Keep these ideas in mind as you continue to generate more ideas and narrow down your choices.
Buy your music-obsessed friend an album or a t-shirt from their favorite band’s merchandise. Look into fan-club memberships as well. Get art or craft supplies for an artistic person. Think about art projects they’d like to accomplish, or about work that they haven’t finished. Buy an indoor plant, wrap it properly and send it as a gift to your friend who loves gardening. Look for rare or quirky team memorabilia for a sporty friend. Check out EBay for autographed cards, bobbleheads, stickers or other sports items that others are unlikely to have. Buy toys for the person’s pets. Pets are important to their owners, and sometimes a gift for a pet can mean as much as a gift for their owner! Continue to think outside the box. Remember that no matter what your friend’s interests are, your gift should be thoughtful and interesting.
Make a gift that may reference things that you have done together. Make a scrapbook with all your photos. This can be a great gift, as your friend will appreciate the time you put into it, and it will bring back memories. Make something simple like a friendship bracelet or necklace to remind your friend of how much you care.
Remember, less is sometimes more. If you make your letter too long, it may start to come off as sappy or insincere. If you are struggling with length, think about what you value the most about your friend. You could even focus on a particular moment, like when they helped you in time of need.
Take a friend out for dinner, drinks, a concert or a movie. As with physical gifts, think about your friends personality and interests and choose a gift accordingly. Buy your friend a membership to a local museum, aquarium or zoo. They will get free entry for a year as well as special perks for joining. Go a little crazy! Sometimes, gifts that seem impossible are more reasonably priced than you might imagine. Look into a horseback riding session if your friend loves animals, or skydiving if your friend is a daredevil. Rent a car and check out a state park with an adventurous friend.
For example, if you know that your friend is struggling to pay off an expensive medical bill, you could create a fundraiser for it. Only choose this option if you know that your friend will appreciate it. Some people are very proud and feel uncomfortable receiving financial aid from friends.
For example, if your friend cares about wildlife, especially wolves, you could donate to a wolf conservation center.
For example, just because your friend really likes cats does not mean that they’ll actually want that set of cat magnets for their refrigerator.
For example, you could say “Can’t wait for your birthday surprise!” or “I know you’ll get a kick out of your gift!”
The person’s gender Their age Whether they live at alone or with family Whether they’re in school or have graduated
Dig deeper. If you know that they like painting, try to find out if they have a preference: acrylic, gouache, oil, or watercolor.
Take a look at their social media posts. If they post a lot of Harry Potter or Star Wars memes, then it’s safe to say that they like Harry Potter or Star Wars.
If they do shop online, ask if you can look over their shoulder and see what they’re shopping for. If you really want to surprise them, you could have the gift sent directly to their house. It would be even better if there is a gift wrapping option!
If your friend decided against an item that was too expensive, then they might appreciate getting it for their birthday. If your friend decided against something that wasn’t in their taste after all, then there is no point in getting it for them–they chose not to buy it because they didn’t want it.
For example, if your friend posts an image of a specific makeup kit, and mentions how she wished she had it, consider getting it for her!
This is an especially good idea if the gift is very expensive or a gag gift. If you aren’t sure how your friend will react to it, definitely ask mutual friends.
Best friends are deserving of very meaningful, personal gifts that reflect your years of friendship. Don’t give people you have just met or don’t know too well overly personal or expensive gifts. Expensive gifts may give them the idea that you’re just trying to impress them, while overly personal gifts might come off as too forward.
For example, people tend to focus more on Christmas than St. Patrick’s day. As such, you might want to give them the bigger gift on Christmas.
For example, if no one is around to celebrate your friend’s birthday and they are not celebrating a big number, you could still get them a nice gift.
