Birthday Gift Ideas

Birthday gift ideas: what to buy for any age and budget

Birthday presents get overthought. Almost everyone lands on one of four things — something scented, something for the desk, something for the wall, or something edible — and the difference between a good and a bad version is whether it sounds like the person you're giving it to.

Below are birthday gift ideas grouped by budget and by recipient, with the price ranges people actually spend in the UK rather than aspirational ones.

Whatever you choose, write something specific in the card. A shared memory in one line does more than another twenty pounds on the present.

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Candles, coasters, prints, badges and sashes for birthdays, posted from the UK with the card.

A typographic music print featuring Taylor Swift Bejewelled lyrics on high-quality paper, unframed. Best Believe I'm Still Bejewelled By Taylor Swift Music Lyrics Print £8.00 Unframed wall art print featuring the text 'In A World Of Grey, Be A Flamingo' in colourful, vibrant lettering. In A World Of Grey, Be A Flamingo Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 A colourful typographic wall art print with the quote 'I work hard so that my dog can live a better life' in A4 or A3. I Work Hard So That My Dog Can Live A Better Life Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 A colourful fitness wall print illustrating the HYROX competition race format with running and functional workout steps. Hyrox Competition Race Format Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Drinks Coasters Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Drinks Coasters £4.50 All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) £8.00

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Birthday gifts under £10

  • A funny candle, which almost always outlasts the birthday week. Shop this card
  • A pin badge that matches their job, their hobby or the running joke. Shop this card
  • Coasters — used daily, cost almost nothing, remembered for years. Shop this card
  • A bookmark or desk piece for the reader or the office worker. Shop this card
  • A birthday sash or crown if there's any kind of gathering. Shop this card
  • The card upgraded: a good card plus a small gift beats a mediocre big one. Shop this card

Birthday gifts £10–£30

  • A print for the kitchen or home office, framed or frame-ready. Shop this card
  • A candle and card set, boxed so it hands over without wrapping. Shop this card
  • A certificate for the person who deserves an official title. Shop this card
  • A small bundle: candle, badge and card in one parcel. Shop this card
  • Something for their desk that makes the working day less grim. Shop this card
  • A gift plus decorations if the party's at home. Shop this card

By recipient

What to spend, honestly

  • Close friend or sibling: £15–£30 is the range most people land in. Shop this card
  • Colleague or acquaintance: £5–£10, and a card matters more than the gift. Shop this card
  • Partner or parent milestone: £30–£60, usually one good thing rather than three small ones. Shop this card
  • Group gift: £5–£10 a head buys something far better than five separate presents. Shop this card
  • Children's party gift: £5–£15 is the UK norm, and nobody minds the lower end. Shop this card
  • When in doubt, spend less on the object and more on the message inside the card. Shop this card

Hand-poured candles

Soy candles made in the UK — the gift that gets used rather than shelved.

65th Cake & Candles Birthday Card For Wife 65th Cake & Candles Birthday Card For Wife £3.87

Coasters and desk pieces

Small, funny and permanent: the things that stay out on show.

Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Drinks Coasters Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Drinks Coasters £4.50 An A4 Certificate of Bravery with a lion's mane illustration and blank spaces for name, deed, date, and signature. A4 Certificate Of Bravery £3.00 Square drinks coaster with the humorous text Relax I Have a Spreadsheet For That, ideal gift for office colleagues. Relax I Have a Spreadsheet For That Funny Drinks Coaster £3.75 Pack of 6 Fun Cartoon Drinks Coasters Pack of 6 Fun Cartoon Drinks Coasters £4.50 Pack of 6 Fun Geometric Pattern Drinks Coasters Pack of 6 Fun Geometric Pattern Drinks Coasters £4.50 Harry Potter Wax Seal Drinks Coaster in Maroon & Gold Harry Potter Wax Seal Drinks Coaster in Maroon & Gold £5.99 Pack of 4 Powerpuff Girls Drinks Coasters Pack of 4 Powerpuff Girls Drinks Coasters £6.00 A4 novelty certificate gift for Father's Day reading World's Best Dad with gold border and seal detail. World's Best Dad A4 Certificate (Father's Day Gift) £9.99 Best Mummy in the World Drinks Coaster Best Mummy in the World Drinks Coaster £3.99 World’s Best Dad Wooden Coaster World’s Best Dad Wooden Coaster £4.00 Pack of 6 Small Cartoon Dog Drinks Coasters Pack of 6 Small Cartoon Dog Drinks Coasters £4.50 Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Sun & Mood Astrology Coasters Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Sun & Mood Astrology Coasters £4.50

Prints for the wall

Framed-ready prints for kitchens, hallways and home offices.

A typographic music print featuring Taylor Swift Bejewelled lyrics on high-quality paper, unframed. Best Believe I'm Still Bejewelled By Taylor Swift Music Lyrics Print £8.00 Unframed wall art print featuring the text 'In A World Of Grey, Be A Flamingo' in colourful, vibrant lettering. In A World Of Grey, Be A Flamingo Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 A colourful typographic wall art print with the quote 'I work hard so that my dog can live a better life' in A4 or A3. I Work Hard So That My Dog Can Live A Better Life Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 A colourful fitness wall print illustrating the HYROX competition race format with running and functional workout steps. Hyrox Competition Race Format Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Colourful typography poster featuring the text You're Gonna Hear Me Roar from Katy Perry's song, unframed music print. You're Gonna Hear Me Roar Poster (Music Lyric Print) £8.00 Graphic music lyric print featuring a giant open mouth and lyrics from Lola Young's song Messy. Cause I'm Too Messy And Then I'm Too Fucking Clean (Music Lyric Prints) £8.00 Taylor Swift Who's Afraid of Little Old Me lyric print featuring minimalist black typography on a white background. Whose Afraid Of Little Old Me By Taylor Swift Music Lyrics Print £8.00 "Let It Be" Beatles lyric print featuring a guitar illustration and song lyrics, displayed as unframed wall art. "Let It Be" By The Beatles Inspired Music Lyrics Print (Guitar) £8.00 Humorous wall art print featuring four lined-up pints of Guinness stout and the text 'line. them. up.' with a white border. Line Them up Guinness Print (A4 & A3) £8.00

Cards to send with it

Add the card and the whole present arrives in one UK parcel.

You Old Bastard (Funny Birthday Card) You Old Bastard (Funny Birthday Card) £3.87 Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Him Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Him £3.87 I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Diet Coke Ever (Valentines Day Card) I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Diet Coke Ever (Valentines Day Card) £3.87 Sixty Looks Pretty Good On You (60th Birthday Card) Sixty Looks Pretty Good On You (60th Birthday Card) £3.87 Top Trumps 60th Birthday Card for Dad Top Trumps 60th Birthday Card for Dad £3.87 Fifty & Even More Fabulous Than Ever (50th Birthday Card) Fifty & Even More Fabulous Than Ever (50th Birthday Card) £3.87 Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Her Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Her £3.87 I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Strongbow Dark Fruits Ever (Valentines Day Card) I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Strongbow Dark Fruits Ever (Valentines Day Card) £3.87 Happy Valentines Day, Bab (Valentines Day Card) Happy Valentines Day, Bab (Valentines Day Card) £3.87 The Peach Tarot-inspired Cheeky Valentines Day Card The Peach Tarot-inspired Cheeky Valentines Day Card £3.87 "Woof Woof" Sausage Dog Valentines Day Card "Woof Woof" Sausage Dog Valentines Day Card £3.87 The Eggplant Tarot-inspired Cheeky Valentines Day Card The Eggplant Tarot-inspired Cheeky Valentines Day Card £3.87

Where to shop next

Frequently asked questions

What's a good birthday gift under £10?

A funny candle, a pin badge or a set of coasters, paired with the card. All three get used, which is more than most £10 presents manage.

What should I buy someone who says they don't want anything?

Something consumable or useful: a candle, coasters or a print. It doesn't create clutter, which is usually the real objection.

How much do people spend on a birthday present in the UK?

£15–£30 for a close friend or sibling, £5–£10 for a colleague, and £30–£60 for a partner or a milestone birthday.

Can I order the gift and the birthday card together?

Yes — they ship together from the UK in one parcel, so you pay postage once.