Giving gifts to people you love or care for is a true pleasure. Watching the happiness, expectation, joy and surprise as someone opens a gift is a uniquely wonderful experience.
There are many times of the year in which gift-giving is done and we want to highlight some of these. Remember, though, that you can give a gift to someone at any time. Gifting is a way to show your love and/or appreciation; to tell someone how much they mean to you.
Of course, there are some gift-giving days which are extremely well know, however, there may be others you haven’t thought of. If you’ve been wondering when to give gifts, please enjoy our list.
Christmas Day
Celebrated in the USA and widely around the world, Christmas is probably the biggest gifting day of the year. Christmas gifts are a traditional way of celebrating this holiday and bringing joy to family and friends.
Whilst many people give Christmas gifts on the 25th December, some cultures do it a little differently. Various European countries including Denmark, Sweden and Germany, and Latin American countries such as Argentina and Brazil typically give gifts on the 24th December.
Mother’s Day
Giving Mother’s Day gifts is a great way to show your mom (or the mother of your children) how important she is to you. Furthermore, getting a wonderful gift for Mom can be equalled by giving her plenty of hugs, kisses and love. Of course, making her breakfast in bed won’t go astray. Mother’s Day cherishes mothers and motherhood and how important they are to us.
The modern Mother’s Day is typically celebrated on the second Sunday in May. It originated in the USA but has spread to be a popular day around the world. Learn more about how it began in our Mother’s Day article. The other date for celebrating mothers is Mothering Sunday which happens on the fourth Sunday in Lent.
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is seen as a special opportunity to show your love and affection towards your partner. Whilst they surely deserve appreciation 365 days a year, a Valentines gift for wife or girlfriend is a lovely way to express it.
Valentine’s Day is typically enjoyed on the 14th February. And when people give a Valentine’s Day present, it is often done over a dinner date.
Date Night
Of course, Valentines Day is not (and should not be) the only time to have a date night. Date nights are popular all year round. Whether eating out, catching a movie or something more romantic, a “date” is one of the main ways for getting to know someone better. Presenting a gift for your girlfriend, wife or love interest during a date can create a big impression and make her feel special.
Romantic Gifts
Offering a romantic gift is perfect for someone you love, or even someone you are hopeful about. Giving them something that will make them feel relaxed, sensual and special is a great idea.
Anniversary
Anniversaries are important recognitions of personal history. An anniversary gift for wife or girlfriend shows your remembrance of that date and its significance to you. It can simply be a lovely gift that she’ll love, or a special reminder of your shared history.
Birthdays
A birthday is, in effect, another form of anniversary, though a type of which everyone on the planet has. Birthdays are a great chance to celebrate the life of a person, whether wife, mother, daughter or friend. Try our scented candles if you are looking for some great birthday gift ideas for her this year.
Weddings
A wedding can be anything from an intimate gathering of close family and friends all the way to a huge party. Whatever the scale, a wedding is all about the coming together of two people and the blending of their worlds.
Similarly, wedding gifts can range from smaller individual gifts through to larger items for the combined couple. There is a large scope for purchasing a wedding gift, although they typically bias towards homeware items.
There are also other chances to give gifts when it comes to weddings. It has become tradition to give bridesmaids gifts to thank those helping the bride through her big day. It is also common (some might say, wise) to present a mother-of-the-bride gift from the groom.
Engagement
Similar to weddings, engagements are a popular event at which to give a gift. Engagements gifts also tend towards homewares, though not on the same scale as wedding gifts.
Bridal Shower
Another opportunity for gifting on the wedding event calendar. A bridal shower is traditionally a girls-only event. Attending friends and family get the chance to “shower” the prospective bride with gifts and advice prior to marriage.
As a smaller style event (and female-only), the bias is towards “gifts for her” compared to wedding or engagement gifts.
Baby Shower
Many baby shower gifts tend to singularly focus on the baby and new moms can feel forgotten. It’s a nice idea is to give a gift for the mother as well. A home with a newborn can be a very tiring and stressful place and a relaxation gift can work well.
Friends Gift
Do you have a girlfriend who you just want to show your appreciation for? Maybe they’ve helped you out with something or they’re having a bit of a hard time at the moment. A friendship gift for her can be a beautiful way to maintain that unique connection between each other.
Halloween
Whilst not the most common gift-giving day on the calendar, for some it is a fun opportunity. Halloween gifts tend to be a little more biased towards the silly or spooky, but either way, it’s fun.
Halloween is celebrated on the 31st October, notably in the USA but also in numerous other countries around the world.
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day on 8th March is a recognition of women’s accomplishments, influence and impact on our society. Whilst it is not a traditional gifting day, it can be an opportunity to purchase gifts for women who have specifically made an impact on you.
Appreciation Days
There are many different types of appreciations days currently on the calendar. These days are created to recognize the hard work and input from people in various vocations.
By way of example, some popular appreciation days for 2024 are;
- Employee Appreciation Day – 7th March
- Doctor’s Day – 30th March
- Administrative Professionals Day – 24th April
- Nurses Day – 6th May
- Teacher Appreciation Week – 6th - 10th May
- Accounting Day – 10th November
- Veteran’s Day – 11th November
This is just a small sample of all the appreciation days currently out there. If you feel someone deserves your appreciation, look for the appropriate appreciation day or just buy them a gift regardless. You can’t go wrong saying “thank you”.
International Gratitude Day
Speaking of “thank you”, the International Gratitude Day, or Thank-You Day is celebrated on 11th January. It was started as a reminder to thank those around us who have made a positive impact on our lives. Whilst it is always important to thank those who have helped in some way, a gift may be appropriate for those you feel are especially worthy. If you have a female friend who you are thankful for, buy a gift for her.
Housewarming
Do you have a friend or family member who has just moved into a new house or apartment? A housewarming gift is a nice way to wish them the best in their new abode. Something small is generally the best type of gift unless they are young enough to need new furniture or appliances.
Gift planner calendar
Here is our shortcut list of gifting dates to add to your yearly calendar.
- 11th January – International Thank-You Day
- 14th February – Valentine’s Day
- 8th March – International Women’s Day
- 4th Sunday of Lent – Mothering Sunday
- May - Second Sunday – Mother’s Day
- 31st October – Halloween
- 24th – 26th December – Christmas
- Any time – Date Nights
- Any time – Birthdays and Anniversaries
- Any time – Weddings, Engagements, Bridal Showers
- Any time – Baby Showers
- Any time – Friends
- Any time – Housewarming
- Multiple dates – Worker appreciation days
Give a Gift
Gifting is fun whether for specific dates such as Mother's Day, Valentine's Day or Christmas, or more general times such as birthdays and anniversaries. If someone is important to you, give them a gift no matter what time of year it is. Sometimes the unexpectedness speaks volumes in itself.
Our scented candles for her are an excellent premium option for giving a gift for almost any event.
