How to pick the perfect birthday gift

Be the world’s best birthday-gift-buying expert with our quick five-step guide. No matter who it’s for, we’ll help you get your brain buzzing with brilliant ideas.

1. What are their hobbies and interests?

What do they enjoy doing in their free time? Are they an avid bookworm, a green-thumbed gardener, or an expert gamer?

We have plenty of great birthday gift inspiration based on different hobbies on our blog. Some of our top ideas include:

• Gifts for art lovers – new arts and crafts supplies from stores like Michaels.
• Gift for bookworms – the latest best-seller from Barnes & Noble.
• Gifts for gamers – gaming expansion packs and currency from Xbox.
• Gifts for gardeners – new gardening gloves and tools from Lowe’s.

2. How do you know them?

It may sound obvious, but you’re not going to buy your grandma the same kind of gift as you would your partner or boss.

Gifts for family members may have more of a sentimental edge than those you buy for your boss or your work colleagues – which may be more practical or light-hearted.

For example, you might treat your boss or coworkers to some new stationery, or something to brighten up their desk. Your grandma and grandpa might prefer something they can enjoy out in the garden. While your mom might want something to help her catch up on some much needed ‘me-time’.

3. What’s their job?

Someone’s career can be a big part of what makes them who they are, so it’s a great point to consider when thinking about what to buy as a birthday gift.

Whether they’re a professional writer or artist, work in an office or kitchen, we have some great gift inspiration on our blog. Top gift examples include:

• For chefs – a new set of kitchen knives from Williams-Sonoma.
• For writers – a new planner or notepad from Michaels.
• For artists – a professional art portfolio to store their work from The Container Store.
• For office workers – a small desk plant to brighten up their workspace from Wayfair.

4. How do they spend their evenings?

Whether they start to unwind after work or look to spend an evening with friends and family, what they like to do on an evening can reveal a lot about what kind of present they’d enjoy. We’ve got some top ideas to get you started:

• If they love to pamper themselves – a scented candle or spa set from Bath & Body Works creates the perfect home spa session.
• If they love to eat out – book a table at their favorite restaurant from the Darden chain to indulge in a delicious meal.
• If they’re a movie buff – a cozy blanket from Crate and Barrel and a Netflix subscription sets them up for the perfect movie night.

5. What have they been celebrating?

Think about what’s going on in their lives and whether you could use that to find the perfect birthday gift.

For example, if they’re:

• A newlywed – go for a new photo frame or album to store their gorgeous wedding photos.
• Starting a new job – how about a new desk organizer or notebook from Staples?
• Newly retired – why not help them make the most of their newfound spare time with exciting travel opportunities from Hotels.com?

For more inspiration to help you find the perfect birthday gift, check out our other blog posts, or browse our full range of Kroger Gift Cards.