10 Things to Buy Your Best Friend for Cheering Them Up

Buying for your best friend goes the same way most years: you get to the week before, panic, and buy the safe thing they already have three of.

These ten are here because they either get used weekly or they mark something. UK prices, one pick from our own range, and the card sorted at the end.

10 cheering them up gifts for your best friend

Finding the right gesture for a closest companion who is feeling down can be tough. This selection suits any dear friend facing a difficult week or a quiet slump, helping you lift their spirits when they need it most. For the best results, try to choose something that celebrates your unique history together rather than a generic shop-bought item.

  1. A print of the in-joke that's followed you both around for years. Nobody else could have bought it, which is exactly why it works.
  2. A night out with the date already agreed and the table booked. Book the table when you hand it over, or it'll be next year before you go.
  3. The thing they always buy for themselves, bought for them for once. Buying them their own small habit is oddly more thoughtful than something new.
  4. Tickets to something you'll both go to. Two tickets means you're giving them the night, not just the ticket.
  5. A framed photo of the worst night out you both survived. The worst night out makes the best framed photo.
  6. Something for their new flat, job or hobby. Buy for the thing that's just changed in their life and it lands at the right moment.
  7. A book they'd never buy themselves but will finish in a weekend. A book they'd never pick themselves is worth the risk when you know their taste.
  8. A day of doing nothing together, phones down. A day with phones down is rarer and better than anything wrapped.
  9. Something that needs no reply. A parcel that arrives without asking anything of them is the whole point when someone is flat.
  10. Our pick: the 'In A World Of Grey, Be A Flamingo' print in A4 or A3 - designed in house, printed in the UK, and it ends up in the kitchen.

How much to spend

This guidance suits anyone wanting to show support without causing financial awkwardness or overstretching their own budget. Use these guidelines when you want to strike the perfect balance between generosity and practicality. A helpful tip is to focus on daily usefulness rather than luxury, as small everyday comforts often bring the greatest comfort.

  • £15 to £40, and the in-joke is worth more than the price tag.
  • Pooling with siblings or friends on one bigger present beats three separate medium ones.
  • A £15 thing used weekly beats a £60 thing kept in a cupboard.
  • If money is tight, give time with a date attached instead - it isn't a lesser gift.

What to avoid

This advice suits well-meaning friends who want to ensure their supportive gesture lands perfectly without causing unintentional offense. Use this checklist before making your final purchase to keep your gift thoughtful and personal. Our main tip is to steer clear of anything that feels like a chore or looks like an afterthought from a high street supermarket shelf.

  • Generic 'best friend' tat with the words printed on it.
  • Anything you'd buy a colleague.
  • Anything that's really a hint.
  • Gift sets you'd be embarrassed to receive.

Getting the timing right

This section suits anyone who wants to ensure their kind gesture arrives at the moment it is needed most. Use these suggestions to coordinate your delivery and visits during a difficult period. A useful tip is to wait until the initial rush of support has quietened down, ensuring your friend feels cared for over the longer term.

  • Send it in week three, not week one. Everyone shows up at the start.
  • Small and soon beats big and late.
  • Say when you'll next be round, and then turn up.

Don't forget the perfect card

This approach suits a close companion who values meaningful words far more than expensive, material objects. Use a card alongside your gift, or even on its own, to express what your friendship truly means. A simple tip is to write down one specific memory from your past year together to make them smile when they open it.

  • The gift gets opened in a minute. The card sits on the shelf for weeks and in a drawer for years.
  • Write something only you could write about your best friend - one specific thing from this year.
  • Sign it properly. A name and a real sentence beats 'love from all of us'.
  • Every card we make is designed in house and printed in the UK, and it posts in the same parcel as the gift.

Key things to remember

  • Specific beats expensive - the best gift is the one only you would think of.
  • Order the card with the gift so they arrive together.
  • Write the card before you wrap, while you still have something to say.

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Frequently asked questions

What should I buy your best friend for cheering them up?

Something they use weekly or something with a date attached - a print for a wall, the good version of an everyday item, or an outing already booked. All three beat a gift set bought in a hurry.

How much should I spend on your best friend?

£15 to £40, and the in-joke is worth more than the price tag.

What should I write in the card?

One specific thing from the last year, then how you actually feel about it. That single line is remembered long after the present has been put away.

What is a good example of 10 things to buy your best friend for cheering them up?

"1. A print of the in-joke that's followed you both around for years. Nobody else could have bought it, which is exactly why it works." is one of 25 examples on this page. Pick the one closest to the tone you want, then add a specific detail of your own - a shared memory, a date, a name - so it reads as yours rather than copied.

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Where to shop next

Cheer up cards and small gifts

Designed in house, printed in the UK and posted the same working day.

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Found your words? Now find the card

Shop cheer up gifts Our pick: 'In A World Of Grey, Be A Flamingo' print (A4 & A3) Shop all cards Posters and prints

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