Why Wait for a Holiday? 10 Perfect Times When to Give Gifts!

Gifts are ideal for celebrating milestones, showing appreciation, marking anniversaries, supporting during tough times, and acknowledging achievements. They’re also great for welcoming new beginnings, cultural celebrations, visiting someone, and as tokens of appreciation in special circumstances.

Ditch the calendar, ditch the reason! Gift-giving’s about moments, not just milestones. Birthdays? Sweet. Anniversaries? Lovely.

But imagine brightening a random Tuesday for your bestie with a llama portrait (sunglasses optional!). Or cheering up a colleague with a noise-cancelling escape from chaos.

When to Give Gifts
When to Give Gifts

This guide unlocks the secret: every day’s a gift-giving fiesta! So grab your wrapping paper, unleash your inner Santa, and let’s turn ordinary moments into extraordinary memories, one perfectly chosen present at a time.

When to Give Gifts Beyond Birthdays and Holidays?

From birthday gifts to anniversary gifts, well… we know all that. But why do we really have to pick a particular day to give a special gift to the people we love? No, you don’t.

So, I am here to help you discover when to give gifts to the people you love beyond the conventional days like birthdays and anniversaries.

Scroll down to find the answers. 

1. Celebrating Milestones

When to Give Gifts
Celebrating Milestones

Every person has their milestones that are worth celebrating.

You can be part of the celebrations, and I can tell you that one of the best ways to do it is by giving that person special milestone presents. Milestones like graduations, promotions, retirements, or buying a first home are achievements that need to be celebrated.

Those significant achievements are special in someone’s life and therefore, it would be a wonderful gesture for you to give a thoughtful gift to that person such as a piece of personalized jewelry or a personalized leather journal.

The gift can commemorate the occasion, and also be the reason for the recipient to smile, to feel proud of, and also to feel appreciated by you.

2. Showing Appreciation

Showing Appreciation

Gifts can also be a great thing to show appreciation towards someone who has been kind to you.

Say your teacher, tutor, mentor, healthcare provider, or anyone who had a positive impact in a certain part of your life. A gift that is meant to show appreciation can be called a thank you gift, or a token of appreciation.

This kind of gift doesn’t require something huge or too expensive, because it is the thought that counts.

In my personal opinion, custom presents or personalized gifts can be an excellent choice of gifts to pick. Some of the most recommended gifts include a keychain or gift hampers.

However, do plan way ahead for the gift, so you have enough time to prepare the customization elements with the seller. I believe such gifts will be able to express your appreciation effectively.

3. Marking Anniversaries

When to Give Gifts
Marking Anniversaries

Anniversaries will remind you about the special relationship that you have with someone.

Whether it’s your spouse or partner, it’s always wonderful to celebrate anniversaries that will mark the day you two met, or the day of your engagement or wedding day. Among many ways to celebrate the special day, giving a special gift is definitely one of them.

It’s not hard to find some recommendations of anniversary gifts online, but I really have to say that a bouquet of flowers, personalized matching bracelets, and chocolates will never go wrong.

However, beyond romantic relationships, you can also consider giving anniversary gifts to your business partner or best friend, because it will show them how much you appreciate the relationship, which will also acknowledge the importance of building long-term positive bonds.

4. Supporting Through Tough Times

When to Give Gifts
Supporting Through Tough Times

Loss and illness are universal and they are not an easy situation for everyone to deal with. Whether it’s a loss of a loved one, pet, job, or business, the grief can be profound. The same goes for illness, too. Having to deal with serious illness is very difficult.

If you have friends or family who are dealing with tough times, then make sure you are there to support them. For that reason, you can give them a thoughtful gift to let you know that you are there for them during the hard times.

While I know that just showing up and giving them warm hugs are very much needed, you can also give them gifts that will make them feel better.

One of the best gifts would be personalized gift baskets of items they need the most. It can be a self-care gift basket or a healthy snacks gift basket.

In addition, sometimes kind words can also be a great form of support, and therefore I can assure you that cards with words of encouragement plus a small bouquet of flowers can also mean so much for them.

5. Celebrating Achievements

When to Give Gifts
Celebrating Achievements

Similar to milestones, certain achievements also deserve a special celebration. I have no doubt that celebrating achievements and success will feel awesome for most people.

So, why don’t you contribute to the joy and pride by giving congratulations gifts to your loved ones with recent success?

If they just passed an important exam, reached a fitness goal, or just completed a huge project, giving them special gifts will come as achievement rewards. Such gifts will serve as a recognition for their hard work, which will also encourage them to keep doing their best.

For this particular purpose, I do think that personalized gifts are recommended, such as personalized mugs or wall décor items. You can congratulate them and add some words of encouragement to the gifts, too.


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6. Welcoming New Beginnings

When to Give Gifts
Welcoming New Beginnings

New beginnings are always exciting! Having a new home, a new job, becoming a new mom, or entering college are some of the new beginnings we love the most. Knowing how important it is to start a new beginning for your loved ones, I do think that you can definitely use this momentum to give them special gifts.

Aside from the excitement, new beginnings can also bring challenges, and gifts will be a great help to ease the transitions. For instance, it will be a challenge for someone who just moved into a new home to enter a new neighborhood.

That’s when housewarming gifts come in. Housewarming gifts like coasters, home decorations or scented candles can make people feel welcomed, which will help them to blend in with the new environment easily.

7. Just Because

Just Because
Just Because

If you are wondering, when to give gifts to the people you love? The answer would be there is no such thing as the perfect time to give gifts.

You can give gifts and presents to those you love anytime you want. After all, you don’t need any particular reason to make someone feel happy, don’t you? Because gifts will always make people feel happy.

Such gifts can be called the ‘Just Because’ gifts because there is no reason behind it, and you just want to give gifts, that’s all. As simple as it may sound, these gifts can really mean so much for the recipients.

I do think that small items like a cute tea infuser or an adorable plush doll will be a sweet and surprising gift that will strengthen your relationship with them. Whether it’s your parents, spouses, friends or family, I believe they will all feel delighted to receive surprise gifts from you.

8. Cultural or Religious Celebrations

Cultural or Religious Celebrations
Cultural or Religious Celebrations

Other perfect occasions to consider when it comes to when to give gifts, are the answer is none other than religious celebrations.

Religious celebrations are very meaningful for most people, and therefore it will be a kind and wonderful gesture to give special presents to those who are having religious celebrations.

However, every religion has different traditions. So, it is better to always be mindful of the cultural differences. Do some research beforehand, and you can also seek for some recommendations of seasonal gifts based on certain religious celebrations.

For instance, you can find recommendations of the best Christmas gifts such as home décor items around November and December. Or, you can find Eid Mubarak-related gifts like a praying rug or fancy Quran hampers during the fasting month.

9. When Visiting

When Visiting
When Visiting

The ‘when to give gifts’ question needs direct answers. If you ask me, the best answer would probably be whenever you feel like it.

One of the best occasions is perhaps when you are visiting someone’s home. You might be invited by your family or friends for a meal or a quick gathering, and it will be polite if you bring a simple gift for the host.

It will be a sweet and proper token of appreciation to thank the host for inviting you to come to the event. You don’t have to pick something big or spectacular for this kind of treat.

You can go for something simple but sweet like a bottle of wine, a simple bouquet of flowers, or perhaps a small gourmet treat of a pan of delicious dessert. It will be a kind gesture that shows politeness, and will be much appreciated by the host for sure.

10. Special Circumstances

Special Circumstances
Special Circumstances

As I mentioned earlier, sometimes you don’t need special occasions to give gifts. But, there are special circumstances that might require gifts as tokens of appreciation.

The special circumstances might include conditions where you ask a friend to look after your home while you’re away. Or maybe, when you are in need of a hand to do something out of the ordinary like driving you to the hospital during an emergency and such.

This kind of gift can be categorized as tokens of appreciation or thank you gifts, and they can come in the form of mini succulents, snack boxes, or even a pack of a box of whole bean coffee.

The gifts will show how much you are thankful for the help and assistance when you need it the most. It will be a kind gesture, and it will also help to maintain the relationships in the future between you and the recipients.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know that there are no boundaries when it comes to the perfect moments to give gifts, it is up to you to decide when you are going to give gifts to your loved ones.

However, it won’t be a sin to do some research first before you do it, because it will help you in putting more meaning into the gifts. 

Moreover, it will also be more appreciated by the recipients as well knowing that you put some thoughts to it. So, happy gift-giving, happy people!  


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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is it appropriate to give a gift to express sympathy?

Yes it’s generally appropriate to give a gift to express sympathy.

Appropriate sympathy gifts may vary with different cultures and religions, so it is best to know the way of giving sympathy gifts that are appropriate for the receiver. Some of the best choices are an elegant vase of flowers, basket arrangements or sympathy plants. 

Should I give a gift if I’m unsure it’s the right occasion?

It actually depends on the situation and occasion. But in general, giving gifts will always be appropriate, even in a situation when someone is going through a tough time. It all comes back to the choice of gifts.

As long as you give the right gifts based on the occasion, the recipient will always be grateful for the gifts. 

Is it necessary to give expensive gifts?

Not really. Recipients don’t appreciate pricier gifts more than modest ones. Evidence even suggests that they tend to assume the gift cost less than it did.

In fact, a new series of studies explores why an expensive gift, in some cases, can cause the recipient to become suspicious of the giver’s motives in giving expensive gifts. 

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