Anniversaries and milestones are not just for married couples. Friendships are important, and the ones that can withstand the trials and tribulations of life, time and distance, weddings, funerals and even pandemics – well, they are worth celebrating.
Showing your close, long-term friends that you care and that you appreciate them is a magnificent gesture. Gifts for her or thoughtful presents for him help to fortify an already strong friendship and will often be unexpected, creating an emotional and well-received moment in time.
While marriage milestones have dedicated gift suggestions (gold, silver, diamond wedding anniversaries, for example), there are no rules when it comes to marking friendship occasions. There is no right or wrong way to celebrate this, and you can personalise your gift to suit the person and the friendship.
Inspiration can be difficult to find sometimes, though, and getting these presents right is imperative. This article will provide some suggestions on gift ideas for people from all walks of life so they can show their friends that they care when it comes time for those milestone moments.
Present Ideas For The Female Friend In Your Life
Gifts for her can be especially challenging because you want to celebrate the friendship without showing romantic intentions. Traditional gifts like jewellery, flowers and chocolate are out.
The best way to show her that you appreciate her friendship is to tap into everything that makes your friendship great. Understand what she likes and what moments you like to share together. Some thoughtful ideas include:
Personalised gifts: Almost any item can be personalised these days and it provides the perfect keepsake to remember, while you are also giving a gift that can be used together.
Consumables: Just because chocolate is out, doesn’t mean you can’t give them a delicious present. Do you share a favourite brand of wine? Perhaps you have a favourite restaurant (you can enjoy a night out together). Or you can go all out and put together a hamper.
Select interests: This is not a formal occasion so don’t be afraid to give them a present that they will really like. If they are into games, gadgets or quirky household items, these presents will show that you really understand who they are.
Tickets: The present doesn’t have to be a physical item at all. To celebrate the friendship, shout them tickets to an entertainer that you both like so you can go and enjoy it together.
Gift Ideas For Your Bloke Mates
While it is often funny to give your male friend some form of a novelty gift, just remember that it is only going to create a brief moment of laughter and then likely end up in a drawer or the bin. While many companies will market quirky, novelty gifts to take the Mickey out of the blokes in your life, these aren’t the presents that are really going to impress. Some items to consider include:
Something functional: If you can identify something that your mate really wants or needs in their life, but can’t get for whatever reason, go and buy that. It could be a tool, sports equipment, homewares, something for their work. They will really appreciate that you have listened and given them something that they can really use.
A gift that can be used by a group: You want to dodge any potential romantic gestures here as well, so getting too personal might not be a great idea. Instead, identify something that they really like doing with their mates. If they like a kick of the footy, get them a new Steeden or Sherrin. Get him a bunch of tickets to his favourite band or sports team. Something that will help strengthen his bond with his mates.
Craft something yourself: You don’t need to go out and find the most “manly” thing possible. Many men aren’t even into that sort of stuff. There is nothing wrong with a hand-crafted painting, card or another item as a gift. In fact, most males are not used to this. They will be touched by the effort that you have gone to.