A good New Year gift does not have to be expensive, but it should get used. A gift that is seen every day, or used on the table on New Year's Eve, is remembered longer than an ornament left in a drawer.
Three questions before choosing a New Year gift
- Who is it for? Close family, partner, friend or colleague. The closer the person, the more personal the gift can be.
- Where will it be used? Home, kitchen or office. If you know the person's home, a home gift is a safe choice.
- When will it be opened? A table gift given before New Year can be used that night, so giving it in the first half of December makes sense.
New Year gifts for the home and table
- Table set: runner, placemats, coasters and cushion cover in the same pattern. The New Year table is ready in one go. Table sets come for 4, 6 and 8 people.
- Table runner: a single piece and easy to give; you only need to know the table size. See how long a table runner should be.
- Coaster set: a small-budget gift everyone uses. Coasters are sold as a set of 4 or individually.
- Cushion cover: changes the feel of a living room; as it is a cover, the cushion size should be known. See cushion cover sizes.
Wipe-clean models are cleaned with a damp cloth after the New Year dinner, so the gift creates no extra work.
What to give whom
- For her: a patterned cushion cover or coasters for a coffee corner. More ideas: gift ideas for women.
- For him: a plain, dark-toned runner or a coaster set. Check and geometric patterns are usually the safer choice.
- For mum: for mothers who love hosting, a table set is one of the most used gifts. See gift ideas for mum.
- For a partner: for a couple who just moved in together, a first table set is a meaningful gift. More: gift ideas for your partner.
- For friends and colleagues: on a small budget, coasters or a single cushion cover. For a friend with a new home: housewarming gift ideas.
Small-budget New Year gifts
If you need several gifts for an office draw or a large family, split pieces of the same pattern: coasters for one person, a cushion cover for another. Because the pattern is shared, the gifts look like a set.
If you are not sure what to buy
If you do not know the person's taste, a digital gift card leaves the choice to them. If you are handing the gift over yourself, gift wrapping can be added to the order.
When to buy a New Year gift
Deliveries get busy in the last week of December. For a gift meant for the table, ordering by mid-December makes it easier to have it before New Year's Eve. For setting the table itself, see how to set a New Year table.