Gifting occasions and their dates
When each gifting occasion falls this year, and how to be ready for it rather than caught out by it.
Christmas and the turn of the year
The busiest stretch of the gifting year runs from the November sales to New Year's Day. Most people buy for everyone at once, so a list of names written early does more than any discount. Handmade and personalised gifts take the longest to make and post, so order those first.
Religious and cultural festivals
Diwali, Hanukkah, Lunar New Year, both Eids and Raksha Bandhan follow lunar or lunisolar calendars, so their dates move every year, and each Eid is only fixed when the new moon is sighted. Customs differ from family to family, so each page describes what is traditional rather than what everyone does. If you are a guest, it is fine to ask what the family usually does.
Days for the people closest to you
Mother's Day, Father's Day and Valentine's Day are each about one person, which is exactly why a gift that could have gone to anyone shows. Mothering Sunday moves with Easter, and Father's Day falls on different dates across Europe, so check the date for the country the gift is going to.
Easter and Halloween
Both are more about the table and the house than about big presents. A treat to share, something for the host or a decoration that comes out every year tends to suit them better than one large gift.
School and milestones
These follow the school and university year rather than a fixed date. Most UK graduations fall between late June and July, and in England and Wales the summer term ends in July. A graduation gift can be something that lasts. For a teacher, keep it modest and check the school's policy first.