stick to a budget that you are comfortable with.
10 Practical Birthday Gift Ideas
1. Desk organizer
Trying to work at a messy desk is one of the hardest things (don’t question us we know it’s true).
A desk organizer is a perfect gift that will help keep anyone’s desk area clean.
Best of all, there are plenty of sleek, well-designed organizers out there that will make the perfect desk accessory in addition to helping keep things in place.
2. Coasters
You may never have used a coaster when you were younger, but the older you get, the more you realize the value of the coaster.
If you are shopping for something for someone who owns their own home and loves hosting parties, a great coaster set is a perfect birthday gift.
Coasters make a great accessory and also help protect your furniture- pretty, and practical!
3. Succulents
If you know someone who doesn’t exactly enjoy getting their hands dirty and isn’t really able to keep plants alive, a succulent (or several succulents) are the perfect gift idea.
These plants are incredibly popular now, and best of all are incredibly low maintenance.
This is the easiest way to add some greenery into a home or apartment without having to invest a lot of time in taking care of them.
4. Throw pillow
You can never have enough throw pillows. Many people limit themselves to just placing them in the living room, but the sky is the limit! Put them in the bedroom, entryway, or even in the kitchen.
Throw pillows are an excellent way to add some flavor to any room in the house without having to undergo a major redesign.
These make excellent practical items, especially if you know someone who has just purchased their first home and is in the process of decorating.
5. Cheese board
Kitchen items that look great but are also practical are the absolute best.
A gorgeous cheese board deserves to be displayed at all times but comes in handy when hosting a party.
Best of all, you don’t just have to serve cheese on it (although what party is complete without cheese?)
Use it for meats, crackers, or other small finger foods.
This is the perfect gift for anyone who loves throwing a good girl's night. Wine and cheese, anyone?
6. Gourmet coffee
You can never go wrong with getting someone coffee or a coffee-related gift, as long as you know that they drink coffee.
For most of us, our coffee supply dwindles incredibly quickly, so a gift of additional beans is always appreciated.
Select a nice gourmet blend, and you have the perfect pick that you know will go to good use (maybe you’ll even get to have a cup!).
7. Yoga accessories
Yoga is one of the most popular workouts at the moment. Great for building muscle, flexibility, balance, and calming down.
Yoga accessories are great for anyone who is already a yogi, or for someone who wants to get started.
You could get a yoga mat for example, or some yoga clothes they can wear to the gym.
Best of all, yoga clothes are so nice these days that you can wear them outside of the gym, too!
8. Umbrella
You might think an umbrella is not a great birthday gift, but you would be wrong! Having a nice, sturdy umbrella is one of the best things.
You might not think about it too much, but come an incredibly rainy day, your friend or family member will be so thankful to have an umbrella that actually works and doesn’t flip upside down in the wind.
This is the perfect present for anyone who lives in a very rainy climate.
9. Cozy/Crazy socks
Remember when you were a kid and getting socks was seen as a “bad gift”? Those days are over!
Now, getting a nice pair of cozy, funny socks is the perfect birthday gift that anyone will enjoy using all winter long.
Perfect for your friends born during the cold winter months, these socks will keep their feet warm and best of all, come in pretty cute designs as well.
10. Chocolate
Finally, one of the most practical birthday gift ideas is food. And more specifically, chocolate. You can’t go wrong with sweets!
If you can’t think of anything else to get someone for their birthday, go find a nice chocolate gift that you know they will enjoy.
Just make sure you don’t eat it all if they offer to share it with you!
